Setup guide

Install WireGuard on Android, iPhone or PC.

OwlGate rides on the free, audited WireGuard client. Install it once, import a tree house config, and you're under owl-eye in about two minutes.

Get a config Need a hand?

Android

Android 9 (Pie) or newer · phones, tablets, Android TV and Chromebooks.

  1. 1

    Install the WireGuard app

    Open Google Play and install WireGuard by WireGuard Development Team. It's free, open source and about 5 MB.

  2. 2

    Download an OwlGate config

    On this phone, open the config generator, flip on the tree house you want and tap .conf. Chrome saves it to your Downloads folder — tap Keep if asked.

  3. 3

    Import the tunnel

    Open WireGuard, tap the blue + button, choose Import from file or archive, and pick the owlgate-….conf you just downloaded.

  4. 4

    Allow the VPN profile

    Flip the toggle next to the new tunnel. Android asks permission to add a VPN configuration — tap OK. A key icon appears in the status bar when you're perched.

  5. 5

    Check it worked

    Open the leak test page. Your detected country should now match the tree house you chose, with no DNS or WebRTC leaks.

iPhone & iPad

iOS 15+ · iPadOS 15+ · works on cellular and Wi-Fi, no jailbreak, no profiles to trust.

  1. 1

    Install WireGuard from the App Store

    Search the App Store for WireGuard by WireGuard Development Team and install it. It's free, open source and works on iPhone and iPad.

  2. 2

    Grab an OwlGate config on the same device

    Open the config generator in Safari, pick your tree house and tap .conf. Safari asks to download the file — tap Download, then find it in Files → Downloads.

  3. 3

    Import the tunnel

    Open WireGuard, tap +, choose Create from file or archive, then pick the owlgate-….conf from Files. Or tap Create from QR code if you're copying a tunnel from a desktop.

  4. 4

    Allow the VPN profile

    iOS shows “WireGuard Would Like to Add VPN Configurations” — tap Allow and confirm with Face ID or your passcode. This is a one-off per device.

  5. 5

    Turn it on and check

    Flip the tunnel toggle. A VPN badge appears in the status bar. Open the leak test page — your country should match the tree house, with no DNS or WebRTC leaks.

  6. 6

    Optional: On-Demand

    In WireGuard, edit the tunnel and switch on On-Demand for Wi-Fi and cellular so your iPhone perches automatically whenever it goes online.

Stuck on “no file to import”? Safari sometimes hides the download. Open Files → On My iPhone → Downloads and check the .conf is there, or use the QR-code import from the config editor on a desktop screen.

PC — Windows, macOS & Linux

Windows 10+ · macOS 11+ · Linux kernel 5.6+ (or wireguard-dkms).

  1. 1

    Install the WireGuard client

    Windows and macOS: get the official installer from wireguard.com/install (macOS is also on the App Store). Linux: sudo apt install wireguard — or dnf / pacman for your distro.

  2. 2

    Download an OwlGate config

    Use the config generator to grab a single .conf, or bundle several perches into one file. Files come straight from owlgate.uk, so there's no download limit.

  3. 3

    Add the tunnel

    Windows: open WireGuard → Import tunnel(s) from file. macOS: click + → Import tunnel(s) from file. Linux: sudo cp owlgate-….conf /etc/wireguard/owlgate.conf.

  4. 4

    Activate

    Windows and macOS: select the tunnel and click Activate. Linux: sudo wg-quick up owlgate (and sudo wg-quick down owlgate to stop).

  5. 5

    Confirm the perch

    Run the speed test and leak test. Latency should sit close to the figure shown on the locations page for that tree house.

Command-line shortcut

# Linux / macOS — download a perch straight from OwlGate
curl -O https://owlgate.uk/api/public/wg/lon-01
sudo wg-quick up ./lon-01

Keep your tunnel healthy

  • · Only import .conf files downloaded from owlgate.uk.
  • · Re-download a config any time to rotate its keys — old ones simply stop working.
  • · Turn on the WireGuard app's kill-switch (Block connections without VPN) for always-on protection.
  • · Switching perch? Deactivate the current tunnel first, then activate the new one.

Setup FAQ

Do I need the OwlGate app to use a config?

No. The official WireGuard client is all you need on Android, iOS, Windows, macOS and Linux. Import the .conf OwlGate generates and you're perched.

Where do the config files come from?

They're generated by OwlGate's own servers at owlgate.uk/api/public/wg/. Nothing is hosted with a third party, so downloads are never rate-limited.

Can I install more than one tree house at once?

Yes. Toggle as many perches as you like on the config generator and download them as a single bundle file, then split or import it into WireGuard.

Is my private key safe?

Your client private key is generated fresh for each download and never stored by OwlGate. If you think a key has leaked, download the config again to rotate it.

The tunnel connects but nothing loads — what now?

Deactivate the tunnel, check your clock is set automatically, and try a different tree house. Corporate and school Wi-Fi sometimes blocks UDP; the support page has a workaround list.