Private Internet Access (PIA) is a commercial virtual private network (VPN) service provider operated by Kape Technologies. Founded in 2010 by entrepreneur Andrew Lee under the parent organization London Trust Media, the service was originally created to prevent Internet Relay Chat (IRC) channels from exposing user IP addresses. In 2018, former Mt. Gox CEO Mark Karpelès was appointed as the chief technology officer of PIA's parent company, a corporate decision that drew public attention due to his prior financial legal history in Japan. The company has since grown into a major international privacy software provider, expanding its footprint across North America and global markets following its acquisition by Kape Technologies in November 2019.
The CEO of Private Internet Access (and its parent company, London Trust Media, Inc.) is Ted Kim. The company was founded by Andrew Lee. Lee started the company PIA because he wanted a way to prevent Internet Relay Chat from revealing IP addresses.
From the Wikipedia article “Private Internet Access”, CC BY-SA 4.0
What is Private Internet Access?
Private Internet Access by Private Internet Access, Inc. is proprietary Windows software in the vpn & proxy category. It ranks 30th by popularity among vpn & proxy in this catalogue. The first release dates back to 2009. Besides Windows, it is available for GNU/Linux, Android, iOS and Mac operating system.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides EXE installers for 64-bit and ARM64 Windows. The main installer is 25.0 MB. Installation asks for administrator rights. A silent install is possible with the installer’s documented switches.
Updates and version history
The current version is 3.6.1+08339, released on September 2, 2024. The version history goes back to September 9, 2021: 19 releases, all linked to the official files. That is about 5.7 releases a year. The last update is more than a year old.
Popularity and file types
The Chocolatey package has been downloaded 65,361 times. Wikipedia has an article about it in 6 of our languages. Similar programs include OpenVPN, Proton VPN and nginx.
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Native ARM64 build for Windows on Arm
- Documented silent install
- Also runs on GNU/Linux, Android and iOS
- Mature project (since 2009)
Cons
- Proprietary licence: check the terms and price
- Installation needs administrator rights
- No update for more than a year
In short: Private Internet Access is a vpn & proxy tool for 64-bit and ARM64 PCs. It is actively maintained. Administrators can deploy it unattended.
Is Private Internet Access safe to download?
- The file is served by installers.privateinternetaccess.com, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
B407C39D82398AFF52602AE98A2B7CD904023A5F6D1E88416DC30B2C31A3CF56· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link answered when we last checked it (October 22, 2026)
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Recent versions
All 19 versions ›19 versions over 3 years · about 5.7 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.6.1+08339Latest | September 2, 2024 | 25.0 MB | 64-bit EXEARM64 EXE |
| 3.5.7+08120 | March 27, 2024 | 22.3 MB | 32-bit EXE64-bit EXE |
| 3.5.3+07926 | December 27, 2023 | 22.3 MB | 64-bit EXE32-bit EXE |
| 3.3.1+06924 | April 8, 2022 | 21.8 MB | 32-bit EXE64-bit EXE |
| 3.3.0+06906 | February 25, 2022 | 21.8 MB | 32-bit EXE64-bit EXE |
| 3.2.0+06857 | December 17, 2021 | 21.7 MB | 64-bit EXE32-bit EXE |
| 3.1.2+06767 | November 30, 2021 | 21.5 MB | 64-bit EXE32-bit EXE |
| 3.1.1+06763 | November 20, 2021 | 21.5 MB | 32-bit EXE64-bit EXE |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id PrivateInternetAccess.PrivateInternetAccess -echoco install pia -ypia-windows-x64-3.6.1-08339.exe /SILENTmsiexec /x {33023371-7761-4F81-BBB1-0E0D0D175ACF} /qn /norestartRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Also for other systems
brew install --cask private-internet-accessInformation
- Publisher
- Private Internet Access, Inc.
- Category
- VPN & proxy
- Licence
- Proprietary
- Price
- See the publisher’s site
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit, ARM64
- Installer
- EXE
- Other platforms
- GNU/Linux, Android, iOS, Mac operating system
- Version
- 3.6.1+08339
- Released
- September 2, 2024
- First release
- 2009
- Added to the catalogue
- May 8, 2021
- Versions listed
- 19
- Updates / year
- 5.7
- Chocolatey downloads
- 65,361
- Website
- privateinternetaccess.com
- winget ID
- PrivateInternetAccess.PrivateInternetAccess
- Chocolatey package
- pia
- MSI product code
- {33023371-7761-4F81-BBB1-0E0D0D175ACF}
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
Alternatives to Private Internet Access
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Frequently asked questions
Is Private Internet Access free?
Private Internet Access is proprietary (closed-source) software (licence: Proprietary). Whether it costs money depends on the edition: check the publisher’s site for prices and free tiers.
Is Private Internet Access safe to download?
The download comes from installers.privateinternetaccess.com, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install Private Internet Access with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Can Private Internet Access be installed silently?
Yes. The silent install page lists the exact command for each installer.
Does Private Internet Access run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
Yes, there is a native ARM64 installer.
Where can I download an older version of Private Internet Access?
The versions page lists all 19 versions with links to their official installer files, back to September 9, 2021.
What are alternatives to Private Internet Access?
OpenVPN, Proton VPN, nginx, Windscribe and Tailscale. The alternatives page compares them.
