A simpler way to play with friends online

How it works

1. 01

   Share your PC

   Pick your gaming PC, choose Share with a person, and set access to This device only — nothing else on your network is reachable.

2. 02

   Your friend accepts

   Send the invite link, QR code or a short code. They open it in ForestVPN and accept — no account details change hands.

3. 03

   Join by name

   Your friend uses your PC's ForestVPN name wherever the game asks for a server address.

Join by address or name

Works. Anything with a direct connect or join by IP/hostname option (Minecraft's Direct Connect, for example) works exactly like it would on the same network.

LAN-broadcast discovery only

Not yet. A game that only finds servers by broadcasting on the local network won't auto-discover a friend this way — use its direct-connect option instead, if it has one.

This isn't a virtual LAN — it's a private, named connection to one shared device. It gets you past router and port-forwarding setup for games that support joining by address; it doesn't emulate LAN broadcast traffic.

Is it free?

Yes. Connecting your own devices, running exits and sharing a device with a friend are on every plan, Free included. Sharing needs a device that has been on your account for a week or more.

Does my friend need Premium?

No. They join on any plan, free included.

What can my friend see once I share my PC?

Only what you gave them access to. This device only sharing reaches that one device and nothing else on your network — no other computers, no internet access through it.

Can I take access back?

Any time, in one tap — access stops within seconds while your PC is online, and within 15 minutes even if it briefly can't reach ForestVPN's servers.

Does it work on iPhone?

Yes, to accept a share and connect. Sharing a device as a game server works from desktop platforms.