Install `.ovpn` on iDevice via the Files app

-or-
How to transfer the .ovpn file from a computer to an iDevice (e.g., iPhone or iPad)

Notes

• Do not use email to load the .ovpn files to the iDevice
• OpenVPN must be enabled in IPFire - Current OpenVPN server status: RUNNING

Getting started

1. Using the App Store install OpenVPN Connect on the iPhone / iPad
   • Do this first before continuing
2. Unlock iPhone

On the Computer side

You can put files on your iOS device in a few different ways. On a Mac, you can copy files into your iCloud Drive from Finder. You can also login to icloud.com using a browser and drag-and-drop your files there. You can also use a different cloud service, such as Nextcloud.

On a Mac
* Open a window in the Finder ¹
* In the left sidebar locate iCloud and click on iCloud Drive
* Create a new folder (e.g., let's call it myIPFire)
* Copy the two recently created ovpn files, myPhone.ovpn and myPhone.ovpn12, to this folder

The .ovpn and ovpn12 files are now loaded into the iCloud Drive and should be available on the iDevice. The next step is to load the .ovpn and .ovpn12 into OpenVPN Connect.

On the iPhone side

1) On the iDevice, locate and launch Files 2
2) Open iCloud Drive and the recently created directory myIPFire. Then click on the "myPhone.ovpn12" file. The file extension may be hidden depending on your iOS version and/or settings.
3) Click the Share / Export icon
4) Click on Copy to OpenVPN
5) The OpenVPN Connect app will auto-launch. Click ADD
6) If asked, enter the password and click OK. This password is the PKCS12 File Password from IPFire configuration.
7) This page indicates the file was imported (there seems to be no other indicator)
8) Now for the second file. Go back to Files. Open the same directory as above - myIPFire. Click on myPhone.ovpn.
9) Click ADD
10) Click the Certificate down arrow and pick the myPhone.ovpn12. Then click ADD
11) Click Allow
12) Approve the Add VPN Configuration with Touch ID, Face ID or the iPhone Passcode
13) When ready to connect, click on the slider switch
14) After properly connected you'll see this screen. When ready to disconnect, click on the slider switch
Done - You are good to go!

These instructions have been somewhat updated to work on iOS 26 and a more recent OpenVPN app version.