semiatic

Key icon at the top of a Samsung or Pixel phone: what does it mean?

On Samsung Galaxy and Google Android phones the key means a VPN is connected.

What each maker says

What it looks like
A key lying on its side, round end on the left.
Shown by
Samsung Galaxy, Google Pixel and Android
On other phones
An iPhone shows the letters VPN in a box instead.

Icons to compare

Sources

Each meaning above is taken from the maker’s own support page, fetched and read on the date shown. The drawing is ours; the real icon on your phone may be drawn a little differently and can change with software updates.