Release notes for the SSH Tunnel app for iPhone and iPad. Last updated: 2026-09-03.
Background connections: fixed in 3.0.0
For years the app could not keep a tunnel alive in the background. Our own 2.0.0 release notes warned: “WARNING: The app can't work in the background due to the App Store limitations.”
Version 3.0.0 (August 2026) removes that limitation. The new VPN engine runs the tunnel in an Apple Network Extension (NEPacketTunnelProvider), so the connection keeps working while the app is in the background, while the screen is locked, and even after the app is closed. VPN On Demand reconnects automatically after a reboot.
The classic proxy engine still behaves like 2.x (foreground-only on iOS) by design: pick the VPN engine when you need background operation.
3.0.3 · iOS · coming soon
Better connection management.
New “…” menu on the connection list: create, import, export, select.
Select several connections and delete them at once.
Drag to reorder; the order is kept everywhere.
Duplicate a connection with a swipe.
Fixed the keyboard sliding away while typing in port fields.
3.0.0 · iOS ·
Background connections fixed. The new VPN engine routes device traffic through your SSH server via a Network Extension: it works in the background and with the screen locked, survives the app being closed, and VPN On Demand restores the tunnel after a reboot.
Complete rewrite as a native Swift app. The old Cordova/WebView stack is gone; the app is faster and lighter.
The proxy engine keeps every 2.x capability: SOCKS5 proxy, static port forwarding, PAC file server, sharing the proxy with other devices on your Wi-Fi network.
Modern SSH crypto: ed25519, rsa-sha2-256/512, chacha20-poly1305, AES-GCM. Fixes authentication failures against OpenSSH 8.8+ servers.
Passwords, private keys, and passphrases are now stored in the device Keychain. Profiles migrate automatically from 2.x on first launch.
2.1.0 · iOS ·
Customizable in-app browser URL.
iOS 14 compatibility.
2.0.2 · iOS ·
Various UI fixes.
Fixed the PAC file help popup.
2.0.1 · iOS ·
Added the in-app browser (globe icon on the active connection screen).
Shows the Wi-Fi IP address on the active connection screen when the bind address is 0.0.0.0.
2.0.0 · iOS ·
Added the keyboard-interactive authentication method.