Orbot 17 messes with VPN settings

I am using Orbot on my linageos mobile phone to route the traffic of certain apps through the TOR network. Since the app updated to some 17.*-BETA-... it changed it’s icon but it apparently also seems to always start in VPN mode. I tried a couple of different settings, but even switching into Power User Mode (!?) didn’t help…

As it’s only possible to run a single VPN on Android, it hijacks the VPN connection of NetGuard: my defense against traffic that is utterly unsolicited. NetGuard blocks connections by providing a VPN, which filters traffic based on the source application the the destination’s server.

Anyway, if Orbot hijacks the VPN slot NetGuard can’t block unwanted traffic anymore.

The workaround is, however, pretty easy. Just open Settings -> Network and Internet -> VPN. Then select your preferred VPN app, that you want to use instead of Orbot. In my case that would be NetGuard. And from that app’s settings enable the Always-on VPN slider. That will prevent Orbot from taking over the next time it connects to the TOR network.