Microsoft is set to kill the free VPN service included with its Defender app on Windows 11, macOS, Android, and iOS devices. The reason? Lack of usage and effectiveness.
As first reported by Windows Latest, the Big Tech giant has notified users of the change via its Support page. The date for the end of the virtual private network (VPN) service is set for February 28, 2025.
While you have time until the end of the month to find a best free VPN replacement, other Microsoft Defender features – Device Protection, Identity Theft, and Credit Monitoring (US only) – won’t be affected.
Why is Microsoft removing its VPN feature from the Defender security suite?
As per Microsoft’s own words: “Our goal is to ensure you and your family remain safer online. We routinely evaluate the usage and effectiveness of our features. As such, we are removing the privacy protection feature and will invest in new areas that will better align with customer needs.”
If you ever use the Microsoft VPN Defender feature, this announcement may not come as a total surprise. Launched in 2023, Microsoft’s VPN tool came with quite a few considerable limitations when compared with some of the best VPN services on the market.
For starters, it doesn’t allow you to choose the location you wish your internet connection to be rerouted from. This means that you can’t use Microsoft’s tool, for example, as a streaming VPN to watch your favorite TV shows when abroad, nor to bypass internet censorship.
Another possible reason behind the lack of usage is that Microsoft only rolled out the VPN feature for Microsoft 365 Individual and Family subscribers across the UK and US. As Windows Latest points out, Microsoft originally shared plans for Defender VPN to arrive in new regions “but that never happened”.
Once Microsoft retires its Defender VPN feature for good, no action is required from Windows 11, macOS, and iOS users. If you’re using Android, however, you’ll need to manually remove your VPN profile from the device if you ever used this tool. You can do so by heading to your phone’s Settings, tapping on VPN, and the info bar on Microsoft Defender’s VPN profile to remove it.
This isn’t the first time a Big Tech giant has decided to kill its VPN functionality for lack of usage. Google dispatched its Google One VPN for similar reasons back in June 2023.
As mentioned earlier, Microsoft Defender VPN users until the end of the month to find an alternative. If you aren’t familiar with the VPN world, you can check all the benefits of using a VPN in 2025 here.
NordVPN is currently TechRadar’s top pick. It’s a great all-rounded service, boasting heaps of privacy and security features, some of the fastest connection speeds, and easy-to-use apps across all major platforms. If you are looking for a free VPN service instead, PrivadoVPN and Proton VPN are currently the most secure out there.
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chiara.castro@futurenet.com (Chiara Castro)
