Microsoft Announces Discontinuation of VPN Feature in Defender

Microsoft has announced that it will discontinue the Privacy Protection VPN feature in Microsoft Defender for individuals on February 28, 2025. The company stated that the decision was based on an evaluation of “usage and effectiveness” and that it would focus on “new areas that better align to customer needs.” However, Microsoft has provided little detail on why the VPN service is being discontinued so soon after launch.

The Microsoft Defender VPN feature was introduced in September 2023, offering users a 50GB monthly data limit for secure browsing. The VPN used Microsoft’s own IP ranges for outgoing traffic, and its inclusion in the Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscriptions positioned it as a built-in privacy tool rather than a standalone service. The feature was never widely advertised, and based on user feedback, it appears to have had limited adoption and visibility, particularly outside the United States.

Microsoft Defender is part of the Microsoft 365 security suite, designed to provide device protection, identity theft monitoring, and credit protection (for US users). Despite the removal of the VPN feature, Microsoft has reassured users that other Defender capabilities, such as anti-phishing protection, identity theft monitoring, and device security, will remain unchanged. However, Android users will need to manually remove the VPN profile from their devices after the feature is discontinued.

The announcement has sparked criticism from some users, particularly as it follows Microsoft's recent price hikes on Microsoft 365 plans — many of which were justified by the inclusion of AI-powered features such as Copilot. Others expressed surprise that the VPN feature even existed, suggesting that Microsoft's lack of marketing and regional availability may have contributed to its failure to gain traction.

In terms of what users need to do in response to this, Windows, macOS, and iOS users do not need to take any action. Android users should manually remove the Defender VPN profile from their device settings after February 28, 2025. Defender’s web protection on iOS will continue using a local (loopback) VPN, which is separate from the discontinued Privacy Protection VPN.

While Microsoft has not specified whether it will introduce a replacement for the VPN, the company's vague explanation suggests that the feature may not have met internal performance expectations or user demand. If you’re in need of a good VPN product and looking for alternatives to Microsoft’s offering, check out this list.