Microsoft will discontinue its Defender VPN service at the end of the month, specifically on February 28, affecting millions of Microsoft 365 subscribers. The decision stems from a reassessment of the feature’s usage and effectiveness.
Microsoft to discontinue Defender VPN service on February 28
The Defender VPN, introduced in 2023, was designed to encrypt internet traffic and hide users’ IP addresses on public Wi-Fi and untrusted networks. It offered a data cap of 50GB per month, after which speeds were throttled to 256 Kbps. Notably, certain applications, including WhatsApp, Facebook video, YouTube, TikTok, Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video, were automatically excluded from using the VPN tunnel.
Despite the removal of the VPN feature, Microsoft stated that it remains committed to online safety, with plans to invest in areas better aligned with customer needs. Users in the US with Microsoft 365 subscriptions will still have access to identity protection features, such as credit monitoring, up to $1 million in identity theft insurance for legal and expert fees, and up to $100,000 in reimbursement for stolen funds.
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Windows, iOS, and macOS users will not need to take any action as the VPN service will simply stop functioning. However, Android users are advised to manually remove the Defender VPN profile from their devices to avoid any potential issues.
Microsoft is not alone on that end, as other companies, including Google, have also discontinued their VPN services due to a lack of demand. Microsoft’s decision comes shortly after it raised subscription prices for the Microsoft 365 service by approximately $3 per month.
Featured image credit: Kerem Gülen/Ideogram
