49/68 Wednesday, February 5, 2025
Microsoft has announced that it will discontinue the VPN privacy protection feature in the Microsoft Defender app by February 28, 2025. The company cited low usage as the primary reason and stated that it aims to reallocate resources toward developing features that better align with customer needs. The VPN feature was part of the Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscription, providing users with 50 GB of encrypted data per month to secure their privacy when using public Wi-Fi.
Although Microsoft expanded the VPN’s capabilities in 2024—enhancing its ability to detect unsecured connections and prevent Man-in-the-Middle (MiTM) and Evil Twin attacks—the feature did not gain significant traction, particularly in the U.S. market. Additionally, Microsoft never aggressively marketed the feature, contributing to the decision to discontinue it.
For Windows, iOS, and macOS users, no action is required following the service shutdown. However, Android users must manually remove the Defender VPN profile from their devices to avoid potential network connectivity issues. To do this, users should navigate to Settings → VPN → Profile → Microsoft Defender → Tap Info → Remove Profile. The exact steps may vary depending on the Android version or device manufacturer (OEM).
This discontinuation comes shortly after Microsoft raised its Microsoft 365 subscription prices for the first time in 12 years, integrating new AI-powered features like Copilot into Office applications. The decision may impact customer satisfaction, particularly among users who relied on the VPN feature for added security.
