Microsoft 365Continue, got worseUS
Defender privacy protection (VPN) removed
Microsoft removed the privacy protection VPN from Microsoft Defender, part of Microsoft 365 Personal and Family
What changed
- Privacy protection (VPN) in Microsoft Defender
- Was Before: Included
- After: Removed
What this means for you
Personal and Family subscribers who used Defender's built-in VPN on public Wi-Fi lost it and need another VPN. Android users should remove the leftover Defender VPN profile.
What you can do
How we know
Microsoft's help page says the VPN in Defender goes away on Feb 28, 2025.
An archived copy from Jan 31, 2025 already says the VPN isn't available for new installs.
Microsoft named no replacement; device protection and identity theft monitoring continue.
Sources
- Microsoft Support: End of support - Privacy protection (VPN) in Microsoft Defender for individuals (capture Jan 31 2025) · archived copy
Full research notes
Microsoft Support: 'The privacy protection (VPN) feature within Defender is going away February 28, 2025', and 'Privacy protection (VPN) is not available for new or reinstallations of the Defender app. It will be deprecated for existing users on February 28, 2025.' Microsoft gave usage as the reason ('We routinely evaluate the usage and effectiveness of our features') and named no replacement. 'Microsoft Defender requires a Microsoft 365 Personal or Family subscription'; device protection and US identity theft and credit monitoring continue.
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