Millions of Microsoft Defender app users will lose access to its VPN feature, as Microsoft has revealed plans to remove support for this tool on 28 February 2025. While the thought of your privacy being affected may be cause for concern, is there a need to worry? Microsoft has revealed that this shift will enable it to channel resources toward critical security improvements, but it has not provided specifics of these upgrades.
According to the company’s support document, Defender will still offer core protections for subscribers of Microsoft 365 Personal or Family plans, including device and data security, identity theft monitoring, threat alerts, and credit monitoring (limited to U.S. users).
The shift away from the VPN feature may surprise many, given that it is already supported in about 13 countries, with previous promises to expand to other regions. However, this change will only cause minor inconvenience. While the built-in VPN feature offers basic protections—such as shielding internet activity from interception, tampering, or surveillance on unsecured networks and blocking advertisers from harvesting personal data for targeted ads—it lacks the versatility of traditional VPNs. Interestingly, you might not even need one as much of the web now uses encryption by default, reducing the urgency for a VPN in everyday browsing. That said, if your habits or privacy concerns justify needing one, you might consider a paid VPN service, as they often offer more robust features than free tools.
Since the VPN feature will no longer be supported, Microsoft recommends turning it off by February 28, 2025, or later. You don’t need to bother if your Windows Defender application is on macOS, Windows, iPhone, or iPad, as the Defender app will handle the transition automatically. However, if the app is on Android, you may need to take action. To do this tap your Settings app > VPN > Microsoft Defender > info. That is all you need to access the feature and shut it off.