Microsoft says goodbye to free VPN in Microsoft 365 subscriptions

As of February 28th, people with a Microsoft 365 Personal or Family subscription will have to manage their online privacy without the company’s free VPN service.

In 2023, Microsoft included a VPN feature in its Microsoft Defender app that hides a user’s IP address. Using Microsoft’s VPN, the company would offer customers additional online anonymity and data protection, but also the means to circumvent geographical blockades and government censorship.

Users with a Microsoft 365 Personal or Microsoft 365 Family subscription were able to use the VPN feature without any additional costs. And that’s exactly what millions of users worldwide did.

However, Microsoft is parting ways with its privacy protection service.

“Our goal is to ensure you, and your family remain safer online. We routinely evaluate the usage and effectiveness of our features. As such, we are removing the privacy protection feature and will invest in new areas that will better align to customer needs,” Microsoft explains on a support page.

The Redmond-based tech company promises to continue device protection and identity theft and credit monitoring in the United States. The VPN feature within Defender will be removed on Friday February 28.

Users with Windows, iOS or macOS operating systems aren’t required to take action.

Android users will have to delete the VPN profile from their device after February 28. They’ll have to go to the Settings app and look for VPN settings. In the list of VPN profiles they will see ‘Microsoft Defender’. They’ll have to tap the info icon and remove it.

In January, Microsoft increased the subscription prices of Microsoft 365 Personal and Microsoft 365 Family with an additional $3 per month. A Personal plan now costs $10 per month (or $100 annually), Family plan members have to pay $13 per month (or $130 per year).

The upside is that Microsoft added Copilot to its subscription plans, offering AI features to Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and other Microsoft applications.