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Microsoft Defender’s Privacy Protection VPN is no longer available. Microsoft ended support on February 28, 2025—not “really soon”—and says the feature is unavailable to new users and app reinstallations. Paying extra does not restore it, and Microsoft has not announced a replacement or linked the retirement to a price increase.
What Microsoft actually retired
The discontinued feature was a limited-purpose VPN for eligible Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscribers. Microsoft described it as an encrypted, authenticated tunnel that routed internet traffic through Microsoft servers and masked the user’s IP address, with public or untrusted Wi‑Fi as a primary use case. The end-of-support notice is available from Microsoft Support.
Microsoft says it “routinely evaluate[s] the usage and effectiveness of our features” and is removing Privacy Protection while investing in areas it believes better align with customer needs. The notice provides no usage statistics, technical-failure explanation, or named replacement.
When did Defender VPN stop working?
| Date or status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| February 28, 2025 | Microsoft’s stated end-of-support date for Privacy Protection. |
| After retirement | The feature is not available to new users or after reinstalling the Defender app. |
| Current position | Existing access is not a supported way to keep using the service. |
The date and availability changes come from Microsoft’s end-of-support notice.
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What the former VPN could—and could not—do
| Item | Former behavior |
|---|---|
| Monthly allowance | 50 GB per user each calendar month. |
| After the allowance | Service continued at 256 Kbps until the monthly reset. |
| Server choice | Automatic selection of a server assigned to the user’s region, generally the closest or best available server. |
| Location selection | No ability to choose a specific country or region. |
| Geographic bypass | Not intended to circumvent regional or geographic content restrictions. |
| Listed platforms | Windows, macOS, Android and iOS. |
These limits are documented in Microsoft’s Privacy Protection FAQ. The FAQ listed eligibility for Microsoft 365 Personal or Family subscribers whose billing country was the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, France, Sweden, Spain, Italy, Japan, Australia, South Africa, Brazil or Mexico. That list describes the former FAQ scope, not current availability.
Does paying for Microsoft 365 bring the VPN back?
No evidence in Microsoft’s retirement notice says that an additional payment preserves or restores Privacy Protection. Defender for individuals itself requires Microsoft 365 Personal or Family, but the VPN was a feature inside that offering, not a separately purchasable add-on. The available notice also does not establish that Microsoft raised subscription prices because of the removal, so check Microsoft’s current plan page before relying on any price claim.
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What still works in Microsoft Defender
Retiring Privacy Protection did not cancel Microsoft Defender. Microsoft says the app continues to provide:
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
- Data and device protection
- Threat alerts
- Identity-theft and credit-monitoring features in the United States
Those capabilities are separate from the retired traffic-encryption service.
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Why an iPhone may still show a VPN icon
On iOS, Defender’s web protection (anti-phishing) can create a local, loop-back VPN. It filters the device’s web activity for protection, but it is not the former Privacy Protection VPN and does not indicate that Microsoft restored the privacy service. Microsoft explains this distinction in its support notice.
What users should do on each platform
Windows, macOS and iOS
Microsoft says no action is required on these platforms. Continue using the Defender features that remain enabled, and do not treat an iOS VPN indicator as evidence of the retired service.
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Android
- Open your Android device’s Settings.
- Open the device’s VPN settings (the exact menu name varies by manufacturer and Android version).
- Remove the Microsoft Defender Privacy Protection VPN profile if you previously enrolled in it.
Microsoft says leaving the unused profile installed will not affect the device, but Defender no longer uses it to protect you. The recommendation appears in the end-of-support guidance.
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Choosing a replacement VPN
Microsoft has not named a replacement product, and the available information does not support endorsing a particular provider. If you need encrypted traffic on public Wi‑Fi or IP-address masking, compare current services using these checks:
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- Price and renewal terms: distinguish recurring rates from introductory promotions.
- Device coverage: verify support for every operating system and the number of simultaneous connections.
- Data policy: look for unlimited or clearly stated monthly limits.
- Server selection: determine whether you can select a country or only connect automatically.
- Scope of protection: confirm whether all device traffic is covered or only selected browsers or apps.
- Privacy policy and jurisdiction: read retention, logging and legal-disclosure terms rather than assuming “VPN” means anonymous.
A replacement VPN is a separate service; it is not included with Microsoft 365 merely because Defender once offered Privacy Protection.
Bottom line for former subscribers
Defender Privacy Protection was retired on February 28, 2025. A Microsoft 365 subscription does not restore it, and the retirement is not established as a price-driven upgrade tactic. Keep using Defender’s remaining security features, remove the stale Android profile if applicable, and evaluate any replacement VPN independently against its current limits and privacy terms.
Quick Recap
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