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Microsoft Killing VPN for Some Microsoft 365 Customers
Microsoft this week announced the end of support for its free VPN feature for Microsoft 365 Family and Personal accounts will end on Feb. 28.
The privacy feature used Microsoft Defender to encrypt Internet data and hide IP addresses. Microsoft said its VPN support will be ending so the company can refocus on future features that might bring more value to users.
"Our goal is to ensure you, and your family remain safer online," wrote Microsoft. "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."
While the feature provided privacy through anonymity, it was lacking compared to other VPN services on the market. Microsoft's free feature only offered 50 GB of monthly data and would not allow for users to pick which server to use – the feature would automatically default to the Microsoft server closest to the user.
For Windows, macOS and iOS users, no action will be needed once support is halted at the end of the month. For Android users, the "Microsoft Defender" VPN profile in settings will need to be manually removed.
Microsoft pointed out that while the VPN privacy feature is going away, other similar security features, such as 24/7 identity theft support and credit monitoring, will continue to be offered to customers at no additional cost.
The removal of the VPN support comes just weeks after Microsoft announced a price hike for both Microsoft 365 Personal and Family accounts. Both will increase by $3 per account per month. It's the first time Microsoft has raised the price of Personal and Family accounts in 12 years.