The feature will no longer be available starting Feb. 28. Microsoft wants to focus on “new areas that will better align to customer needs.”

Microsoft 365’s built-in VPN is being discontinued. Here are the best alternatives, accounting for speed, security, and privacy, to keep your browsing safe.

Microsoft is getting ready to remove the VPN feature from its Microsoft 365 subscription later this month. Originally designed as a privacy feature, the VPN in Microsoft 365 utilizes the Microsoft Defender app to encrypt internet traffic and hide IP addresses.

The tool allowed users to encrypt their internet traffic and hide their IP address when using untrusted networks.

As of the end of February, Microsoft has confirmed that it will kill its free VPN feature from its Office 365 offering. The VPN feature that is available in plan’s Microsoft Defender app is used to hide IP addresses and encrypt internet traffic.

Microsoft has announced plans to remove the free VPN feature from its Microsoft Defender app. The VPN, and Defender app, is currently included in all Microsoft 365 Personal and Family plans at no additional cost, but will be removed on 28 February 2025.

Subscribers still get device protection and ID theft and credit monitoring features, but Microsoft is ditching the VPN feature to focus on 'areas that will better align to customer needs.'

Microsoft has announced the discontinuation of the VPN feature in its Microsoft Defender app, which was previously included for free for all Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscribers. The feature was first introduced in 2023 as a privacy protection measure and will be removed at the end of this month.