Starting February 28, Microsoft Defender users will lose access to the VPN that came with their subscription. Introduced in 2023 as a “privacy protection feature,” this VPN was meant to add an extra layer of security by isolating Microsoft 365 applications.
Why is Microsoft getting rid of it? An anonymous employee mentioned that the decision stems from a routine evaluation of features and usage. It sounds like the VPN didn’t find much traction among customers. One significant limitation was its inability to let users choose their server location, which made it impractical for streaming services that restrict content based on geography.
For now, other features of Microsoft Defender remain unchanged.
What does this mean for Microsoft 365 users? If you’re using Windows, iOS, or macOS, you don’t need to do anything; the VPN will be removed automatically. However, Android users might want to take action. You can choose to remove the VPN profile from your device if you like. Keeping it won’t harm your device, nor will it keep the VPN running. To remove it, just head to Settings, then VPN, select Microsoft Defender, and tap to remove it.
In other news, Microsoft recently raised the prices for Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscriptions. This increase comes alongside the addition of Copilot, a generative AI assistant. The $1.99 monthly Basic plan, which does not include Copilot, remains unaffected.
Microsoft Defender requires a Microsoft Personal or Family subscription and offers:
– Data and device protection
– Credit monitoring (in the U.S. only)
– Identity theft monitoring (in the U.S. only)
– Threat alerts
Similarly, Google has also increased the cost of Workspace to include the Gemini chatbot by default.
