As of Feb. 28, Microsoft Defender clients will lose entry to the VPN that got here with the subscription. Billed as “the privateness safety function,” the VPN included within the subscription remoted Microsoft 365 purposes for extra safety. It was launched in 2023.
Why did Microsoft take away the VPN function?
“Our objective is to make sure you, and your loved ones stay safer on-line,” an nameless Microsoft worker wrote within the end-of-support notification. “We routinely consider the utilization and effectiveness of our options. As such, we’re eradicating the privateness safety function and can put money into new areas that can higher align to buyer wants.”
Studying between the strains, the assertion might imply the VPN didn’t see large buyer adoption. Microsoft’s VPN didn’t let clients select a location for his or her web connection, which means it couldn’t be used for one of the vital widespread client use instances: streaming country-gated media.
No different options of Microsoft Defender will change.
SEE: How will you inform in case your VPN is working correctly?
Do Microsoft 356 customers must take any motion?
Microsoft 365 customers don’t have to take any motion, though Android customers may need to. Microsoft will take away the VPN function from Home windows, iOS, and macOS customers mechanically. Android customers can take away the VPN profile from their system if they like. Protecting the VPN profile will neither negatively influence the system nor maintain the VPN lively. To take away the VPN profile, go to Settings > VPN > Microsoft Defender and faucet the title to take away it.
The brand new worth consists of Copilot in Microsoft 365
Home windows Central, which noticed the end-of-support notification for the VPN, identified Microsoft elevated costs for Microsoft 365 Private and Household subscriptions just some days in the past. The elevated worth comes with the addition of the generative AI assistant, Copilot. The $1.99 month-to-month Primary plan, which doesn’t include Copilot, was not affected by the worth hike.
Microsoft Defender requires a Microsoft Private or Household subscription. It offers:
- Knowledge and system safety.
- Credit score monitoring within the U.S. solely.
- Identification theft monitoring within the U.S. solely.
- Menace alerts.
Equally to Microsoft’s worth enhance, Google elevated the price of Workspace by a couple of {dollars} to make the Gemini chatbot out there by default.