Microsoft has recently enhanced its Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscriptions by introducing the Microsoft Defender VPN service, now available for free to users in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Canada. This VPN service encrypts internet traffic, providing users a layer of security against potential data theft, especially when using public WiFi networks.
With a monthly limit of 50GB, the data allocation resets at the beginning of each month, ensuring that any unused data does not carry over. The VPN automatically creates an encrypted tunnel for users’ online activities, supporting popular platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Spotify, and WhatsApp. This feature helps to safeguard user traffic from hackers in public spaces while also masking their real IP addresses.
Currently, the Microsoft Defender VPN is compatible with Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS devices. Users must install the Microsoft 365 version of Microsoft Defender, available via the Microsoft Store, and log in with their Microsoft 365 subscription accounts to access the VPN functionality. It’s important to note that this is distinct from the built-in Windows Security Center in Windows 10/11.
To enhance the service, Microsoft collects specific data, including VPN usage duration, bandwidth consumption during active connections, and identification of potentially malicious Wi-Fi hotspots.
While Microsoft Defender VPN shares similarities with Google’s former Google One VPN, which was available only on Pixel devices, Microsoft’s strategy of integrating this feature for free with its subscription model aims to draw in more users and prevent the low adoption issues that led to Google’s discontinuation of its service. Currently, there are no paid options for the VPN service, meaning that users will need to wait for monthly resets once they reach the 50GB limit. Future developments regarding paid plans remain uncertain.
