What you need to know
- Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscriptions now include a VPN service at no extra cost.
- The VPN service is currently available in the US, UK, Germany, and Canada and works on Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS with the Microsoft Defender app.
- Advertised as a privacy protection feature, this VPN offers 50GB of bandwidth which resets monthly.
As a dedicated researcher who’s always on the lookout for new tools to enhance my digital security and privacy, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that my Microsoft 365 subscription now includes a free VPN service. I had no idea about this addition until I stumbled upon it while exploring the Microsoft Defender app on my Windows PC.
Did you realize that your Microsoft 365 subscription comes with free VPN access without any extra fees? I was surprised to learn about it myself today while exploring the Microsoft Defender app on Windows. The VPN is marketed as a “privacy safeguard,” and Microsoft now incorporates this service within Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscriptions.
As an analyst, I’d rephrase it as follows: “To securely connect to our VPN network, simply download and install the Microsoft Defender app on your Windows, macOS, Android, or iOS device. This application also includes privacy protection features for added security. Keep in mind that this VPN service is currently accessible only within the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, and Canada.”
Microsoft’s VPN comes with a monthly data allowance of 50GB that gets renewed each month. However, it’s important to note that this service isn’t optimized for streaming multimedia content like music or videos. In fact, Microsoft explicitly warns against using it for such platforms as YouTube, Netflix, Spotify, or TikTok, and the VPN may automatically shut down when attempting to access them.
“Privacy protection is a feature that’s included with Microsoft Defender for individuals. This feature encrypts your internet traffic and hides your internet address (IP address) from prying eyes. It gives you 50GB of monthly data limit (per user) to browse the web securely and anonymously. Microsoft Defender helps protect your privacy and security when you are on public Wi-Fi or untrusted network, where your data and identity could be exposed or stolen. Privacy protection is easy to use, fast, and reliable. You can turn it on and off with a single click, and it will automatically select the best server for you.”
Regrettably, unlike other VPN services available, Microsoft’s offering comes with a more restricted set of features. You don’t get the option to select a server location, and the 50GB data limit might be quite stringent for some users. However, considering that Microsoft started providing this service as part of Microsoft 365 subscription without additional cost earlier this year, it’s hard to find significant fault with it.
“This is the sole VPN service I’ve tested on Windows ARM that functions correctly.”
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2024-07-30 15:09