Mullvad VPN has announced it will be removing all its OpenVPN servers in six months time. Servers will cease to work on January 15, 2026, and the provider’s full focus will be on WireGuard.
This news is not a surprise. Mullvad VPN first declared its intentions to remove OpenVPN support in November 2024.
Servers will be removed both client and server-side. This means older, OpenVPN enabled, apps won’t work.
Some of the best VPNs still support the OpenVPN protocol, but many prioritize WireGuard or their own proprietary VPN protocols.
WireGuard by default
All Mullvad VPN apps already default to WireGuard and display warnings about the usage of OpenVPN.
Existing servers will continue to work until January 2026 but new servers will not be added. Certain existing servers will be taken offline in the lead up to the cut-off date.
If you’re using OpenVPN in any way, Mullvad VPN said in a blog post “we strongly advise that you switch to WireGuard via our app or on a router.”
It added that “it will not be possible to generate new OpenVPN configurations soon.”
In a previous blog post, the provider said “by moving to a single protocol, we will be able to focus our resources where they can make a difference.”
Mullvad VPN declared that WireGuard was the future back in 2017. Its ease of integration, speed, and cryptography were all praised.
Not the only update
Mullvad VPN has also detailed how its Mac and Windows VPN users can now update their VPN from within the Mullvad VPN app – previously this could only be done from Mullvad VPN’s website.
With in-app updates, users can see what new updates contain and download them through the app directly. This creates a smoother and simpler process, as well as resulting in faster downloads and easier verification.
Similar to the Mullvad VPN loader, updates are downloaded from Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) and are automatically verified. This ensures updates are authentic and only genuine Mullvad VPN software is downloaded.
Users will be notified of updates via a notification. Clicking on it will allow them to download and install the update, but they can also navigate to Settings, App info, and Update to access it.
After clicking Download & install, the update will be verified and the installer will automatically be launched. Users can then follow the instructions to install the update.
After installation, your Mullvad VPN app will need to be relaunched.
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