People don't really use Microsoft 365's VPN so the company had to remove it

Microsoft said that it’s removing the VPN feature from its Microsoft 365 subscription service. Why? Low usage and a lack of fully functional features.

The Redmond tech giant mentions on its support page, which folks over Windows Central first spotted, that it’s axing the feature for good on February 28, 2025, after just two years.

Initially included as a “free” privacy protection feature for Personal and Family subscribers, the VPN lets you encrypt internet traffic using Microsoft Defender. But, its 50GB monthly data cap and automatic local-region connections make it a less attractive VPN option, thus driving the low usage.

Microsoft said that the app will continue to provide data and device protection, identity theft and credit monitoring (in the US), and other security features. The company will, instead, “invest in new areas that will better align to customer needs.”

While no action is required for Windows, iOS, and macOS users, Android users should remove the Microsoft Defender VPN profile from their device as it will no longer be used after the feature is removed.

Ironically, this came not too long after Microsoft increased the Microsoft 365 subscription prices for the first time in over a decade.

This price hike results in $9.99 for Personal and $12.99 for Home subscriptions. Now, as a part of it, Microsoft is slapping Copilot AI into Office apps like Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook. You can still avoid Copilot, though, if you choose the “classic” subscription instead.