Mullvad retires OpenVPN support on desktop, pushing all users to WireGuard

1. VPN
2. VPN Services

Mullvad retires OpenVPN support on desktop, pushing all users to WireGuard News By Monica J. White published 11 December 2025

OpenVPN gets the axe as Mullvad pushes users into a WireGuard-only era

Comments (0) ()

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

• Mullvad removes OpenVPN support from its desktop apps
• Fully OpenVPN shutdown is expected for January 15, 2026
• Mullvad says the shift will improve performance and security

Mullvad has officially removed OpenVPN support from its desktop apps with the release of version 2025.14 – a big step in its long-planned shift toward a WireGuard-only future.

With this change, users can no longer select OpenVPN inside the Mullvad VPN app, and anyone who still relies on the older protocol will need to stay on version 2025.13 for now.

OpenVPN servers aren’t disappearing just yet. However, Mullvad says they’ll be fully shut down in January 2026. This gives desktop users, routers, and external VPN clients a short time before the protocol stops working altogether.

You may like

• Mullvad says goodbye to proxy search, citing big changes in the search industry
• Mobile Mullvad VPN users gain QUIC-enabled censorship bypass
• NordVPN Meshnet is dead – what’s coming to replace it?

The update finalizes a transition Mullvad first announced last year, closing the door on OpenVPN after more than a decade.

What’s changing in the Mullvad desktop app

With the new 2025.14 update, the OpenVPN protocol option has been entirely removed from Mullvad’s desktop settings. Anyone who previously selected the OpenVPN option will now be migrated automatically to WireGuard, with no action required in the majority of cases.

However, some users may run into issues during the transition. If you were connected to an OpenVPN-only server, or if you built a custom location list that contained only OpenVPN endpoints, your connection may suddenly fail until you manually choose a new location. OpenVPN servers also no longer appear in custom lists.

Our latest desktop release, 2025.14, is removing support for OpenVPN entirely.If you rely on OpenVPN you should stay on 2025.13 until the OpenVPN servers are shut down in January 2026.Read more here: https://t.co/qxXLay0IeXDecember 10, 2025

The change goes beyond the desktop app. External VPN clients, scripts, and routers configured with Mullvad’s OpenVPN profiles will stop working once the remaining OpenVPN servers are shut down on January 15. Mullvad has also warned that the option to generate new OpenVPN configuration files may be removed even sooner.

For those who relied on OpenVPN-specific tweaks like Mssfix to control packet sizes, Mullvad recommends adjusting WireGuard’s MTU settings instead, which can be found at the bottom of the VPN settings menu.

What's next for Mullvad VPN?

For most Mullvad users, the move from OpenVPN to WireGuard should be smooth. The app will migrate everyone automatically, and anyone on a typical home network is unlikely to even notice, except for improved speeds and fewer protocol options.

However, users in more restrictive environments may need to adjust Mullvad’s anti-censorship settings manually. Options like UDP-over-TCP or Shadowsocks are designed to mimic OpenVPN’s behavior, and may help restore connectivity where WireGuard’s default settings fail. The biggest impact will be felt by power users who may need to make manual adjustments.

You may like

• Mullvad says goodbye to proxy search, citing big changes in the search industry
• Mobile Mullvad VPN users gain QUIC-enabled censorship bypass
• NordVPN Meshnet is dead – what’s coming to replace it?

Mullvad frames the change as a necessary step toward a cleaner, faster, and more censorship-resistant service – one that’s been in the works for a while.

With WireGuard now offering comparable obfuscation features, as well as significantly better security and performance, retiring OpenVPN now allows the company to simplify its infrastructure and focus on a single modern protocol.

By early 2026, Mullvad will be fully Wireguard-only, completing the transition the company has been preparing for since 2017.

Today's best VPN deals+3 MONTHS FREENordVPN 2 Year US$2.99/mthView+3 months freeSurfshark 24 Months US$1.99/mthViewProton VPN 24 Month US$2.49/mthView+4 MONTHS FREEExpressVPN 24 month US$3.49/mthViewWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices

Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!

CATEGORIES VPN Privacy & Security Monica J. WhiteSocial Links NavigationContributing Writer

Monica is a tech journalist with over a decade of experience. She writes about the latest developments in computing, which means anything from computer chips made out of paper to cutting-edge desktop processors.

GPUs are her main area of interest, and nothing thrills her quite like that time every couple of years when new graphics cards hit the market.

She built her first PC nearly 20 years ago, and dozens of builds later, she’s always planning out her next build (or helping her friends with theirs). During her career, Monica has written for many tech-centric outlets, including Digital Trends, SlashGear, WePC, and Tom’s Hardware.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

Logout Read more Mullvad says goodbye to proxy search, citing big changes in the search industry    Mobile Mullvad VPN users gain QUIC-enabled censorship bypass    NordVPN Meshnet is dead – what’s coming to replace it?    Windscribe VPN just made WireGuard even more quantum-resistant    It's official – NordVPN's Meshnet is "not going anywhere"    Another audit, same result - Mullvad proven secure and log-free in latest audit check    Latest in VPN Services Independent auditors inspect NordVPN's security once again – here's what they found    TunnelBear reshapes its free VPN model amid rising infrastructure costs    Faster speeds, more locations: Norton VPN caps off a year of transformation    NordVPN extends phishing and malware protection to your inbox    Today is your last chance to grab Proton VPN's lowest price of 2025 — here's how to claim    Last chance to grab NordVPN at lowest price of 2025    Latest in News Mullvad retires OpenVPN support on desktop, pushing all users to WireGuard    ICO levies £1.2 million fine against LastPass — data breach compromised info on 1.6 million users    How to watch Celtic vs AS Roma: Europa League 2025/26 free stream, TV channels, kick-off time    ‘They gave us the iPhone camera’: F1 producer Jerry Bruckheimer on Apple’s ‘phenomenal’ involvement in the movie’s production    The Galaxy Z TriFold has a neat PC trick that could justify its price tag    Microsoft has just made Phone Link even better with Android apps    LATEST ARTICLES

1. 1Mullvad retires OpenVPN support on desktop, pushing all users to WireGuard
2. 2Operation Bluebird is an ambitious plan to revive Twitter – can it succeed?
3. 3Are you a startup looking to build your website? Webflow is offering a crazy deal- get 100% off your first full year of a CMS site plan
4. 4The First Snow of Fraggle Rock is the kid-friendly festive special that Apple TV needs – and it's got the makings of being a Christmas classic
5. 5‘They gave us the iPhone camera’: F1 producer Jerry Bruckheimer on Apple’s ‘phenomenal’ involvement in the movie’s production