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.
Privacy Protection is currently available in the US and UK only and currently supported on Defender for Android and Defender for iOS. Support for Windows and macOS is coming soon
Note: Microsoft does not recommend using a personal VPN on devices that are managed by your workplace, including Microsoft Defender VPN. This helps prevent any potential conflicts with policies that are required by your organization.
Frequently asked questions
What regions and platforms is Privacy protection currently available in ?
Privacy protection is currently available to Microsoft Defender users with a M365 Personal, Family subscription
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US
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UK
We'll continue to add support for additional countries, so this section will be updated as we add additional regions.
Supported platforms : Currently supported on Android and iOS. Support for Windows and macOS is coming soon
What is privacy protection and how will it help me?
Privacy protection is a feature that creates a secure tunnel, also known as a VPN (Virtual Private Network) between your device and our servers, using encryption and authentication protocols. This helps ensure your internet traffic is protected from anyone who might try to intercept, monitor, or modify it. Privacy protection also masks your IP address, which is a unique Internet address/identifier of your device and location and assigns you a new one. This prevents websites, advertisers, and trackers from collecting your personal information and browsing habits.
How does privacy protection work and can I select my geo location/source?
Privacy protection works by routing your internet traffic through Microsoft servers, which are in different countries around the world. You can turn on privacy protection by clicking on the icon in your browser or app, and it will automatically connect you to the server assigned to your region. Our focus is on protecting your connection and privacy when you are on a public/unsecure network. However, you can still enjoy the benefits of changing your IP address to enhance your online security.
Can I select a specific region/geo that I can connect to?
No, privacy protection automatically chooses the best and usually the closest Microsoft VPN server. Privacy protection does not allow you to specify regions. Privacy Protection enables you to keep your data private when you connect to unsecure open WiFi and not use it to bypass geographic and regional-restricted content.
What is the data limit and what happens when I exceed that?
Privacy protection gives you 50GB of monthly data limit per user, which is enough for most users to browse the web securely and anonymously. You can check your data usage in the ‘Privacy Protection’ tile of your Microsoft Defender app. Here, you can see how much data you have left and when your data limit will reset. If you exceed your data limit, you'll still be able to use privacy protection, however at a reduced speed of 256 Kbps. On the first day of every calendar month, the usage limit is reset to 50GB for that month.
What is traffic exclusion and which applications are excluded and why?
Traffic exclusion allows privacy protection to exclude certain applications from using its encrypted tunnel or connection. This means that those applications will use your regular internet connection, not the VPN tunnel, while privacy protection is active. Currently, content heavy traffic from reputable sites, such as streaming, social media apps are excluded. The list below shows some of the apps that are currently excluded:
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Video: YouTube, TikTok, Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime
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Social: Facebook video, Instagram, Snapchat
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Music: Spotify, YouTube music
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Messaging: Whatsapp
What data does Microsoft Defender collect with Privacy protection?
Microsoft Defender VPN provides a secure browsing experience. Microsoft does not store your browsing data, history or personal details related to your connection. Microsoft does, however, capture a minimum set of service data. This data is collected from your device, anonymized, and sent to Microsoft so we can continuously improve our service. This service data contains service details like the duration for when the VPN is in use, bandwidth utilized, and more. These details helps us understand usage patterns so we can continuously improve our service.
