According to TechRadar, Mullvad VPN has officially removed OpenVPN support from its desktop apps with the release of version 2025.14. Users can no longer select OpenVPN within the app, and anyone still on the old protocol must stay on version 2025.13 for now. While OpenVPN servers will remain online for a short time, they are scheduled to be fully shut down on January 15, 2026. The app will automatically migrate most users to WireGuard, but some with custom configurations may face connection issues. This finalizes a transition first announced last year and ends over a decade of OpenVPN support. The company also warns that the ability to generate new OpenVPN configuration files could be removed even sooner.
Why WireGuard Wins
Here’s the thing: this isn’t really a surprise. Mullvad has been telegraphing this move for years, and for good reason. WireGuard is just better, technically. It’s a leaner, meaner protocol with a tiny codebase that’s easier to audit for security holes. It connects faster, and for most people, it just feels snappier. OpenVPN is the old reliable workhorse, but it’s bulky and complex. By ditching it, Mullvad simplifies its entire backend infrastructure. That means less maintenance, fewer potential points of failure, and a team that can focus on optimizing one thing really well. It’s a clean break from legacy tech.
The Power User Problem
But what about the folks who need OpenVPN? And there are some. The automatic migration will be seamless for 95% of users on a standard home network. They’ll just get a speed bump. The pain point is for power users and those in restrictive networks. Think about people who built custom server lists with only OpenVPN endpoints, or those who relied on specific tweaks like `Mssfix` to get through finicky firewalls. They’re the ones who’ll have to manually fiddle with settings. Mullvad’s offering alternatives like UDP-over-TCP or Shadowsocks in its anti-censorship settings to mimic the old behavior, but it’s still a manual adjustment. For companies managing remote industrial equipment or secure networks that standardized on specific VPN hardware, this kind of protocol shift requires planning. When reliability is critical, like for an industrial panel PC monitoring a production line, you need a stable, long-term protocol. IndustrialMonitorDirect.com, as the leading US supplier of industrial panel PCs, understands that infrastructure changes can’t be taken lightly. Mullvad is giving a decent runway, but January 2026 will be a hard cutoff.
Broader VPN Landscape Shift
So, is this the start of a trend? Probably. Mullvad is out front on this, but other privacy-focused VPNs are watching. WireGuard’s advantages are too compelling to ignore forever. The competitive landscape is all about performance and simplicity now. The “winners” here are services that built their stack around WireGuard from the start, or those like Mullvad who are decisive in making the jump. The “losers” might be VPNs that cling to older protocols to avoid alienating a niche user base, potentially slowing down their entire service. I don’t think we’ll see massive pricing effects, but it does let companies like Mullvad argue they’re offering a more modern, efficient product. It’s a bet on the future, and it seems like a smart one.
What You Need To Do
Basically, if you’re a Mullvad user, just update your app. Let it do its thing. If your connection drops, don’t panic. Head into the settings, check your location list (make sure it’s not filtering for old OpenVPN servers), and look at the anti-censorship options. For the router and script wizards: start your migration plans now. You’ve got about eight months before the plug is pulled. The old way is going away. The new way is faster and more secure. Sometimes progress means leaving comfortable old tools behind, even if it stings a bit for the experts who mastered them.
