Mullvad, a privacy-focused internet service provider based in Sweden, has announced that it will stop running its public encrypted DNS servers on November 2, 2026. This decision means users who previously relied on these servers to protect their online privacy will need to update their settings. Instead of maintaining its own public DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH) service, Mullvad has decided to support Quad9, a non-profit organization based in Switzerland that specializes in providing secure DNS services. DNS queries are a key part of internet navigation, as they convert domain names—like "example.com"—into IP addresses that computers use to connect to websites. When these queries are not encrypted, an internet service provider (ISP) can track the websites a user visits, even if the content of the communications is protected by HTTPS. To address this, Mullvad previously offered its public DoH servers, which encrypted these queries without requiring users to subscribe to its virtual private network (VPN) service. These servers were especially useful when the Mullvad Browser was used without the active VPN, ensuring that DNS traffic remained private. The decision to stop operating the public DNS service was based on the belief that maintaining such a service requires specialized technical resources and skills. Rather than managing its own infrastructure, Mullvad has chosen to support Quad9, which focuses entirely on this type of service. The company will now direct users to Quad9’s resolvers. For most Mullvad subscribers, this change will not significantly affect their usual experience, as DNS queries are already encrypted when using the active VPN. The main changes will affect users who access the public DNS servers outside of the Mullvad VPN, such as those using the Mullvad Browser with default settings or manually configured DoH addresses on their devices. Users who have manually set up Mullvad’s DoH addresses in their browsers or on their devices will need to update these settings before November 2, 2026. On iOS and macOS, existing Mullvad DoH profiles will also need to be replaced with those from another resolver. Despite this change, Mullvad continues to emphasize its commitment to privacy, transparency, and user control, offering features like DAITA (a privacy-focused network protocol) and post-quantum encryption to protect users’ data against future threats.