Mullvad, a well-known provider of privacy-focused virtual private networks (VPNs), has announced that it will be shutting down its public encrypted DNS servers by November 2, 2026. Instead of continuing to operate these servers, the company will redirect its financial support to the Quad9 Foundation, a nonprofit organization that runs its own public encrypted DNS service. This move is part of Mullvad’s broader strategy to streamline its offerings and focus on core privacy features. For most users who are already subscribed to Mullvad’s paid VPN service, the change will not be noticeable. This is because public encrypted DNS services, such as Mullvad’s, are generally only necessary for users who are not connected to a private VPN. When using Mullvad’s VPN, all internet traffic is already encrypted and routed through the company’s internal DNS system, making the public DNS servers redundant for these users. Mullvad explained that maintaining a public DNS service requires specialized knowledge and resources, and the Quad9 Foundation is widely recognized as an expert in this area. By financially supporting Quad9 instead of running its own service, Mullvad aims to avoid duplication of effort and focus on improving its core offerings. This decision fits with the company’s history of retiring older or less secure features in favor of more modern and efficient alternatives. Users who rely on Mullvad’s public DNS service when not connected to the VPN will need to take steps to switch to Quad9. For those using the Mullvad Browser, the transition should be mostly automatic if default or ad-blocking settings are enabled. However, users who have customized their DNS settings to specific Mullvad configurations will need to reset them to the default. Additionally, users who have set up configuration profiles on iOS or macOS devices will need to replace them with Quad9-specific profiles before the deadline. For those who have manually configured their router or operating system to use Mullvad’s DNS, they will need to update their settings with Quad9’s DNS addresses, following the official setup guides provided by Quad9 to maintain secure browsing.