Connectivity issues? Mullvad’s OpenVPN shutdown is happening today – here's all you need to do to keep using the VPN

• Mullvad has fully shut down its OpenVPN servers
• Desktop users were already migrated to only-WireGuard connections
• Mullvad says the move enables better performance and stability

Mullvad’s long-planned transition away from OpenVPN is now coming to an end. As of today, all OpenVPN servers have been taken offline, meaning connections still using the legacy protocol will no longer work.

The move was first announced at the end of 2024, with Mullvad VPN regularly warning users to migrate before today’s cutoff. Despite this, the timing seems to have caught many off guard, with reports of broken connections as years woke up to VPN setups that had suddenly stopped working.

The final switch marks a major milestone for Mullvad, which is now fully committed to a WireGuard-only future. For most users, the transition is already complete. However, for others, particularly those running older configs or routers, today’s deadline is crucial.

What’s changing in Mullvad VPN

Mullvad’s OpenVPN shutdown has finally been completed. As shown by the provider’s official server list, all remaining OpenVPN servers are offline, and the protocol has now been fully retired.

Most desktop users won’t notice the change, as Mullvad removed OpenVPN support from desktop apps in December and automatically moved everyone to WireGuard. The disruption mainly affects those still using OpenVPN elsewhere: routers, external VPN clients, and custom scripts or configurations.

Since the servers are now offline, OpenVPN connections simply fail, as they no longer have anything to connect to. This is already causing a few real-world issues, with some Reddit users reporting VPN setups breaking overnight.

In order to work again, any setups still relying on Mullvad’s OpenVPN infrastructure now need to be migrated to WireGuard.

Mullvad has been clear about its reasoning to end OpenVPN support: the protocol no longer fits its long-term technical direction. Mullvad says that WireGuard offers better performance, security, and a cleaner codebase.

This shift has been reinforced by Mullvad’s recent work on a Rust-based WireGuard engine, designed to improve speed, stability, and reliability across its apps. From Mullvad’s perspective, focusing on a single modern protocol makes the service easier to maintain – and as a result, more consistent for users.

OpenVPN’s role in bypassing censorship hasn’t been ignored, however. Mullvad says those use cases are now covered by WireGuard-based alternatives, such as UDP-over-TCP, Shadowsocks, and automatic fallback modes that kick in when standard connections fail.

What Mullvad users should do now – and what comes next

If your Mullvad connection stopped working today, the fix is straightforward for most users. Make sure you’re running the latest Mullvad app, confirm that WireGuard is enabled, and try connecting again.

If you’re on a restrictive network and still can’t connect, it’s worth checking Mullvad’s anti-censorship settings, such as UDP-over-TCP or Shadowsocks, which can help restore your access.

For router users and power users, the change could be more disruptive. OpenVPN configurations no longer work at all and need to be replaced with WireGuard-compatible setups. Mullvad has also warned that OpenVPN configurations may already be unavailable, narrowing the window for delayed migrations.

Looking ahead, Mullvad is now fully WireGuard-only. This means fewer protocol choices, but a simpler and more modern VPN stack. We now need to wait and see if some of the best VPN apps will decide to follow Mullvad's path.

While some users are understandably frustrated by the sudden breakage, the provider has mentioned the January 15 deadline regularly over the last year. And while there may be some friction during the transition, Mullvad says stability and performance should improve markedly.

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