Mozilla VPN's shortcut lands on iPhone, with macOS and Linux users also getting a boost — here's all you need to know

Mozilla's Berlin office
(Image credit: Mozilla)

  • iPhone users can now control Mozilla VPN from their iOS Control Center
  • Targeted under-the-hood updates boost stability on macOS, Linux clients.
  • Mozilla VPN remains entirely separate from Firefox's free, built-in tool

Securing your digital life should never feel like a chore. The best VPN services understand this, which is why top-tier providers constantly refine their apps to make online privacy a seamless, set-and-forget experience. Mozilla is the latest provider to double down on this philosophy, rolling out a series of welcome upgrades to its standalone premium service, Mozilla VPN.

For iPhone users, the headline addition is a highly anticipated iOS Control Center shortcut. This widget allows you to toggle your VPN connection on or off in a single tap, without ever needing to open the app itself.

At the same time, desktop users aren't being left behind. Both macOS and Linux clients are receiving highly targeted, under-the-hood optimizations designed to streamline stability and future updates.

Sleek shortcuts for iPhone, stability for desktops

The new iOS Control Center shortcut is a massive quality-of-life win for Apple users.

Leveraging iOS's expanded widget and toggle capabilities, the shortcut allows users to easily control their privacy directly from their home screen swipe-down menu.

Meanwhile, desktop platforms are receiving critical maintenance updates to ensure everything runs smoothly. Rather than packing the releases with flashy visual features, Mozilla’s developers have focused entirely on performance and reliability.

According to the official release notes on GitHub, macOS users will benefit from a fully optimized client: "[macOS] Over the past few releases we've improved how the VPN operates under the hood. This release completes that work."

Linux VPN users also receive a backend boost, with the release notes highlighting: "[Linux] Some behind-the-scenes changes that help us get new versions out to you more easily." This focus on development efficiency ensures that future security patches can be delivered to open-source systems with minimal friction.

What is Mozilla VPN?

Mozilla VPN Website

(Image credit: Mozilla)

Mozilla VPN is a premium, paid subscription service priced at $4.99 per month. Unlike many competitors that build their own server infrastructure, Mozilla partners with the privacy-focused Swedish provider Mullvad. It routes your data through Mullvad's network of over 500 servers across 30+ countries, utilizing the highly secure WireGuard protocol.

Because it operates at the system level, Mozilla VPN protects all internet traffic leaving your device, whether you are gaming, torrenting, or using third-party apps.

It is easy to confuse Mozilla VPN with the browser-based security tool built directly into Firefox. However, they are entirely different services.

Firefox offers a free built-in VPN that functions strictly as a browser proxy. It is capped at 50GB of data per month and is only available to users in the US, UK, Germany, and France.

While a recent Firefox update introduced region selection for this free tool, it only secures the traffic inside your Firefox browser. For system-wide, unlimited protection across all your apps, the standalone Mozilla VPN client remains the necessary choice.

Rene Millman
Contributing Writer

Rene Millman is a seasoned technology journalist whose work has appeared in The Guardian, the Financial Times, Computer Weekly, and IT Pro. With over two decades of experience as a reporter and editor, he specializes in making complex topics like cybersecurity, VPNs, and enterprise software accessible and engaging.

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