- Mullvad is discontinuing its public encrypted DNS (DoH) servers
- The VPN firms will instead funnel resources into the Quad9 Foundation
- Manual users must migrate to a new service before November 2
Mullvad has officially announced that it is shutting down its public encrypted DNS servers.
In a surprising but practical move, the provider, widely regarded as a major contender for the title of best VPN, revealed it will redirect its resources toward financially sponsoring the Quad9 Foundation rather than running its own standalone DNS service.
Having operated its public DNS over HTTPS (DoH) servers since 2022, Mullvad originally offered the tool as a free public service to protect DNS queries for internet users outside of its core VPN network. However, the company has now decided to step back from the highly complex infrastructure required to maintain it.
For most dedicated Mullvad VPN subscribers, this change will be entirely invisible. The company noted in its September 3 announcement that public DoH servers are "unnecessary when using Mullvad VPN," as subscriber traffic is already encrypted and handled directly by the provider’s internal DNS routing.
TechRadar has reached out to Mullvad for further comment regarding the financial details of its new Quad9 sponsorship, and we will update this article if we receive a response.
Why is Mullvad closing its DNS servers?
Mullvad's decision boils down to resource allocation and industry expertise. Running a fast, secure, and privacy-focused public DNS service at scale is incredibly difficult. Rather than competing with established non-profits, the company is choosing to fund them.
"Running a privacy-focused public DNS service is a highly specialized undertaking, and the Quad9 Foundation is the undisputed leader in the field," Mullvad explained. "Rather than duplicating their efforts to achieve only part of what they do, we're putting those resources toward financially supporting Quad9 instead."
For users familiar with Mullvad VPN, this pragmatic approach is on-brand. The company has a history of retiring legacy features in the name of security and efficiency, such as when it removed port forwarding or when Mullvad retired OpenVPN support on desktop to push users toward the modern WireGuard protocol.
Backing Quad9 DNS makes logical sense for a brand so heavily invested in the wider open-source privacy ecosystem.
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What this means for users (and how to switch)
If you rely on Mullvad’s public DNS servers when disconnected from the VPN, you have until November 2, 2026, to make the switch before the service goes dark. The migration process depends entirely on how you currently access the servers.
For users of the privacy-centric Mullvad Browser, the transition will largely be seamless. If you have kept the default DoH settings or the included ad-blocking variant active, your browser will automatically migrate to Quad9 without requiring any manual input. However, if you have customized your DoH to a specific Mullvad variant (such as base, extended, or family), you must change your settings back to the default.
The situation is stricter for users who rely on configuration profiles. According to Mullvad, any existing iOS and macOS Mullvad DoH profiles will simply "stop working" after the shutdown. These users must proactively replace their current setups with dedicated Quad9 iOS or macOS profiles before the November deadline.
Finally, if you have manually configured your router or operating system to point to Mullvad’s DoH servers, you will need to manually input the new Quad9 addresses. Mullvad advises these users to follow the official configuration guides provided by Quad9 to ensure their browsing remains secure.
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