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Mozilla has launched its free VPN, built directly into Firefox. Unlike the best VPNs, no extension or separate app is needed to protect your browsing.
The feature arrives with Firefox 149, which rolled out on March 24, and is currently in beta for desktop users in the US, UK, Germany and France.
Is this the same as a regular VPN?
Every time you visit a website, your IP address is shared automatically. That information can be used to approximate your location, link your activity across sites, and build logs of your browsing behaviour.
Firefox's built-in VPN tackles this by routing your traffic through a proxy network, replacing your IP address before it reaches a website, so sites see the proxy's address rather than yours.
It's worth being clear about what it doesn't do, though. This is browser-level protection only. Traffic from other apps on your device won't be covered, and it won't encrypt your entire internet connection.
According to Mozilla, the feature relies on standard HTTPS encryption already built into Firefox, rather than adding a separate layer like AES-256. There's no option to choose a server location either, which is a notable omission compared to premium VPNs and most of the best free VPNs – only Proton VPN Free fails to give users the choice.
If you hit the 50 GB monthly cap, IP protection pauses until the next cycle. Firefox will prompt you to confirm before continuing without it, so you won't accidentally browse unprotected.
Why is Mozilla doing this?
Mozilla has been building privacy tools into Firefox for years: Total Cookie Protection, anti-fingerprinting, and Private Browsing mode among them. The built-in VPN is the next step in that direction, and Mozilla is positioning it as a genuinely free offering in a space where "free VPNs" often come with a catch.
"Firefox's built-in VPN is designed differently," Mozilla said. "It does not sell your browsing data and does not inject advertising into your traffic."
It's also separate from Mozilla's existing paid product. Mozilla told Tom's Guide: "The built-in VPN is a separate proxy that protects users' traffic while browsing in Firefox. We will continue to offer users choice with the Mozilla VPN if they would like full device protection, unlimited bandwidth, and a choice of over 500 servers in 30+ countries."
On logging, Mozilla confirmed it only receives data volume from its proxy provider, not what sites you visit. IP addresses are retained in standard server logs for up to 90 days for fraud prevention and regional eligibility checks.
How to use Firefox VPN
The rollout is gradual, so not everyone in supported regions will see it immediately after updating. Here's how to check:
- Open Firefox and go to Menu, then Help, then About Firefox to update to version 149 or later.
- Sign in to your Mozilla account, or create one for free.
- Look for the VPN or IP Protection toggle in your toolbar or under Menu, then Settings.
- Click once to enable it (no additional setup needed).
- To save data, you can choose to enable protection on specific sites only.
- If the option isn't showing yet, sit tight: it should appear within the coming days as the rollout continues.
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
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