Mullvad VPN is shutting down its public encrypted DNS servers, a service it has run since 2022, and will instead sponsor the Quad9 Foundation, which it calls an "undisputed leader" in privacy DNS. The company says running a public DNS service focused on privacy demands specialized expertise, and that it would rather back Quad9 than duplicate work already being done.
The change affects users who manually configured Mullvad's DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH) servers: they must switch to Quad9 before November 2, 2026. Mullvad says existing iOS and macOS DoH profiles will stop working, and users should replace them with Quad9's profiles. In Mullvad Browser, anyone still on the default DoH setup, or on the ad-blocking option shipped with it, will be moved over to Quad9 automatically. Customized settings will be left alone, though anyone who manually selected one of Mullvad's DoH variants, such as base, extended or family, is asked to restore the default.
Mullvad says its own DNS servers are unnecessary when using the Mullvad VPN, since the VPN provides its own DNS. The company will provide financial support to Quad9 and points to Quad9's migration guides for help.
The move follows Mullvad's decision last year to shut down its search proxy Leta on November 27, 2025. In 2025, Mullvad also enabled quantum-resistant WireGuard by default across all platforms, with Windows the last to be covered.
The announcement does not disclose the amount of the Quad9 sponsorship or give an exact shutdown date for the DNS servers beyond the November 2 deadline for manual users.
