Technology Mullvad retires OpenVPN support on desktop, pushing all users to WireGuard

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Mullvad has officially removed OpenVPN support from its desktop apps with the release of version 2025.14 – a big step in its long-planned shift toward a WireGuard-only future.

With this change, users can no longer select OpenVPN inside the Mullvad VPN app, and anyone who still relies on the older protocol will need to stay on version 2025.13 for now.

OpenVPN servers aren’t disappearing just yet. However, Mullvad says they’ll be fully shut down in January 2026. This gives desktop users, routers, and external VPN clients a short time before the protocol stops working altogether.

The update finalizes a transition Mullvad first announced last year, closing the door on OpenVPN after more than a decade.

What’s changing in the Mullvad desktop app

With the new 2025.14 update, the OpenVPN protocol option has been entirely removed from Mullvad’s desktop settings. Anyone who previously selected the OpenVPN option will now be migrated automatically to WireGuard, with no action required in the majority of cases.

However, some users may run into issues during the transition. If you were connected to an OpenVPN-only server, or if you built a custom location list that contained only OpenVPN endpoints, your connection may suddenly fail until you manually choose a new location. OpenVPN servers also no longer appear in custom lists.

The change goes beyond the desktop app. External VPN clients, scripts, and routers configured with Mullvad’s OpenVPN profiles will stop working once the remaining OpenVPN servers are shut down on January 15. Mullvad has also warned that the option to generate new OpenVPN configuration files may be removed even sooner.

For those who relied on OpenVPN-specific tweaks like Mssfix to control packet sizes, Mullvad recommends adjusting WireGuard’s MTU settings instead, which can be found at the bottom of the VPN settings menu.

What's next for Mullvad VPN?

For most Mullvad users, the move from OpenVPN to WireGuard should be smooth. The app will migrate everyone automatically, and anyone on a typical home network is unlikely to even notice, except for improved speeds and fewer protocol options.

However, users in more restrictive environments may need to adjust Mullvad’s anti-censorship settings manually. Options like UDP-over-TCP or Shadowsocks are designed to mimic OpenVPN’s behavior, and may help restore connectivity where WireGuard’s default settings fail. The biggest impact will be felt by power users who may need to make manual adjustments.

Mullvad frames the change as a necessary step toward a cleaner, faster, and more censorship-resistant service – one that’s been in the works for a while.

With WireGuard now offering comparable obfuscation features, as well as significantly better security and performance, retiring OpenVPN now allows the company to simplify its infrastructure and focus on a single modern protocol.

By early 2026, Mullvad will be fully Wireguard-only, completing the transition the company has been preparing for since 2017.
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This is a pretty big but not entirely surprising move from Mullvad, given how strongly they’ve been pushing WireGuard for years.

Practical implications

  • Desktop users who still need OpenVPN
    You’ll effectively have three options:
    • Stay on Mullvad 2025.13 for as long as it works (short‑term workaround, but:
      • You’ll miss security fixes and new features.
      • Mullvad can eventually refuse connections from old clients if they decide to.)
    • Migrate fully to WireGuard inside the Mullvad app.
    • Switch to another provider that still offers OpenVPN if you truly depend on it (for example due to specific network policies, DPI/censorship, or niche compatibility needs).
  • Custom location lists / OpenVPN‑only setups
    If someone manually built a list with only OpenVPN servers, those entries now effectively “die” in 2025.14+:
    • You’ll have to recreate location lists using WireGuard endpoints.
    • If the app doesn’t auto‑migrate cleanly, manually pick a new WireGuard location from the list.
  • Routers, scripts, and external clients using OpenVPN
    According to what you quoted, OpenVPN servers go offline January 15, 2026:
    • Any OpenVPN configs on OpenWrt, pfSense/OPNsense, AsusWRT, DD‑WRT, etc. will break at that point.
    • You’ll need to:
      • Either recreate these tunnels using Mullvad’s WireGuard configs (if your router supports WireGuard).
      • Or move to a provider that still supports OpenVPN on routers.

About the OpenVPN → WireGuard shift

  • Performance & codebase
    WireGuard is generally:
    • Faster (lower overhead, better throughput/latency).
    • Simpler (much smaller codebase, modern cryptography).
    This matches Mullvad’s long‑term goal to simplify and harden their infrastructure.
  • Censorship / “difficult networks”
    Where people will feel the pain is:
    • Networks that allowed OpenVPN over TCP/443 because it looks like regular HTTPS.
    • Environments with DPI where raw WireGuard UDP gets blocked or throttled.
    Per your quote, Mullvad now pushes:
    • UDP‑over‑TCP
    • Shadowsocks
    as anti‑censorship/obfuscation options. If you used OpenVPN specifically because it slipped through firewalls/DPI, you’ll likely need to:
    • Enable these anti‑censorship features in Mullvad.
    • Experiment with ports and transports (e.g. TCP‑based options).
    • Keep a “backup” provider that still supports robust OpenVPN + obfuscation, in case Mullvad’s WG‑based approaches don’t work in your region.
  • MTU / MSSfix tweaks
    People who relied on OpenVPN’s mssfix to handle weird MTU issues will now have to:
    • Adjust WireGuard MTU in Mullvad’s settings (as they suggest).
    • Possibly test a few values (e.g. 1280, 1300, 1380, etc.) if you see:
      • Some sites not loading
      • Hanging connections
      • Random timeouts over VPN

Should you worry or move away?

  • If you’re on a normal home network
    For most people:
    • Auto‑migration to WireGuard will be fine.
    • You may even see better speed and latency.
  • If you’re behind strict firewalls or heavy DPI
    You should:
    • Test Mullvad’s anti‑censorship options (UDP‑over‑TCP, Shadowsocks) now, not in 2026.
    • Set up a fallback provider that still supports OpenVPN and/or stronger obfuscation, in case Mullvad’s WG‑only approach can’t consistently connect from your location.
  • If you rely on router‑level OpenVPN
    You’ll need a medium‑term plan:
    • Check if your router firmware supports WireGuard and whether Mullvad provides clear WG config for it.
    • If not, consider:
      • A router/firmware upgrade to one with WireGuard support.
      • Or changing to a provider that still offers OpenVPN configs for routers.

Bottom line

Mullvad is basically forcing the WireGuard future they’ve been talking about for years. It’s good for simplicity and performance, but it’s a real breaking change for:

  • People in censored/restrictive networks who depended on OpenVPN’s “looks like HTTPS” behavior.
  • Router and power users with OpenVPN‑specific setups.

If you say how you currently use Mullvad (desktop only / router / censored country / specific OpenVPN tweaks), I can outline what I’d do in your specific situation before January 2026.
 
WireGuard is fine until you realize the Windows WG client (for those who use it) hasn't been updated in years. DEV said it doesn't need any more work but really?

Also didn't the official Linux maintainer switch to another person.

It's actually sad to see OpenVpn go, I still think it could of been used for users who choose it.
 
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I honestly stopped topping up my Mullvad account when they first announced them retiring OpenVPN in Nov 2024. I do use and like WireGuard, but I still want the option to use both. There are some circumstances where OpenVPN still works best for me. So I have since switched to another VPN provider that still supports both OpenVPN and WireGuard and quite happy with their service.
 
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WireGuard is built into the Linux kernel for all modern Linux distributions that ship kernel 5.6 or newer. Just create config file at Mullvad and and activate it from the terminal with a simple command: ...up / down / show. VPN connection has been very stable in this linux_VM.
 
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