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Public encrypted DNS shutdown
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Mullvad will shut its public encrypted DNS servers on November 2, 2026, and sponsor Quad9 instead.
Users must migrate manually or lose service, highlighting the shift to nonprofit DNS leadership.
Background
Mullvad, a Swedish VPN provider, has operated public encrypted DNS-over-HTTPS servers since 2022. These servers allowed users outside the VPN to prevent ISPs from seeing their DNS queries. The company now says running such a service is highly specialized and that Quad9, a nonprofit, is the undisputed leader. Mullvad will redirect resources to financially support Quad9 instead of duplicating efforts.
How it unfolded
- 2022Mullvad began operating public encrypted DNS (DoH) servers.
- Sep 3, 2026Mullvad announced it will shut down its public encrypted DNS servers and sponsor Quad9 instead.
- Nov 2, 2026Mullvad's public DNS servers will be shut down; manual users must migrate before this date.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Mullvad says running a public DNS service is highly specialized and that Quad9 is the undisputed leader, so it will support Quad9 instead.
- Analysts
- TechRadar calls the move 'surprising but practical,' noting it frees Mullvad from complex infrastructure.