Mozilla is rolling out an (ambitious) new privacy feature that could reshape how users protect their online activity: a free VPN service integrated directly into the Firefox browser. However, if you’re eager to activate Firefox VPN right now, you’ll need to exercise patience as the feature is currently available only to a small group of randomly selected test users with no manual opt-in available for the general public.
What is Firefox VPN and How Does It Work?
First, it’s essential to understand what Firefox VPN offers and how it differs from traditional VPN services. A Virtual Private Network creates an encrypted tunnel between your device and a remote server, and masks your real IP address and encrypts all your data traffic. When you connect to a website through a VPN, your internet service provider can no longer monitor your online activity, and the websites you visit only see the VPN server’s IP address (not yours).
This technology has become crucial for online privacy, particularly in countries with strict internet regulations. As French tech publication 01net has noted, VPN is a vital purpose in France, where recent legislation has imposed significant constraints on internet freedom. French authorities have blocked access to many content platforms and VPNs allow users to circumvent this censorship – a situation reminiscent of restrictions implemented in certain U.S. states like Texas and Utah.
The key distinction with Firefox VPN lies in its scope: Unlike Mozilla’s existing paid service, Mozilla VPN (read our review here), which protects all internet traffic across your entire device regardless of which application you’re using, Firefox VPN focuses exclusively on web traffic generated within the Firefox browser itself. Think of it as browser-level protection rather than system-wide security. As Mozilla explicitly states on its official support page, “Firefox VPN only protects traffic within Firefox—it doesn’t cover other apps or background services.”
Firefox VPN vs. Mozilla VPN
Mozilla VPN is the company’s existing paid service and it is essentially a rebranded version of Mullvad VPN which is a standard privacy-focused VPN provider. It operates as a standalone application that encrypts all network traffic from your computer or mobile device and protects everything from your email client to your streaming apps.
Firefox VPN is a bit different as it integrates into the browser without requiring a separate application. This approach offers simplicity and convenience but with a narrower protection scope: If you’re downloading files through a torrent client or checking email through a desktop application, Firefox VPN won’t protect that traffic -only Mozilla VPN would cover those activities.
For users who primarily conduct their online activities through a web browser, Firefox VPN provides sufficient protection while remaining completely free. Mozilla has confirmed that the service will route traffic through Mozilla-managed servers located in the United States during this initial testing phase. Mozilla also guarantees that there are no speed or usage limits when Firefox VPN is active so that your browsing experience continues uninterrupted.
9200 servers
167 covered countries
30 days money-back guarantee
10 simultaneous connections
3000 servers
105 covered countries
30 days money-back guarantee
10 simultaneous connections
How to Activate Firefox VPN (When Available)
Currently, there’s no way to manually enable Firefox VPN. The rollout is controlled through Mozilla’s Nimbus system which automatically and randomly selects test participants. Even enabling experimental flags like “browser.ipProtection.enabled” in Firefox’s about:config settings won’t activate the feature if you haven’t been selected for the trial.
If you are among the chosen test users, you’ll see a notification in your Firefox browser and a new option on your Firefox toolbar. The activation process is straightforward: click the VPN icon, sign in to your Mozilla account (or create one if you don’t have one) and toggle the feature on. Once activated, all your Firefox browsing traffic will automatically route through Mozilla’s VPN servers.
Should you want to disable the feature temporarily or permanently, Mozilla has made the process equally simple: You can turn off Firefox VPN at any time by right-clicking the VPN icon in the Firefox toolbar and selecting “Remove from Toolbar.” If you change your mind later, you can re-enable it from the Add-ons and Themes menu.
According to information uncovered in Mozilla’s GitHub repositories and Bugzilla bug tracking system, the final version will offer granular control options. You will be able to configure Firefox VPN on a per-site basis and choose to encrypt all traffic except for specific blacklisted sites or vice versa. There should also be options to auto-start the VPN with each browsing session or activate it exclusively during Private Browsing mode.
Potential Limitations and Workarounds
While Firefox VPN aims to provide protection, Mozilla acknowledges some websites may block VPN traffic or require additional authentication. According to the official support documentation, platforms like Reddit and YouTube may ask users to sign in before granting access when the VPN is active. If a website isn’t working correctly and signing in doesn’t resolve the issue, Mozilla recommends temporarily turning off the VPN.
The company also says that will “collect minimal technical data” necessary to maintain service reliability and security, such as connection success rates and daily bandwidth usage. For example, Mozilla may log whether a connection succeeded or failed or record that your account used 2 GB of data on a certain day. This information helps Mozilla improve performance and plan for infrastructure growth.
Critically, Mozilla pledges never to log the websites you visit or track the content of your communications. Any data collected that’s linked to your account will be automatically deleted after three months. For long-term planning purposes, Mozilla does retain overall bandwidth statistics but these are aggregated across all users and cannot be traced back to individual accounts.
Upgrading to Full Device Protection
For users who need comprehensive protection beyond their browser, Mozilla offers a clear upgrade path: The paid Mozilla VPN subscription provides device-level protection with encrypted traffic across all apps and services, not just Firefox. It also includes additional privacy features and customization options that the free browser-based version doesn’t offer.
Mozilla specifically recommends that existing Mozilla VPN subscribers remove the Firefox VPN icon from their toolbar to avoid duplicate protection and potential conflicts. Interestingly, on Windows systems, Mozilla VPN subscribers can also install the Mozilla VPN extension to obtain even more value from their subscription.
Competition in the Built-in VPN Space
Firefox isn’t breaking new ground here and it’s merely catching up to competitors. Opera was among the first major browsers to integrate a free VPN service. Microsoft Edge offers a limited VPN feature through its partnership with Cloudflare, which is very limited to many extend. There is also Brave browser which includes its own privacy-focused VPN and Vivaldi partnered with Proton to offer a better protection.
Mozilla’s ambition is to make Firefox “the best VPN-integrated browser on the market” and given the company’s strong reputation for privacy advocacy and open-source development, this goal seems quite achievable. Obviously, the free version will likely come with limitations compared to the paid Mozilla VPN service (probably fewer server locations, potentially lower priority routing, etc.) but it should provide robust basic protection for everyday browsing.
For now, users must wait for Mozilla to expand the testing pool.