Last year, Microsoft tested Edge Secured Network, an embedded VPN service in the Microsoft Edge browser to improve user network security and prevent privacy data leaks. At that time, only a small number of users were invited to test the service, and they would receive notifications in the browser.
However, some users have recently started seeing Edge VPN in the stable version of Microsoft Edge without the Beta label, indicating that Microsoft is preparing to officially launch the service.
Unlike traditional VPNs, Edge VPN does not allow users to select nodes but can switch between different modes.：
Mode 1 allows only specific websites on a list to use VPN services, while websites outside the list will not.
Mode 2 automatically enables VPN connection whenever users connect to a public or insecure network or a website without HTTPS encryption.
Mode 3 encrypts all data for all websites.
Edge VPN is the result of a partnership between Microsoft and CloudFlare, with CloudFlare providing nodes. By default, it matches the nearest node based on the user’s location to encrypt communication traffic and prevent man-in-the-middle attacks. However, the service only encrypts the browser’s traffic, not the entire Windows system.
During the early testing phase, users could enjoy 15GB of free monthly traffic, but this testing period is about to end, and the free traffic will be reduced to 1GB per user per month.
The subscription plan and pricing have not yet been announced, and the service is currently only available in the US market. Microsoft has not disclosed whether it will expand support to other markets in the future.