Opera announced today that its free, built-in VPN for desktop can now automatically activate when users connect to public or unsecured Wi-Fi networks. Here are the details.
Since 2016, the Opera browser has offered a free, built-in VPN. The company says this builds on its core belief that “making basic online privacy accessible to everyone.”
In recent years, VPNs have gone from being a relatively niche privacy tool to something much more mainstream. Still, according to data from We Are Social’s Digital 2026 Mid-Year Global Update Report, only 23% of internet users aged 16 and older use a VPN for at least some of their online activities.
That is a problem, particularly for users who rely on public Wi-Fi for work or while traveling.
Today, Opera announced that users in the US and France can opt to have its built-in VPN turn on automatically whenever they connect to a public or unsecured Wi-Fi network.
Public Wi-Fi networks are notoriously vulnerable to snooping and data interception. Opera’s browser VPN now removes manual friction by automatically activating when detecting public or unsecured Wi-Fi networks. Users can study, work, manage finances, or browse without having to remember to turn on protection manually. To respect user agency, the feature remains strictly opt-in and can be easily toggled within settings. This functionality is rolling out today to Opera users in the US and France.
” The company also stresses that the VPN is part of a broader set of built-in privacy tools, alongside Opera’s native Ad Blocker and Tracker Blocker.
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