Mullvad Browser

Yes. Mullvad Browser is free of charge and its source code is publicly available under the Mozilla Public License 2.0. Mullvad VPN and the Tor Project collaborate on its privacy design, while the release repository provides platform packages and technical change information. A paid Mullvad VPN subscription is not required to install or use the application. Open source availability allows independent inspection, but users should still obtain installers from the official website or verified release repository. Before running a Windows package, confirm the version, source, digital signature when available, and published checksum. Avoid unofficial repackaged installers because altered binaries can undermine the privacy protections users expect on the intended computer.

No. The browser does not include a VPN connection and does not route traffic through the Tor network. Without a separate VPN or another network privacy service, websites can still receive the public IP address used by the device, and the internet provider can observe connection metadata. The browser instead focuses on limiting cookies, tracking scripts, telemetry, and browser fingerprint differences. It can be used without a VPN, but that choice protects a different layer of activity. Users who add a VPN should select a trustworthy provider, verify that the connection is active, and understand that neither tool prevents identification through account logins or information voluntarily submitted online each time.

It reduces fingerprinting by making supported installations behave and appear more alike. Standardized settings limit distinctive values, while letterboxing adds margins around page content so ordinary window size differences reveal less precise information. Private browsing is enabled by default, third party cookies are isolated during a session, and stored cookies are cleared between sessions. Tracker blocking also reduces scripts that collect identifying signals. The strongest benefit comes from staying close to the supplied configuration. Installing unusual extensions, changing advanced preferences, adding uncommon fonts, or repeatedly resizing the window can create differences from other users. Update normally and make only necessary exceptions after considering their fingerprinting effect during routine browsing sessions.

By default, cookies and website data are not preserved between normal browsing sessions because private mode is enabled. This limits long term tracking through persistent identifiers and also means some websites will not keep logins, preferences, carts, or consent choices after the browser closes. Third party cookies are isolated into separate storage during an active session to reduce cross site correlation. Users should expect to sign in again when revisiting services that depend on saved cookies. Clearing session data does not erase files deliberately downloaded to the computer or information saved outside the browser. Review local downloads and account activity separately when privacy requires a broader cleanup process as well.

No, not for users who need the Tor network. This browser borrows privacy and fingerprinting defenses from the Tor Project, but it does not automatically send connections through Tor relays. Tor Browser combines similar anti fingerprinting goals with network routing intended to conceal the originating IP address from destination websites. The Mullvad product is designed for use with or without a separate VPN, which creates a different network model. Choose according to the threat being addressed: browser tracking, public IP exposure, internet provider visibility, censorship, or anonymity. Do not assume the two applications are interchangeable, and avoid running Tor traffic through an untested configuration without understanding the consequences in advance.