Opera is making its free built-in VPN easier to use on public Wi-Fi by adding an option that automatically activates protection when the browser detects a public or unsecured network. The feature is rolling out to Opera desktop users in the US and France starting September 24.
Opera has offered its free browser VPN since 2016 without monthly data limits or an account requirement, and the company says the service follows a no-logs policy that Deloitte has independently audited. Users still need to opt into the new automatic protection through Opera’s settings, so the browser will not enable it without permission.
Opera targets public Wi-Fi connections
The change focuses on people who regularly connect to Wi-Fi at airports, cafes, campuses, libraries, and other public locations, where unsecured networks can expose browsing traffic to interception. Once enabled, Opera detects these networks and activates its browser VPN without requiring users to switch it on manually each time.
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Opera says only 23% of internet users worldwide used a VPN as of Q4 2025, citing data from We Are Social’s Digital 2026 Mid-Year Global Update Report, leaving 77% without VPN protection.
Arjan van Leeuwen, Head of Opera One Engineering at Opera, said the company has focused on making browser privacy easier since launching its VPN ten years ago:
“From the very start, all the way back in 2016, we believed that online privacy should be effortless and straightforward – especially when connecting to public networks while out and about,” says Arjan van Leeuwen, Head of Opera One Engineering at Opera. “Ten years later, our thesis still holds: VPNs are a vital part of users’ digital hygiene. That’s why we continue supporting and improving our free browser VPN, making sure that Opera users always have the tools they need, when they need them.”
Opera also includes its native Ad Blocker and Tracker Blocker alongside the VPN on desktop and mobile devices.
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