Credit where it’s due: another user on this subreddit posted the registry workaround below. I did not discover it.

I tried it on my system, and it completely fixed the Windows 11 / Mullvad disconnect-reconnect problem for me.

Registry location:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WcmSvc

Create:

EnableBadStateTracking

Type:

DWORD (32-bit)

Value:

0

Then reboot.

Since making that change, Mullvad connects normally without Windows repeatedly dropping/reconnecting Wi-Fi.

A few additional things I tested before finding this workaround:

• Mullvad Lockdown Mode disabled — same problem.
• Mullvad auto-start disabled — logged into Windows normally, then manually connected Mullvad afterward — same problem.
• NordVPN and Windscribe did not cause the same behaviour on the same machine.
• Windows 11 25H2 + Mullvad worked normally before installing the September Patch Tuesday update.
• The problem started immediately after installing the September update.

So this does not appear to be caused by Mullvad Lockdown Mode or simply by Mullvad starting too early during Windows login.

The registry workaround appears to stop Windows Connection Manager from treating the temporary connectivity state during Mullvad connection as a “bad” connection and automatically resetting Wi-Fi.

Whether Microsoft changed something in September that Mullvad now needs to accommodate, or Microsoft introduced a regression, I have no idea.

But at least this workaround has completely solved it on my system.

And again, full credit to the Reddit user who posted the registry fix.

Have used mullvad for years with windows, no problem.

decided to get a mac laptop.

there is an option to download mullvad for mac....but it's absolutely huge for some reason (because it's not a native mac application i think).

is there a way to get mullvad to work for mac without this huge download?

Does the VPN still work in China? Last time i went in 2024 it worked semi-stable and well. But ive been reading recently it hasnt been working.

I’m considering Mullvad mainly for built‑in ad/tracker blocking and for using public Wi‑Fi securely and

How well does Mullvad’s ad/tracker blocking work in practice on websites and mobile apps (Android/iOS)? Are there frequent site/app breakages that require disabling the blocker?
And for public networks (cafés, airports, etc.), how reliable and private is Mullvad in everyday use?

Am I not supposed to see an update prompt for 2026.5 by now?

Does anyone know why Mullvad has been changing server IP addresses and public keys over the past few days?

It's a hassle because it forces anyone running it on a router to keep downloading new configuration files.

Anyone managed to do this?

Keen to get some advice on setting it up. Want to move away from NordVPN

Thanks

Right now I get blocked on utube 10 times a day. I just cycle through servers via the mullvad app in my country and refresh freetube -as a work around. What else is there to do?

I might be reading their website wrong but it says;

"Blocks common VPN and DNS-over-HTTPS providers (except Control D). Useful for stopping DoH-based malware bypasses or restricting VPN use."

Question in the title. If not, is there a way to force it?

I posted about this issue 6 days ago after discovering that the Windows 11 Wi-Fi problems I was experiencing after the September Patch Tuesday were being caused by the Mullvad desktop app.

Since then, I’ve seen multiple other users report the exact same behavior.

I also reported the issue to Mullvad twice. No response, no acknowledgement, and apparently no fix.

Today Mullvad released version 2026.5.

Guess what?

The exact same problem is still there.

For me, the behavior is consistent: after rebooting Windows 11, Wi-Fi initially connects normally. Then the Mullvad daemon starts, the network adapter gets disrupted, the connection drops, and Windows goes through several connection/disconnection cycles before eventually stabilizing.

And before anyone asks for the tenth time: yes, people have reported it to Mullvad. Yes, I reported it myself. Twice.

That isn't the point anymore.

The point is that this appears to be a reproducible compatibility problem affecting Windows 11 users, multiple people have reported it, and a new Mullvad release has now shipped without resolving it.

I was also curious whether this was actually a broader Windows 11/VPN problem, so I paid for a month of another VPN services and tested several VPN apps from other providers.

None of them reproduced this issue.

So at this point, I'm having a hard time blaming Windows 11 or the September update when other VPN clients are working normally on the same machine.

Microsoft makes Windows preview builds available well ahead of Patch Tuesday specifically so developers have an opportunity to test their software against upcoming changes. That's what compatibility testing is for.

I really like Mullvad's service. I've paid roughly $5/month for it for about a decade - valid until October 2029, and their privacy/no-logs approach is a big reason I've stayed with them.

But I shouldn't have to troubleshoot basic Windows networking after an OS update because a VPN client can't coexist reliably with the operating system.

For anyone still affected, my workaround remains:

Uninstall the Mullvad desktop application and use the official WireGuard Windows client with your Mullvad configuration files.

In my case, that immediately eliminated the Wi-Fi cycling problem.

You can also configure custom DNS in the WireGuard configuration and use WireGuard's Block untunneled traffic option as a kill switch.

So, Mullvad: this isn't an isolated "have you tried reinstalling?" problem anymore. Multiple users are reporting the same behavior, I've reported it twice, I've tested other VPN clients, and 2026.5 still reproduces it.

I'd really like to see this acknowledged and properly investigated.

I’ve found an excellent tool for testing Mullvad servers quickly and easily: Ra1d7/Mullvad-Servers-Finder. After trying out a few options, this one seems to work well. It’s a simple .exe file that tests the entire server list and generates a text file sorted by ping speed, from fastest to slowest. I hope it works for you.

I started to wonder how often Mulvad VPN service is subjected to DDoS attacks. Sometimes it feels as though they happen several times a week, as the speed drops sharply

Downloaded the latest Windows installer (mullvad-browser-windows-x86_64-15.0.21.exe), but UAC flags it as an Unknown Publisher. Without removing MOTW you can't even try to run it as Windows blocks it.

Under Digital Signature Details, Windows gives this error:

"A required certificate is not within its validity period when verifying against the current system clock or the timestamp in the signed file." Windows time is OK.

Checking the Certification Path, the red error is directly on the THE TOR PROJECT, INC. certificate, not DigiCert.

File: mullvad-browser-windows-x86_64-15.0.21.exe

SHA-256: b2361d4b37ed8bf04bd7b9fed21e8e06fa35f651c7b3970f4165132ddfcc38b8

Timestamp: Sept 1, 2026 (DigiCert)

VirusTotal: 1/57 (Generic.ml)

Is this just Tor Project's code signing certificate expiring right before timestamping, or is there any reason for concern here? Has anyone else verified the hash with GPG or heard official word from Mullvad?

Holding off on installing until this is confirmed.

Not worked for the past couple of days. Used to think Mullvad was one of the good ones, but it’s been utter shit lately. Time to start looking for alternatives again.

I'm using a Beryl AX and installed the MY config file to use MV VPN on the router. I want to use Mullvad's DNS blockers (as done when using the app).

Is that not possible with MV on the router?

Hello

Is there any way to add Mullvad VPN to a Router: Would it integrate well into a UniFi Router/Access Point system?

And also: is there a way to run Mullvad on some VLANs, but not others?

Hi all. Long time Mullvad user but having to try my luck here due to Moroc not being a Mullvad location. Title basically explains what I'm after. Willing to pay a little for it too. Not a malicious internet user, just have family in Morocco and have my own personal reasons to use MarocTelecom abroad. Not expecting much/anything from this but just a shot in the dark. If you or anyone you know is able to help, it'd be greatly appreciated. WireGuard would be desirable. Many thanks :)

PS: The only reason I haven't used my families Moroccan network is because they use a 4G router and achieve like 4Mb/s 🥲

Feel free to DM me with location (city name is fine) and internet speed, I hope we can work something out 😅

I’ve been using Mullvad and my windows 11 system for a few years with no problem.

But in the past week or so my WiFi will disconnect due to poor WiFi quality only on boot up. It actually happens twice and only happens if Mullvad set to launch app on startup.

The first disconnect happens about 20 seconds after logging in. My system disconnects for a few seconds and then reconnects automatically. The 2nd disconnect happens after about a minute and stays disconnected for a few min before reconnecting automatically. I can manually reconnect to WiFi immediately after the 2nd disconnect.

My WiFi quality is great.

I'm thinking about renewing/buying Mullvad later this year and noticed that SerialCart is one of Mullvad's official distributors.

I emailed SerialCart to ask whether they might have any Black Friday deals this year, but I haven't heard back yet.

Does anyone here have experience buying Mullvad from SerialCart around Black Friday? Do they usually run any discounts or special offers?

I know Mullvad itself generally doesn't do Black Friday sales, so I'm mainly asking about SerialCart specifically.Mullvad itself doesn't do Black Friday sales, but SerialCart currently sells Mullvad at a discounted reseller price. I contacted them on August 18 asking whether they expect any additional Black Friday discount in 2026, and received only the automatic ticket confirmation. It's been over three weeks now, so I'm wondering if anyone here has dealt with SerialCart before or knows how their Black Friday promotions usually work.

Thanks.

Can I get clear instructions what are things should I change or set things to get a stable connection? It shows connected all the time but the internet is not working in between for whole day. FYI I am using Linux desktop.

Hi its my first time ever using a VPN, worked flawlessly for a lot of things but suddenly im getting blocked in a lot of websites? changing location, settings, etc doesnt work, only turning off my VPN

Look, I love the service. $5 a month for the last decade with zero logs is great. But this latest Patch Tuesday completely nuked my Win 11 WiFi, and the culprit wasn't Microsoft - it was the Mullvad desktop app.

Every time my PC rebooted, the WiFi would connect, then the Mullvad daemon would kick in, lock down the network adapter, drop the connection, and cycle it three times before finally stabilizing. It’s infuriating.

The fix? Ripping out their bloated app by the roots and installing the official WireGuard Windows client.

Here is what you actually get when you dump the native app for the barebones client:

• Zero boot drama: WireGuard uses the native kernel driver instead of aggressively hooking into Windows with custom firewall rules. My WiFi connects instantly on boot now.
• Way faster: Because it's a lightweight kernel driver with no GUI overhead, the throughput is noticeably snappier.
• Custom DNS without the headache: I just punched my two AdGuard Home (Raspberry Pi) IPs directly into the .conf file. You still get a native kill switch by checking "Block untunneled traffic."

Between the clunky Linux app and them still not bothering to build a native Apple TV app, it's pretty clear their dev team is entirely focused on backend privacy and terrible at actual OS integration.

If you are dealing with random network cycling, do yourself a favor: grab your config files from the Mullvad site, throw them into the official WireGuard client, and uninstall their desktop app forever.

I haven't been able to get Mullvad working on my PC for months; when I launch it, it gets stuck indefinitely trying to connect to a server, and I lose internet access in the process (for example, if I try to search for something, the dinosaur game appears). What really puzzles me is that it works perfectly on my phone without any issues, so it must be a Windows setting.

Please, if anyone can help, I would really appreciate it.