Mullvad VPN is testing smarter multi-hop and a spinnable server globe on Android

Date:
Fri, 21 Aug 2026 15:25:06 +0000

Description:
Mullvad is testing a redesigned multi-hop feature for its Android app, along with an interactive server globe and smarter location search, all currently
in beta.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Mullvad has debuted a new multi-hop design for its Android app The update makes the server globe interactive, sharpens location search It arrived as a beta test on Android on August 20, 2026 Mullvad is giving one of the headline privacy tools found on the best VPN apps a fresh coat of paint. In its newest Android beta, the provider has rolled out a redesigned multi-hop feature, aimed at making it easier to route your traffic through two servers instead of one.

The standout addition is a new "when needed" option. Rather than forcing you to flip multi-hop on by hand, the Android VPN app can now switch it on automatically when your current settings call for it, for example, when DAITA is enabled and your chosen server does not support it directly. Keep in mind that this is a beta. The changes landed in the android/2026.9-beta1 release
on August 20, 2026, which means they are being tested rather than pushed to everyone. We don't yet know the general release timeline.

Alongside the multi-hop work, Mullvad has also made its server globe interactive and improved how you search for locations, so there is plenty to poke at in this build.

Mullvad: best VPN for anonymity A major player in the industry and a great advocate for privacy, Mullvad is one of the only VPNs that still lets you pay with cash for true anonymity. Offering advanced security features, it effectively blocks ads and malicious domains, with great speeds too. View
Deal What the new multi-hop design changes Multi-hop is not new to Mullvad.
It routes your connection through an entry server and a separate exit server, creating what the provider likes to call a "tunnel within a tunnel." The
entry server sees your real IP but not where you are going, while the exit server sees your destination but not your IP, which makes your activity
harder to trace. You may like Mullvad VPNs new desktop build prioritizes speed, stability over interface changes NymVPN just had its biggest two-month update yet, and a fresh redesign is already on the way Proton VPN rolls out Rust-powered 'Proton Protocols' in beta across all major apps

The feature first reached Android in March 2025 , following earlier arrivals on desktop and iOS. What is new here is the design and the automation. The "when needed" mode takes away some of the guesswork, and filters are now
split into separate entry and exit filters that you can set independently.

That pairs neatly with DAITA, Mullvad's defense against AI-guided traffic analysis, which sometimes needs to hop through a compatible server to do its job. Letting the app handle that routing on its own is a sensible bit of polish. (Image credit: Future) NEW : Leave No Trace A weekly newsletter on digital privacy and online surveillance. Leave No Trace investigates the companies and governments putting our digital freedom at risk and the people fighting back.

Subscribe now to get every edition delivered to your inbox every Friday, launching this September. An interactive globe and smarter search Mullvad's latest beta also makes the connection globe something you can actually play with, adding pan, pinch-to-zoom, and fling gestures so you can spin around to see where VPN servers sit and trace your connection path. What to read next What is Double Hop VPN? NymVPN has released a huge update adding Mixnet Tuning, Server Families, and app icon disguises but some questions remain around the scale of some improvements Decentralized NymVPN rolls out post-quantum protections as standard alongside a massive redesign

Location search gets a lift too. Results are now ranked by relevance and include fuzzy matches, so a slightly misspelled city should still surface the right server, and your search term is highlighted as you type.

Mullvad has been busy lately, from a speed-focused desktop build to more frequent Mullvad Browser updates for testers . This Android beta fits that pattern of steady, privacy-first refinement, and our Mullvad review digs into why it remains a favorite.

For now, though, the new multi-hop design is something to look forward to
when it graduates from beta. Today's best Mullvad VPN deals Mullvad VPN 4.35 /mth View We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the
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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-services/mullvad-vpn-is-testing-smarter-mult i-hop-and-a-spinnable-server-globe-on-android


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