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NordVPN for Windows: release notes

This is the place for the historical record of improvements and tweaks in the NordVPN app for Windows. Updating the app lets you enjoy the freshest online and privacy experience with NordVPN, and this makes us happy. That’s a win-win.

Eglė Juodytė

Eglė Juodytė

NordVPN for Windows: release notes
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    Zoom in, zoom out. The map zooming is way smoother now.
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    In web protection, we’ve relocated the list of domains you choose to exclude from threat blocking. It now has a separate tab – “Excluded domains.” This way, you’ll have a clear view of the web protection activity and the domains you have excluded.
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    We’ve redesigned the Threat Protection experience! Threat Protection is now divided into “Web protection” and “File protection” for more clarity and convenience.
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    The automatic VPN protocol selection is even smarter now. Choose the “Auto (Recommended)” option for your protocol settings for the best VPN performance.
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    Fixed: The issue of Threat Protection suddenly causing high CPU usage and network problems (*ouch*) has been solved.

Threat Protection now detects files with double extensions!

Imagine that somebody sends you a file named KEYBOARD-CAT.GIF.exe. At first glance, you would probably expect nothing more than the classic internet meme of an orange tabby cat in a shirt playing a keyboard. However, it may be a virus masqueraded with double extensions: the fake .GIF and the actual .exe. That’s what cyber attackers do.

Threat Protection fends off malicious files immediately. If a file with double extensions looks safe after our scans, we’ll notify you so you can handle it with caution.

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    We’ve revamped the Internet Kill Switch by splitting it into two options. The first one (and the default one) disables internet access if a VPN connection drops unexpectedly. The second one disables the internet even when you disconnect from VPN manually, which means you only have VPN-protected internet access. Choose the option that meets your online protection needs!
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    As the holidays are fast approaching, we’ve been working on our app’s naughty-or-nice score. A bunch of mischievous bugs have been dispatched with a mission of no return.
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    Back by popular demand – the option to maximize the app.
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    New option for auto-connect: Now, you can set VPN to auto-connect on mobile networks only. You can also make a setting combo: auto-connect on mobile and Wi-Fi networks, on mobile networks and Ethernet, or stay connected to VPN at all times.
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    A few ghoulish bugs are nothing but a distant memory. It’s Spooktober, after all.

Spoiler alert: many exciting things ahead!

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    New app design – totally refreshed look and feel! All to make your NordVPN experience more delightful.
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    Dark mode. Now you can choose what makes your eyes happier.
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    There’s a newbie in the left sidebar hood – Dark Web Monitor. We’ve moved it to make it quicker for you to see leaks and take action to protect your accounts.
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    We’ve revamped the auto-connect setup for clarity. No muss, no fuss..
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    More languages: You can now use the app in Italian and Korean.

New convenient functions have come to Meshnet:

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    Each device now shows whether it’s online or offline, which is handy when you’re picking a device to route all your traffic through.
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    You can start routing traffic through another computer straight from the list of your linked devices.
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    When routing traffic through a linked computer, you’ll have access to its local network devices instead of yours – if the linked computer has granted this permission to you. And the other way around: you can allow or block access to your local network for each device that’s routing traffic through your computer.

We’re introducing a new addition to the Threat Protection stack!

Tracking parameters – those tiny bits of text at the end of web links – are a privacy buzzkill. They’re made to track your interactions with social content, emails, ads, and websites. To enhance your privacy, Threat Protection now removes tracking parameters from web addresses as you browse. Shorter and cleaner URLs mean more privacy and convenience when bookmarking or sharing links with friends! Go ahead and enable it in Threat Protection settings.

A selection of minor tweaks and fixes under the hood to make the NordVPN app work better for you. Because routine maintenance is just as important as a new shiny feature.

Spring is good for many things, but two main ones spring to mind: cleaning and exploring new opportunities. With this list in hand, here’s what we did to elevate your NordVPN experience before the temperature hits the summer digits:

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    While Threat Protection is the new hardcore defense wall that stops anything remotely dangerous from reaching your computer, there are times where you may find you prefer the lightweight CyberSec. Not a problem! CyberSec is still available as Threat Protection Lite, blocking malicious sites and ads while connected to VPN.
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    We cleaned up the app, adding some general stability fixes and improvements for even better VPN performance.

A bit of fine-tuning to ensure the performance and stability of VPN connections via the NordLynx protocol.

Fixes coming in hot:

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    The country list went missing from the left sidebar, but we caught it soon and brought it back.
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    The NordVPN status in the Windows tray went full April Fools’ and started lying to you. Game’s over now.
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    NordVPN is more than just a VPN now! We’re introducing Threat Protection to offer you even more comprehensive security against cyber threats. Threat Protection blocks trackers and intrusive ads, steers you away from harmful websites, and scans your downloads to fend off infected files before they can do damage. Look for the shield icon in the left sidebar to get started with Threat Protection.
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    Our new server location – Kansas City – is now on the map.
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    Those of you who’d like to access your PC remotely while connected to the VPN – we hear you. We’ve added a special toggle in the Advanced settings to make things easier.

Excuse us, do you have time to talk about new year’s resolutions? Our app has one – to become the best version of itself. This release makes a classic starter pack: fewer bugs, more small improvements, and an elevated app experience.

Hello, 2022! We’re excited to bring a whole lot of newness to you:

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    Dark Web Monitor: It’s a Sherlocky feature that silently scouts the shady underbelly of the internet for data leaks. If it detects exposed credentials linked with your email address – ding! You get an alert. This way, you can immediately change your passwords on breached services to defend your data against cybercriminals. And flipping a switch is all it takes to power the Dark Web Monitor. Elementary.
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    Security score: It shows the collective power of the features you’re using. The higher the score, the more powerful your online security. Check yours – if it’s not 100% yet, we’ll help you reach the summit of NordVPN protection in no time!
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    Left sidebar: It holds handy shortcuts to Settings, your security score, and the main VPN screen. This will let you easily navigate back and forth through the sections, no matter where in the app you are.
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    More languages: You can now use NordVPN in Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese.

Ghosts, ghouls, and goblins might steal the spotlight during the spooky season, but cyber threats are haunting year-round! That’s a reminder to keep your connection protected with the VPN most of the time. And here’s what we did to elevate your NordVPN experience even higher:

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    The NordVPN icon in the system tray will turn blue when you’re connected to VPN so that you can tell your VPN status at a glance. We’ve also added a tooltip for reassurance.
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    When taking you to Nord Account to log in, we’ll follow along with the language of the app. Matchy-matchy.
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    Our diagnostics tool is now more friendly! It will be easier for you to get help in those Houston-we-have-a-problem situations.
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    The space-saving mission continues: from now on, update setup files will be sized down twice.
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    We worked on split tunneling to improve its performance.
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    Fixed: you might have been seeing multiple NordVPN icons in the taskbar after an update. We don’t want you to feel attacked or anything, so the bug is now fixed.

We’re bringing a bunch of improvements together like pieces of a puzzle:

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    If you’ve got a dedicated IP address from us, you can now set it for auto-connect.
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    We improved the housekeeping of our installation files to take up less space on your PC.
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    A tweak here and there for even better VPN performance.

Now it’s your turn to place the final piece – breathe in, breathe out, and update your NordVPN app. Ah, that puzzler’s joy!

We’re packing improvements to elevate your NordVPN experience even higher:

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    Konnichiwa! The app now speaks Japanese.
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    The VPN status box got refreshed. We’ve switched to colorful labels to highlight the current status and also added more info – your ISP and IP address even when not connected to VPN.

Don’t have the NordVPN app yet? Download it now.


Eglė Juodytė
Eglė Juodytė Eglė Juodytė
Eglė is a UX writer at NordVPN. She designs delightful user experiences with words and shares product updates with our blog readers.

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