- QUIC obfuscation is now built into Mullvad Android and iOS clients
- Protocol disguises WireGuard traffic, bypassing censorship
- Mullvad already launched QUIC in its desktop applications in September
Mullvad VPN has taken the next step in its battle against heavily censored networks by bringing QUIC-based WireGuard obfuscation to its Android and iOS apps.
The feature, which first launched in Mullvad desktop apps last September, is now included with version 2025.8 and newer of the mobile clients. It funnels WireGuard traffic through the QUIC transport layer, making the connection look like normal HTTPS traffic, dramatically reducing the chance of a firewall being blocked.
The measure arises as part of Mullvad’s broader strategy is to retire OpenVPN and focus exclusively on WireGuard-based solutions, a change announced earlier this year.
By extending QUIC to mobile devices, Mullvad ensures its users get the same level of stealth and performance whether they are at home, on the go, or traveling through a country with aggressive internet filtering.
Mullvad’s upgrade reinforces its reputation as a privacy-first virtual private network (VPN) that, like the best VPN services, continues to invest in cutting-edge protocols to stay one step ahead of censorship tactics.
What is QUIC and why is it important?
QUIC (Quick UDP Internet Connections) is a modern transport protocol originally designed for HTTP/3. It replaces the traditional TCP handshake with a more optimized UDP-based exchange, offering lower latency and built-in multiplexing. The latter refers to the software’s ability to transport multiple independent data streams over a single connection.
In practical terms, QUIC allows web pages, video calls, and file downloads to travel together through a fast, encrypted tunnel, reducing the overhead of opening separate connections for each activity.
We are pleased to announce that our latest obfuscation feature, QUIC, aimed at helping users bypass firewalls and censorship, is now available on Android and iOS. Read more here: https://t.co/wTN01vy1RsOctober 20, 2025
Mullvad leverages QUIC via the MASQUE standard, encapsulating WireGuard UDP packets within an HTTP/3 stream.
The result is traffic that appears indistinguishable from ordinary encrypted web traffic, frustrating deep packet inspection tools that target VPN signatures.
Simply put, QUIC gives Mullvad a powerful triple advantage against online censorship.
Its cloaking of VPN traffic as regular HTTPS not only makes it difficult for firewalls to detect and block, but its UDP-based handshake and low-latency design also keeps connections fast. Built-in congestion control allows the tunnel to remain stable when the network fluctuates.
Together, these features allow Mullvad subscribers to overcome restrictive filters without having to sacrifice performance or reliability in the process.
How to enable QUIC on your mobile device
To take advantage QUIC obfuscation, Mullvad mobile users must use at least version 2025.8 of their VPN for iOS and Android.
Applications will automatically attempt a QUIC connection after a few failed standard attempts.
However, if you prefer to always use QUIC, you can do so by navigating to Settings → VPN settings → Wireguard Obfuscation → FAST and activating the option.
Once enabled, Mullvad automatically routes all WireGuard packets through a QUIC flow, presenting them as normal HTTPS traffic to any intervening firewall.
With QUIC now native to mobile clients, Mullvad offers privacy-focused users the same fast, stealthy experience on the go that they already enjoy in Windows and Mac VPN apps.
