Why Is Mullvad So Slow?

How to fix it

Try these in order — the most common fix is first.

1. 1. Connect to a nearby server

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   1. Tap Switch location
   2. Choose the closest country and try a few cities
   Did this fix it? Yes No

2. 2. Turn off speed-costly features

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   1. Settings > DAITA: turn off
   2. Settings > Multihop: turn off
   3. Settings > VPN settings > Anti-censorship: set to None (on iOS, WireGuard obfuscation Off)
   Did this fix it? Yes No

3. 3. Try another hosting provider

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   1. In Switch location, tap Filter
   2. Under Providers, exclude providers that are slow for you
   3. Reconnect and re-test
   Did this fix it? Yes No

4. 4. Change WireGuard port and MTU

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   1. Settings > VPN settings > Anti-censorship > WireGuard port: try 51820, 53 or a custom port such as 123
   2. On desktop and Android, lower MTU to 1280 under VPN settings
   Did this fix it? Yes No

5. 5. Rule out local bottlenecks

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   1. Use Ethernet instead of Wi-Fi for testing
   2. Reboot the router and temporarily disable its firewall or UDP flood protection
   3. Temporarily disable third-party antivirus
   Did this fix it? Yes No

Symptoms

Downloads, video calls or speed tests are far slower with Mullvad connected; latency is high.

Why it happens

• Connected to a distant country (older desktop versions defaulted to Sweden)
• DAITA adds padding traffic; Multihop sends traffic through two servers
• Obfuscation (UDP-over-TCP, QUIC) adds overhead
• Your ISP throttles certain ports or peers poorly with a hosting provider
• Router firewall 'UDP Flood Defense' or antivirus slowing WireGuard

This guide also covers

• why is mullvad so slow
• mullvad slow speed
• mullvad vpn slow
• mullvad speed fix

The same problem in other apps

All slow, laggy or resource-hungry guides →

• Why Is Proton VPN So Slow? (Proton VPN)
• Why Is NordVPN So Slow? (NordVPN)
• Why Is ExpressVPN So Slow? (ExpressVPN)
• Why Is Surfshark So Slow? (Surfshark)

Other Mullvad VPN errors

• Mullvad VPN Not Connecting or Stuck on Connecting
• No Internet After Disconnecting or Quitting Mullvad
• Mullvad Keeps Disconnecting
• Mullvad Not Working With Netflix
• Mullvad Google CAPTCHAs and Blocked Websites
• Mullvad Too Many Devices Error
• Lost Mullvad Account Number
• Mullvad Blocking Local Network (Printer, NAS, Chromecast)