Brave is one of the best web browsers for Windows PCs because of the combination of performance, privacy, and features that keep drawing people to use it. However, one of the company's practices is now raising some eyebrows, as the browser happens to install its own VPN service on Windows PCs without users' consent.

As noted by Ghacks, Brave has been automatically installing the Firewall + VPN service on Windows PCs upon downloading it since the middle of 2022. While the VPN service is not free, installing it without users' consent appears to violate one of the company's core principles—protecting the privacy of users. And now that the behavior is widely being reported, Brave Software, Inc. plans to change it.

Brave's VP of engineering wrote in a GitHub post that it'll address the issue in future releases by installing the VPN service only when users purchase it. For users who have it installed, the company will remove the service, though it's not clear when and how that will happen.

If the installation behavior bothers you, reinstall the browser without admin rights. This will ensure that no additional services are installed. The other option is through the Services page on Windows. Type Win key+R to open the Run box and then type services.msc and look for "Brave VPN Service" and "Brave VPN Wireguard Service". You can disable these two services to not have the VPN services installed on your PC. That said, these are not permanent solutions, as updating the browser will likely bring it back.

Brave's VPN solution currently costs $9.99 per month, which is similar to many of the best VPN services. For first-timers, the company will offer a seven-day free trial before charging the monthly fee. You can use it on up to five devices, including desktops, Android phones, and iOS.