WARP Desktop Beta Arrives for macOS and Windows
Cloudflare is bringing its WARP protocol to desktop operating systems. The company announced the beta release of WARP for macOS and Windows, extending the service beyond the 1.1.1.1 mobile app where it launched last April.
The mobile version of WARP took from April until late September to reach general availability, a delay Cloudflare attributes to the difficulty of building the client for iOS and Android. The desktop beta is expected to move faster.
Same Core Service
The macOS and Windows clients use the same WireGuard protocol that underpins WARP on mobile to encrypt Internet connections and prevent ISPs from monitoring traffic. As with the mobile offering, the basic WARP service on desktop will be free.
WARP+ and the Roadmap
Cloudflare plans to add WARP+ support to the desktop clients within the coming months. WARP+ routes traffic through Cloudflare's Argo network for improved performance. When that tier becomes available, existing WARP+ subscribers will be offered a discounted plan option to add extra devices.
Current WARP+ users get first access to the desktop beta. Those subscribers should watch the 1.1.1.1 app for an invitation link over the next few weeks.
Non-subscribers can join a waitlist by signing up at one.one.one.one. Cloudflare will email invitations as capacity opens up.
Linux Later
Linux support follows the desktop releases. Cloudflare notes that roughly 10 percent of its own employees run Linux on their desktops, and work on a Linux client will begin once the macOS and Windows versions are out.
Cloudflare also encouraged users who tried the mobile beta early but abandoned it to revisit the service, saying the client has improved considerably over the past year.
