How to Hide Your IP Address on Any Device: 5 Methods

Hiding your IP address means websites and online services see a different address from the one your internet provider gave you. There are several ways to do it, and they are not equal. Some hide your address and encrypt your traffic, some only swap the address, and some do not hide anything at all. This guide compares the five that matter and shows you how to test that yours works.

Hiding vs changing your IP address

These are different things. Changing your IP means your provider assigns you a new address, which is still tied to your provider and your region. Hiding it means your traffic leaves the internet from someone else's address, so sites never see yours. If you only want a new address from your provider, read how to change your IP address. If you want websites to see a different one, keep reading.

The five methods at a glance

1. Use a VPN

A virtual private network sends all of your traffic through an encrypted tunnel to a server run by the VPN company. Websites see the server's address, and your internet provider sees only that you are connected to a VPN. For most people this is the most practical option, because it covers every app and works with any browser.

The catch is trust. A VPN does not remove the middleman, it swaps your provider for the VPN company, which can see your traffic. Choose carefully:

• Look for an independent security audit and a clear no-logs policy.
• Make sure it has a kill switch, which cuts your connection if the tunnel drops, and leak protection for WebRTC, DNS and IPv6.
• Be wary of free VPNs. Running servers costs money, and free services often pay for it with ads or by selling data.

2. Use the Tor Browser

Tor sends your browser traffic through three volunteer relays, so no single relay knows both who you are and where you are going. It is free and gives the strongest anonymity of the five, but only for traffic inside Tor Browser. It is slow, it is not suited to streaming or large downloads, and some websites block Tor exit nodes. You can see how a Tor address looks to the world with our IP reputation check.

3. Use a proxy

A proxy forwards requests from one app or browser through another server. It is simple and cheap, and useful for specific jobs such as testing how a site looks from another country. But a proxy usually does not encrypt your traffic, it only covers the app you configure, and it is easy to misconfigure. A browser can also bypass it with WebRTC and reveal your real address, so run the WebRTC leak test. You are trusting the proxy operator completely.

4. Use iCloud Private Relay (Apple devices)

If you pay for iCloud+, Private Relay routes Safari traffic through two separate relays so that neither Apple nor the relay operator can see both who you are and which sites you visit. Websites see an address near your region rather than your real one. It covers Safari and some app traffic, not other browsers, and it is not a replacement for a full VPN.

5. Switch to another network

Connecting through a mobile hotspot or a public Wi-Fi network gives you a different public address for as long as you stay on it. It is free and instant, but it protects nothing else. The network owner can see your activity, and open public Wi-Fi is risky without a VPN.

What does not hide your IP address

• Private or incognito mode. It only stops your browser saving history. Websites still see your address.
• Clearing cookies or switching browsers. Neither changes your IP.
• Restarting your modem or asking your provider for a new address. This changes the address but does not hide it. It is still your provider's address in your region.
• Your router's NAT. NAT hides your devices' private addresses from the internet, but your public address stays visible. See public vs private IP addresses.

How to check that it worked

1. Open our IP checker without the method turned on and note your address, location and network.
2. Turn the method on and reload the page. The address, location and network should all be different.
3. Look at the IPv4 and IPv6 lines. If one still shows your real address, that part of your traffic is leaking around the tunnel.
4. Run the WebRTC leak test. Read how WebRTC leaks work if it reports a different address.
5. Use the IP reputation check to see how your new address looks. A VPN address normally shows as a hosting network, and that is expected.

What hiding your IP does not do

It does not make you anonymous. Sites can still recognize you through logins, cookies and your browser fingerprint, which our browser info page lets you inspect. It also does not protect you from malware or phishing. Finally, using a VPN or similar tool is legal in most countries but restricted in some, and it never makes illegal activity legal, so check the rules where you live.

How to hide your IP address on iPhone

1. iCloud Private Relay. With iCloud+, open Settings, tap your name, then iCloud, then Private Relay and turn it on. It covers Safari and some app traffic.
2. A VPN app. Install a reputable VPN app, allow it to add a VPN configuration and connect. This covers every app on the phone.
3. Tor. Use a Tor-based browser such as Onion Browser for private browsing only.

How to hide your IP address on Android

1. A VPN app. Install one, accept the VPN permission and connect. This covers the whole phone.
2. Tor Browser for Android. The official Tor Project browser hides your address for browsing in that app.
3. Mobile data. Switching from Wi-Fi to mobile data gives you a different address, though it does not hide it from the carrier.

Android’s “Private DNS” setting is not an IP hider. It only encrypts your DNS lookups, and websites still see your address.

Does a VPN hide your IP address?

Yes, from the websites and services you visit, which see the VPN server’s address instead. It does not hide your address from the VPN company, which sees your real one, and your internet provider can still see that you are connected to a VPN. To confirm it works on your connection, follow is my VPN working?

Which method should you choose?

• Everyday privacy on all your devices: a reputable paid VPN.
• Maximum anonymity for browsing: Tor Browser.
• A quick one-off address change: a mobile hotspot.
• Apple users who mainly use Safari: iCloud Private Relay.

For the bigger picture of what an address reveals about you, read can someone track you by your IP address?