Is Your IP Address Blacklisted? How to Check and Fix It

An IP blocklist (often called a blacklist) is a public list of addresses that have been linked to spam, malware or other abuse. If yours is on one, you may find that email bounces, websites show endless captchas, or a service blocks you outright. The good news is that you can check in seconds and usually fix it.

How to check

Run our IP reputation check. Leave the box empty to test your own address, or enter any IPv4 address. It queries five public blocklists, tells you whether the address is a Tor exit node, and shows what kind of network owns it. You can also look at the details of any address with the IP lookup.

Why an address gets listed

• Someone else's behavior. Many home and mobile connections share or reuse addresses. The previous user of your address may have sent spam or had an infected device.
• Your own device. Malware, a hacked router or an open mail server can send spam without you knowing.
• VPN and proxy servers. Hundreds of people share each address, so a single abuser can get it listed for everyone.
• Data center addresses. Hosting networks are watched more closely than home connections. See public vs private IP addresses for how addresses are allocated.

What listing does to you

Most blocklists target email. A listing can cause mail servers to reject or junk your messages. Other services use blocklists, or their own data, to decide when to show a captcha, slow you down or block a login. Being listed does not mean your computer is hacked, but it is worth checking.

How to get removed

1. Find out why. Scan your devices for malware and make sure no unknown service is exposed. You can see what your IP exposes with our port checker.
2. Fix the cause. Update your router, change its admin password and close ports you do not need.
3. Use the list's removal page. Each blocklist has a delisting form. Some are automatic and remove entries after a few days of clean behavior.
4. Ask your provider. If the address is shared or recycled, your internet provider can often give you a different one. Read how to change your IP address.

If you use a VPN

Listed or flagged VPN addresses are common. Switch to a different server, or ask your VPN provider about dedicated or residential addresses. Note that a blocklist result does not show whether a VPN is detectable. Test for leaks with the WebRTC leak test as well.

What our check does not cover

We only query lists that answer public DNS resolvers. Spamhaus, a widely used list, refuses these queries, so it is not included. If your email problem continues, also check Spamhaus directly on its own website.