How to Hide Your IP Address
Your public IP reveals your approximate location and internet provider to every site you visit. Here are the three main ways to hide it — and what each one actually protects.
Why hide your IP at all?
- Privacy: stop websites and advertisers from geo-profiling you
- Access: reach content restricted to other regions
- Security: avoid targeted attacks on your home connection
- Public Wi-Fi: encrypt traffic on untrusted networks
Option 1: VPN — best for most people
A VPN (Virtual Private Network) routes all your traffic through an encrypted tunnel to a server elsewhere. Websites see the VPN server's IP instead of yours, and your ISP sees only encrypted traffic.
- Pros: easy to use, covers all apps, fast, choice of country
- Cons: good ones cost money; you must trust the VPN provider
Choose a provider with a published no-logs policy that has passed an independent audit. Be cautious with free VPNs — running servers costs money, and if the product is free, your data often pays for it.
Option 2: Proxy — quick but limited
A proxy relays traffic for a single app (usually the browser). It changes your visible IP but typically doesn't encrypt anything, so your ISP and network can still see what you do. Fine for casual geo-checks; not a privacy tool.
Option 3: Tor — maximum anonymity, minimum speed
Tor bounces your traffic through three volunteer relays, each knowing only the previous and next hop. It's free and highly anonymous, but noticeably slow, and some sites block Tor exit nodes. Use the official Tor Browser if anonymity is your top priority.
What hiding your IP does NOT do
- It doesn't make you anonymous to sites you log into — your account identifies you
- It doesn't block cookies or browser fingerprinting
- It doesn't protect against malware or phishing
Check that it's working
After connecting your VPN or proxy, open checkpublicip.com. If you see the VPN server's location instead of your own city, your real IP is hidden.