Why people hide their IP address
Your public IP address tells websites which network you are using and roughly where it is located. People hide it to reduce tracking across sites, to protect themselves on public Wi-Fi, to keep a home address region private from game or chat opponents, or to reach services that apply regional rules.
Hiding an IP address does not make you anonymous. Websites can still recognize you through accounts you sign into, cookies, browser fingerprinting and the information you type. Think of IP hiding as one layer in a larger privacy setup rather than an invisibility cloak.
Always follow the terms of the services you use and the laws where you live. Some platforms block known VPN and proxy addresses.
1. Use a VPN (best for most people)
A virtual private network encrypts traffic between your device and the VPN server, then sends it to the internet from the server’s IP address. Websites see the VPN address, and your internet provider or the Wi-Fi owner sees only an encrypted connection to the VPN.
A good VPN covers every app on the device, not just the browser, and is fast enough for streaming and video calls. The trade-off is trust: the VPN provider can see the same metadata your internet provider used to see, so choose one with an audited no-logs policy, modern protocols such as WireGuard and a kill switch.
Free VPNs often limit speed or data, show ads or fund themselves by collecting data. A reputable paid service is usually the safer choice.
2. Use a proxy server
A proxy forwards requests from one app, usually the browser, through another server. Websites see the proxy’s IP address. Proxies are quick to set up and useful for testing how a site looks from another region.
Most web proxies do not encrypt your traffic end to end and only cover the app you configure. Free public proxies can be slow, unreliable or malicious, and they can read or modify unencrypted traffic.
Use a proxy for low-risk tasks, not for logging into banking or email.
3. Use the Tor Browser
Tor routes your traffic through three volunteer-run relays, encrypting it in layers so that no single relay knows both who you are and where you are going. Websites see the IP address of the final “exit” relay.
Tor offers the strongest anonymity of these options and is free, but it is noticeably slower, some websites block or challenge Tor exit addresses, and it is not designed for streaming or large downloads.
Use the official Tor Browser rather than routing a normal browser through Tor, because the Tor Browser also reduces fingerprinting.
4–6. iCloud Private Relay, mobile data and public Wi-Fi
iCloud Private Relay, included with paid iCloud+ plans, sends Safari traffic through two separate relays so neither Apple nor the content provider sees both your IP address and the site you visit. It keeps your approximate region and does not cover other apps.
Switching from home Wi-Fi to mobile data gives you a different public IP, often shared with many other carrier customers through carrier-grade NAT. That changes the address but does not encrypt anything.
Connecting to another network, such as a café or library Wi-Fi, also changes your IP, but public Wi-Fi brings its own risks. Combine it with a VPN.
- VPN: hides IP for all apps, encrypted, paid, fast.
- Proxy: one app only, often unencrypted, quick for testing.
- Tor Browser: strongest anonymity, free, slow.
- iCloud Private Relay: Safari only, keeps your region.
- Mobile data: different shared IP, no encryption.
- Another Wi-Fi network: different IP, use with a VPN.
How to check that your IP is really hidden
After turning on any method, open an IP lookup page and compare the address, provider and region with what you saw before. With a VPN or Tor, the provider should no longer be your home internet company.
Then run a WebRTC leak test and check IPv6. A common mistake is a VPN that only tunnels IPv4, which lets your real IPv6 address reach websites. WebRTC in browsers can also expose addresses if a VPN or extension is misconfigured.
Finally, remember that your browser may still be recognizable. A browser privacy check shows how much fingerprinting surface remains.
Before: 203.0.113.45 ISP: Example Home Broadband Region: Hanoi
After: 198.51.100.7 ISP: Example VPN Hosting Region: Singapore