How to Hide Your IP Address: What Works and What It Does Not Hide

You cannot browse the public internet without using an IP address somewhere along the route. What you can do is route traffic through an intermediary so a website sees that intermediary's public IP instead of the address assigned to your connection.

First, Check the IP Websites Can See

Record your current public IPv4 and IPv6 addresses before changing anything. After using a VPN, Tor, or a proxy, check them again. A different address shows that the tested connection took another route; it does not prove that every app or protocol on the device did.

Use a VPN for Device-Wide or System-Wide Routing

A VPN creates an encrypted tunnel between your device and a VPN server. Sites reached through the tunnel normally see the server's public IP. The local network and internet provider can see that you are communicating with a VPN service, but not usually the final destinations inside a correctly configured tunnel.

• Useful for: routine browsing, travel, and reducing what a local network can observe
• Check: whether all required apps, IPv4, IPv6, and DNS traffic use the tunnel
• Tradeoff: trust shifts from the local network or ISP toward the VPN operator
• Exception: split tunneling intentionally sends selected traffic outside the VPN

Use the VPN detector for a quick signal, then follow the full verification checklist if the result is unexpected.

Use Tor Browser for Tor-Bound Browsing

Tor Browser sends its browser traffic through the Tor network and is designed to reduce identifying differences between users. The destination generally sees a Tor exit relay address rather than your connection's public IP.

• Useful for: browsing that benefits from Tor's multi-hop design
• Tradeoff: slower performance, more challenges or blocks, and limited coverage outside Tor Browser
• Important: signing into a personal account or revealing identifying details can still identify you
• Avoid changing privacy-sensitive Tor Browser defaults unless you understand the fingerprinting impact

Use a Proxy for Specific, Non-Sensitive Traffic

An HTTP or SOCKS proxy relays traffic from an app that is configured to use it. The destination sees the proxy address for that traffic, but a proxy does not automatically encrypt the connection or cover every app on the device.

• Useful for: development checks, controlled testing, or app-specific routing
• Check: which applications and protocols are actually configured for the proxy
• Tradeoff: the proxy operator may observe connection metadata and any unencrypted traffic
• Do not treat an unknown public proxy as a privacy service

Methods That Change the IP but Add Little Privacy

Switching from home Wi-Fi to mobile data, reconnecting to an ISP, or using another Wi-Fi network may give you a different public IP. That can be useful for troubleshooting, but the new network still sees your connection and the new IP can still be associated with your activity.

What Does Not Hide Your Public IP

• Private or incognito mode: limits some history stored on the device but does not change network routing
• Clearing cookies: removes some browser state but does not change the connection address
• HTTPS alone: encrypts web content in transit but the destination still needs an IP connection
• Changing local addresses such as 192.168.x.x: does not change the public address used on the internet

Choose Based on the Threat You Are Addressing

Use a VPN when you want convenient encrypted routing for supported device traffic. Use Tor Browser when its anonymity-oriented browser and network design match your needs. Use a proxy when you only need controlled app-specific routing and do not require VPN-style protection. The VPN, proxy, and Tor comparison explains these trust and coverage differences in more detail.

Verify the Result Without Overstating It

• Compare visible IPv4 and IPv6 addresses before and after the change
• Confirm that the expected ISP or network owner is shown
• Check the apps that matter, especially when using split tunneling or an app-specific proxy
• Review DNS and browser behavior using tests whose methods and limitations are clear
• Remember that an IP change does not remove cookies, account history, or browser fingerprints

If the displayed city looks wrong, the routing may still be working. IP geolocation is approximate and database records can lag behind network changes.