Guide
How to hide your IP address
The easiest way to hide your IP address is a VPN: it routes your traffic through an encrypted tunnel, so websites see the VPN server's IP and city instead of yours. Tor Browser offers stronger anonymity but is slow, and proxies change your IP without encrypting anything.
First: what hiding your IP actually means
Every site you visit sees your public IP address. It tells them your internet provider and roughly where you are, and helps them recognize you between visits. “Hiding” it means making sites see a different address instead. You can check what they see right now on our What's my IP page.
Five ways compared
| Method | Hides IP from sites | Encrypts your traffic | Speed | Effort |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VPN | Yes, whole device | Yes | Fast | One tap |
| Tor Browser | Yes, that browser | Yes, inside Tor | Slow | Install a browser |
| Proxy server | Yes, usually one app | Often no | Varies | Manual setup |
| Browser privacy relay | Partly, in that browser | Yes | Fast | Paid add-on, limited |
| Switch networks | Gives a new IP, not a hidden one | No | Same | Easy |
1. Use a VPN
A VPN routes all of your device's traffic through an encrypted tunnel to a server, and websites see that server's IP and location. It works for every app on the device, not just the browser, and it also protects you on public Wi‑Fi. The trade-off: you're trusting the VPN provider with your traffic instead of your internet provider, so choose one with a clear no-logs policy.
2. Use Tor Browser
Tor bounces your traffic through three volunteer-run relays, so no single relay knows both who you are and what you're visiting. It offers strong anonymity, but it's slow, many sites block or challenge Tor users, and it only covers the Tor Browser itself.
3. Use a proxy
A proxy forwards requests from one app, usually a browser, through another server. It changes the IP that sites see, but many proxies don't encrypt anything, and free ones often fund themselves with ads or data. Fine for a quick test; not for privacy.
4. Use your browser's privacy relay
Some browsers and subscriptions offer a built-in relay, such as iCloud Private Relay in Safari. These hide your IP from websites in that browser and keep your approximate region. They don't cover other apps, and you usually can't choose a country.
5. Switch networks or restart your router
Moving from Wi‑Fi to mobile data, or restarting your router, can give you a new IP. It's still from your provider and still shows roughly where you are, so it changes your IP without hiding it.
Which one should you use?
- For everyday privacy and public Wi‑Fi: a VPN. It's the only option here that covers every app with one switch and stays fast.
- For maximum anonymity on sensitive research: Tor Browser, accepting slower speeds.
- For a quick look at a site from another country: a VPN with a server in that country.
How to hide your IP with Privalune
- Install Privalune on iPhone or iPad, Android, Mac or Windows.
- Open the app and tap connect. No account needed.
- Optional: choose a location from the 70 locations in 55 countries (Premium).
- Check What's my IP again: you'll see the server's address and city.
What hiding your IP won't do
Sites can still recognize you through cookies, accounts you're signed into and browser fingerprinting. If you log in to a site, it knows it's you whatever your IP. Hiding your IP is one layer of privacy, an important one, but not invisibility.