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How to Hide Your IP Address: 7 Ways to Keep Your IP Address Concealed

Need to hide your IP address? You wouldn’t be the first person looking to disguise their location. Many people want to hide their IP address to protect their privacy and stop their location being detected. Is it possible? Yes, and we’ll show you how.

We’ve rounded up seven different ways to hide your IP address. Spoiler alert: some of our recommendations offer more online privacy than just masking your location. We’ll explore how you can hide your IP address and web activity simultaneously, and explore the many benefits that masking your location can offer.

How to Hide Your IP Address in 3 Simple Steps:

  1. Sign up for CyberGhost VPN. It’s fast and easy!
  2. Download the CyberGhost VPN app to your device.
  3. Sign in and choose a server location to switch your IP address to anywhere you like.

What Is an IP Address?

IP address stands for Internet Protocol address. Your ISP assigns an IP address to your router network so you can go online. It’s a unique set of numbers and characters that lets other web servers identify your network so they can direct your traffic to the right place.

In essence, your IP address acts almost like a phone number in a directory book. This phone number is unique to your router network. When you visit a website (also known as sending a DNS request), you send it through your ISP’s DNS servers first. These servers process your request and send it on to the web servers of the website you want to visit.

The web servers look up your IP address to identify which network you’re connected to and see where your traffic is coming from. Once it’s identified where you are, it can send you the information you’re looking for – in other words, let you view whichever web page you’re trying to visit.

Everything you do online is tied to your IP address. This is why it can be used to monitor you. Trackers and cookies grab information about your searches, habits, and history alongside your IP address.

This gives websites, advertisers, and other third parties information about your activity and approximate location. It’s why you’ll see location-specific results when you search for nearby coffee shops, and why you might receive targeted marketing emails or see ads for those shoes you’ve been eyeing up. Your browsing history is tied to your IP address, so it helps to build a profile about you, your online habits, location, and interests.

Private vs. Public IP Addresses: What’s the Difference?

IP addresses can either be private or public. Your public IP address is the string of numbers and characters assigned to your router by your ISP. Your private IP address is the number your router gives to your specific device. Every device on your network has a slightly different private IP address, which is how your devices and router communicate with each other. For instance, your router uses your private IP address to see whether you’re using your mobile or laptop, and to make sure the information you’re requesting is sent to the right device. Your private IP address isn’t visible to others on the internet.

A public IP address is the identifier used by web servers to locate which network your traffic is coming from. This changes depending on which network you’re using and where you are, such as if you’re using your home Wi-Fi or connected to a public hotspot. It also changes if you use the internet in a different region or country.

The public IP address doesn’t expose your exact location, but it can reveal some information about you. This includes:

  • The name of your ISP
  • Your country and region/city
  • Your zip code

Public IP addresses are also either identified as IPv4 or IPv6. These refer to the generation of IP addresses, with IPv6 being the most modern. IPv4 was the first version of IP addresses used, offering 32-bit IP addresses consisting of numbers. IPv6 offers 128-bit IP addresses, which are longer and contain both numbers and characters. The ‘128’ or ‘32’-bit refers to the number of unique combinations available. As you’d expect, IPv6 has a higher number of combinations.

7 Ways to Hide Your IP Address

Now you know how your IP address works, let’s get into how you can hide it. We’ve rounded up seven different options for you. Before we dig into each one, see how they compare in the table below.

Hides IP AddressServer LocationsEncryptionFree/Paid
VPNYes, hides IP address with one from a server of your choiceA wide choice of servers all over the worldAll web trafficFree and paid
Proxy serverYes, masks IP address with the proxy server’s IP addressA wide choice of server locations, but requires manual configurationNoneUsually free
Smart DNSNo, it redirects your DNS requests elsewhereLimited choiceNoneFree and paid
Tor browserYes, hides your IP address and masks it with another at server in the networkNo choice by default – requires complex configurationTor browser traffic onlyFree
Apple iCloud Private RelayYes, switches your IP address to a more generalized locationNo choice – it chooses a generalized location within your country and/or regionSafari traffic onlyPaid as part of an iCloud+ subscription
Public Wi-FiYes, changes your IP address temporarily with the network’s IP addressNo choiceRarely anyUsually free, though paid options can offer more security
Mobile dataYes, switches your IP address each time you use mobile dataNo choiceNoneNo extra charges if you have unlimited data

1. Use a VPN

👍🏻Masks your IP address to keep your location concealed
👍🏻 Lets you choose from global server locations
👍🏻Encrypts your traffic, hiding your online activity
👍🏻 Lets you unblock websites on restricted networks
👎🏻Reliable VPNs are paid for
👎🏻Can affect internet speeds

When you connect to a VPN server, it masks your real IP address with one from wherever the server is located. When you visit a website, your request goes through the VPN server before it reaches the website’s servers. This means any web servers looking up your IP address can only identify the VPN server’s IP address, not your real one. This keeps your real location safely concealed.

Your VPN server IP address changes each time you connect, and it’s shared with other people who are connected to the same server. This helps to avoid activity tracing, because it’s hard for third parties to identify traffic belonging to any individual. Some VPNs also offer dedicated IP addresses, so you have a specific VPN server IP address that only you can use. This still keeps your real IP address safe, and can help you avoid CAPTCHAs and potential blocks from sites that use IP filtering, such as your online banking app.

A VPN also encrypts your connection while hiding your IP address. It sends all your activity through an encrypted tunnel. This encryption breaks your traffic into layers of complex code, making it unreadable. If anyone tried to look at what you were doing online, they’d only see strings of random letters and symbols that make no sense. This helps to keep your online activities more private and protected from external snoopers.

To mask your IP address and increase your online privacy, you can download CyberGhost VPN. Choose from secure servers all over the world to get an IP address from wherever you like. Our VPN safely conceals your real location, while encrypting your traffic to keep it away from watchful eyes.

2. Connect to a Proxy Server

👍🏻Masks your IP address to keep your location concealed
👍🏻 Lets you configure to a location of your choice
👍🏻Lets you filter location-specific content
👎🏻No encryption, so activity is visible
👎🏻Can log and sell your data
👎🏻May contain security vulnerabilities

Proxy servers act as a middleman between you and the websites you visit. When you connect to a proxy server, it masks your IP address with the proxy server’s IP address. Like a VPN, all that web servers can see is the proxy server’s IP address, not your actual public IP address.

You can usually use a proxy server for free, but they often come with risks. A proxy server doesn’t encrypt your connection. This means your traffic is still visible online, leaving it vulnerable to tracking from third parties. Some proxies also log your data and sell it onto third parties, especially advertisers.

Proxy servers can come with security loopholes because they don’t use encryption. Cybercriminals can attempt to exploit these loopholes to gain access to the server, where they can then execute malicious code to compromise your device and important information.

3. Use Smart DNS

👍🏻Redirects your DNS requests elsewhere
👍🏻Can help you get around firewalls and blocks
👍🏻Offers fast speeds
👎🏻No encryption, so activity is visible
👎🏻Doesn’t hide your IP, only changes your DNS request information

A SmartDNS server lets you change your device’s DNS address to a different location. It doesn’t change your IP address, but it does influence the way web servers see your IP address. Websites will see the new DNS location which can help you get around firewalls. It’s useful if you’re traveling abroad and still want access to local news at home, for example.

SmartDNS doesn’t encrypt your connection, which means anybody on the same network can see your online activity. This can help with faster speeds, but it’s not ideal for privacy. Since it doesn’t hide your IP address either, anyone tracking you can still see your real IP address and link it to your activity. Most people use SmartDNS for gaming and streaming, not for keeping their identities concealed.

4. Install Tor Browser

👍🏻Changes your IP address multiple times
👍🏻 Encrypts your traffic to hide your activity
👍🏻Free to use
👎🏻Redirects traffic multiple times so can slow down speeds
👎🏻Only encrypts browser traffic
👎🏻Can’t choose server location to get a specific IP address, unless you configure manually

Tor – The Onion Router – is a free web browser that redirects your traffic through multiple servers in random countries. Your IP address is changed at every server your traffic passes through. These servers are known as nodes, or private relays. Tor also encrypts your traffic to help stop others from seeing what you’re doing online.

Sending your traffic through several nodes can impact your internet speed though, because your DNS requests have so far to travel before they get to their destination. You also can’t choose server locations like with a VPN, unless you configure it manually.

The exit node could have an IP address from anywhere. This is the last relay your traffic passes through before it reaches its destination, so it’s what the website you're visiting will see. With no choice over your location, it can make it difficult to unblock websites on certain networks.

5. Use Apple’s iCloud Private Relay

👍🏻Switches your IP address to a more generalized IP address
👍🏻 Encrypts your Safari traffic to keep web activity private
👍🏻Pre-installed to all iOS devices (iOS 15 and later)
👎🏻Only available to iOS users
👎🏻Requires a paid-for iCloud+ subscription
👎🏻Only changes IP address to a generalized location in the same country
👎🏻Only masks IP address and traffic within Safari

If you’re an iOS user, you have another option. Apple’s iCloud Private Relay is a privacy feature offered as part of an iCloud+ subscription. It switches your IP address with another from a more general location, making it difficult for third parties to identify where you are.

Like Tor, the iCloud Private Relay also encrypts your traffic and sends it through multiple servers. It encrypts your Safari traffic before it leaves your device so no one can see your activity, but your IP address is still visible at the first server. After this point, certain location information is removed so the second server and any websites after that can only identify a generalized location. Rather than seeing your zip code, they can only see a region or country.

Although Apple’s Private Relay sounds similar to a VPN, it doesn’t offer the same level of protection. It only protects your IP address and traffic in Safari, leaving other activity exposed. Any other browsers you use still see your real IP address, even if you have Private Relay turned on. It also doesn’t let you choose server locations in other countries, so you’re limited to a certain area.

6. Connect to Public Wi-Fi

👍🏻Switches your private IP address to the network IP address
👍🏻 Helps to conceal your device IP address on the network
👎🏻No encryption, so activities are visible
👎🏻Public IP address isn’t hidden
👎🏻Vulnerable to security loopholes and attacks from cybercriminals

Connecting to public Wi-Fi is a quick and easy way to mask your IP address. When you connect to a public network, it changes your device’s private IP address to the network’s IP address. This helps to conceal your private IP address while you’re connected, but it does little else for protection. You still use the network’s public IP address, which is used by web servers to identify your request. Since your activity is visible, it can still be tied to this public IP address.

Public Wi-Fi networks are also known targets for cybercriminals who exploit the weak security measures to target you with man-in-the-middle attacks so they can spy on and steal your information. Public connections rarely use encryption, so anything you do while connected is visible to others on the network. Some networks also log your activity and sell it on to third parties.

Alternatively, you can use mobile tethering as a public network. This allows you to hotspot off another device, and will temporarily switch your private IP address to the device’s IP address. Like public Wi-Fi, it only changes how your device appears on the network. It doesn’t change how web servers see your IP address, because they use the public IP address to direct your traffic to the right place.

If you’re using public Wi-Fi, it’s best to protect yourself with a VPN first. CyberGhost VPN switches your public IP address, rather than your private IP address. This means it changes the way web servers detect your IP address. If you connect to a server before you log onto the hotspot, the VPN also conceals your activity with encryption before any traffic leaves your device. This ensures no one on the network can peek at your information.

7. Use Mobile Data

👍🏻Switches your IP address each time you use mobile data
👍🏻 Makes it more difficult to trace activity to a single IP address
👎🏻No encryption, so activities are visible
👎🏻Doesn’t conceal your public IP address
👎🏻Uses up your data allowance

Rather than connecting to Wi-Fi, you can use your mobile data instead. Every time you use your mobile data, you get a new IP address. This makes it harder to link activity to a single IP address and identify you or what you’re doing.

Bear in mind this will eat up your data allowance. It’s also not reliable everywhere, especially if you’re somewhere with poor cellular signal. It also doesn’t do much to protect your privacy like a VPN does. Your activity is still visible and vulnerable to tracking whether you’re using mobile data or not.

Reasons to Hide Your IP Address

Masking your IP address has several advantages, not just for privacy, but for avoiding online restrictions.

Mask Your Physical Location

Your IP address doesn’t reveal your exact location, but third parties can see your region and zip code. Advertisers and other data-hungry sites can use your IP address alongside your activity to digitally profile you, and they might be able to figure out a more precise location. Masking your IP address helps to keep your real whereabouts a secret. If you connect to CyberGhost VPN, it changes your IP address to one from any server location you choose. Any activity is tied to the VPN server IP address, not your public IP address.

Keep Your Searches Private

If you mask your IP address with a VPN, you can keep your searches private. CyberGhost VPN encrypts your traffic before it leaves your device, so even your ISP can’t see what you’re doing online. Advertisers and other websites can’t snoop on your activity either.

All of your online activity travels through the secure VPN tunnel, which locks your information away with encryption. This allows you to surf the web more anonymously, while using a new IP address.

Something to remember: a VPN can only help you so far. If you’re logged into an account, such as Google, your Chrome searches will still be linked to your profile. Websites can see you’re using a VPN server’s IP address, but they still know it’s you because you’re logged in.

Stop Online Tracking

IP addresses are used alongside your web activity to create a digital profile of you. Websites track what you’re visiting and your browser searches, and trace it back to your IP address. Your ISP also collects browsing data associated with your IP address and may sell or share it with third-party advertisers. Hiding your IP address helps you avoid this web-based tracking.

If you mask your IP address with another, it makes it much harder for online trackers and data-snoopers to trace activity to one place. It’s also more difficult to identify where the traffic is coming from and tie it to your digital profile.

Hiding your IP address with a VPN can also help you avoid ISP tracking. Since a VPN encrypts your connection before your requests go to your ISP, they can’t see what you’re doing online. If they can’t see your activity, they can’t link it to your IP address, and the less they know, the less they can share with outsiders.

Avoid Geographical Restrictions

If you go overseas, you might struggle to access your accounts from back home, especially online banking apps and streaming platforms. These services use IP filtering to make sure they’re allowed to share certain types of content with you, and even block certain IP addresses. Usually, these IP addresses have to be located in a specific country.

Changing your IP address to one from home will help you get around these restrictions, so you can still access your accounts as you usually would. Remember, not all of our recommended options let you choose the IP address location. That’s why it’s best to go with a VPN. A VPN lets you select a server location from anywhere you like, so you can get the IP address you need.

Protect Yourself from Cyberattacks

Cybercriminals monitoring your online behavior might get access to your IP address. They can use it to try and get access to your network by scanning the network for security vulnerabilities they can exploit to gain entry. Once they’re in, they could spy on your data, steal your information, or infect your device with malware.

If you hide your IP address, it limits what information cybercriminals have about you. Using another IP address means it’s harder for cybercriminals to identify your network IP address, because it’s not tied to your activity. If they don’t know which network you’re using, they can’t attempt to exploit security loopholes. This is why VPNs are so useful, because you use the VPN server’s IP address rather than your actual public IP address. Any cybercriminals watching you will only see the VPN server’s IP address.

How Can I Hide My IP Address on My Phone?

The fastest and safest way to hide your IP address on iPhone or Android is with a VPN. It’s quick and easy to set up. We’ll show you how to hide your IP address with CyberGhost VPN.

Hide IP Address on iOS

  1. Sign up for CyberGhost VPN.
  2. Download the iOS VPN app from the App Store.
  3. Sign into the app and select a server location of your choice.
  4. That’s it – your IP address is hidden.

Hide IP Address on Android

  1. Sign up for CyberGhost VPN.
  2. Download the Android VPN app from the Google Play store.
  3. Sign into the app and select a server location of your choice.
  4. That’s it – your IP address is hidden.


How to Hide Your IP Address in a Browser

If you just want to protect your in-browser traffic, you can use CyberGhost VPN’s free browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox. These work in a similar way to a proxy, because they only hide your IP address in the browser. The rest of your traffic, like from other apps, still uses your real public IP address and location.

CyberGhost VPN’s browser extensions come with an added benefit that you don’t get with a proxy. They encrypt your traffic while masking your IP address, so both your location and web activity stay securely hidden.

Hide IP Address in Chrome

  1. Head to CyberGhost VPN’s website to find the Chrome VPN extension.
  2. Select Add to Chrome, then Add Extension.
  3. Choose a server in Romania, Germany, the US, or the Netherlands.
  4. That’s it – your IP address is hidden.

Hide IP Address in Safari

You’ll need to sign up for CyberGhost VPN to hide your IP address in Safari. This gives you the advantage of masking your IP address for all of your web-based activity, not just your browser traffic. You can choose from servers all over the world, rather than limiting yourself to an IP address from four locations. It also encrypts all of your online activity, even if you close windows or open another browser.

  1. Sign up for CyberGhost VPN.
  2. Download the iOS or macOS VPN app.
  3. Sign into the app and select a server location of your choice.
  4. That’s it – your IP address is hidden.

Does Private Browsing Hide Your IP Address?

Private Browsing is Apple’s version of incognito mode. It doesn’t hide your IP address. Private Browsing stops the browser from logging your searches and online queries at the end of your session. That means next time you visit Safari, it wouldn’t know you were looking up nearby restaurants the last time you used it.

Sites and third parties can still see your IP address and track your activity while you’re using Safari with Private Browsing. It doesn’t actually hide anything, it just stops Safari from logging your data and linking activity to your digital profile.

Does Incognito Mode Hide Your IP Address?

No. Incognito mode works the same as Apple’s Private Browsing feature. Turning it on means your browser discards your activity as soon as you close the window. This keeps your browsing history more anonymous as there’s no log of what you were doing online.

Incognito mode doesn’t hide your IP address or activity while you’re online, so nothing stops websites and third parties from spying on your searches.

To hide your IP and avoid data logging, you can try CyberGhost VPN. Our VPN conceals your IP address with another and encrypts everything you do online. That way, no one can see where you are or what you’re doing. Our VPN has a strict no-logs policy, so we don’t store anything you do. Our RAM-based servers are incapable of logging any data. We don’t track or share your activity, and we certainly don’t snoop on your browsing habits either.

Can I Hide My IP Address for Free?

Technically, yes. Most proxies are free, allowing you to mask your location without any extra cost. This doesn’t mean they’re always safe though, even if they keep your location private. Proxies don’t use encryption so all of your web activity is visible to anyone watching you online. Third parties can track you, monitor your activity, and log your data. Some proxies even log and sell your data to advertisers so they can target you with marketing materials.

You might also be looking for a free VPN to hide your IP address. That’s also possible, but again, we wouldn’t recommend it. Many free VPNs come with security flaws and loopholes, which means they could expose your IP address while connected. They can even log your data, which isn’t ideal for your privacy. Free VPNs also tend to offer fewer servers and locations, so you might not get an IP address from the destination you’d like.

If you’re after an affordable VPN that’s reliable and keeps your IP address safely concealed, why not try CyberGhost VPN? You get access to secure servers all over the world, so you can use an IP address from anywhere. Our VPN uses tough encryption and has extra features like an automatic kill switch. This stops your activity and location being exposed, even if something disrupts your VPN connection.

Does a VPN Hide Your IP Address?

Yes. A VPN hides your IP address and creates a secure, private tunnel between your device and the VPN server. First, your search request travels from your device and through the secure VPN tunnel to the VPN server. The VPN server sends your search request to the website, so all the website sees is the IP address of the VPN server. Yours stays hidden the whole time you’re connected. Any sites tracking your IP address can only link activity to the VPN server.

Most VPNs have extensive lists of secure, global servers so you can get an IP address from any country you like. This can also help you get around geographical blocks and restrictions, especially if you’re trying to use your accounts from overseas.

The Best VPN to Hide Your IP Address

Not all VPNs are reliable enough to keep your IP address securely hidden. Wobbly connections and weak security can compromise your connection, leaving your real IP address and online activity exposed. To keep yourself private, try CyberGhost VPN.

You can download any of CyberGhost VPN’s extensive list of apps to hide your IP address on your iPhone, Mac, Windows laptop, or Android device. You can even configure CyberGhost VPN to your router to change your IP address on all Wi-Fi connected devices, including your smart TV and gaming consoles.

CyberGhost VPN gives you access to a huge network of secure servers across the world. You can switch your IP address to any country, as many times as you like. We also have a stringent no-logs policy, so we don’t store any data that could expose your identity. We can’t sell or share what we don’t have.

Our VPN uses tough encryption to keep your identity and activity firmly locked away from view. If anything disrupts your connection, our kill switch steps in to make sure your real IP address stays concealed. Ready to try it out? Take CyberGhost VPN for a trial run with a 45-day money-back guarantee.

Hide Your IP Address and Keep Your Location Concealed

Hiding your IP address is a great way to give yourself more privacy online and stop others from tracking your location. It can also help you get around geographical borders, avoid online monitoring, and even protect you from some cyberattacks. Although you can choose proxies, smart DNS, or even Tor browser, the best option to hide your IP address is a VPN.

A VPN masks your IP with another as soon as you connect to a VPN server, keeping your location safely concealed. That’s not all though. A VPN gives you a huge online privacy boost, encrypting your traffic to stop others spying on your traffic. So not only is your location hidden, but your activity is too. You can get powerful protection and mask your IP address with CyberGhost VPN. It’s risk-free to try with a 45-day money back guarantee.

FAQ

Can you hide your IP address?

Yes, you can hide your IP address in many ways. You can use a proxy, smartDNS, Tor browser, or even Apple’s iCloud Private Relay if you’re an iOS user. The best option? That’s a VPN. A VPN hides your IP address with one from a server location of your choice. It also wraps your traffic in VPN encryption while masking your IP address, which stops others from eavesdropping on your activity.

How do I make my IP address not visible?

By using a VPN! A VPN does more than making your IP address not visible. It switches your IP address with another one when you connect to a VPN server. This could be in any location you choose, so you can get a new IP address from anywhere in the world.

How can I hide my Wi-Fi IP address?

The easiest way to hide your Wi-Fi IP address is with a VPN. It works on any Wi-Fi network, including public Wi-Fi. If you connect to one of CyberGhost VPN’s servers, it masks your IP address with one from that server. When you go online, websites see the VPN server’s IP address, rather than the IP address assigned to you by your ISP (or Wi-Fi provider). This hides your Wi-Fi IP address and keeps your actual whereabouts concealed by the VPN server.

How do I hide my IP address on my laptop?

Easy! You can hide your IP address on your laptop with CyberGhost VPN. Just sign up, download the macOS or Windows VPN app, and connect to a server. Your IP address is masked with the VPN server’s IP address as soon as you connect. All of your online activity uses this new IP address, so any websites you visit can only see the VPN server’s IP address.

Can you hide your IP address on iPhone?

Yes. If you’re an iCloud+ subscriber, you can use Apple’s iCloud Private Relay feature to mask your IP address with a more generalized IP address. This is limited though, and it only gives you an IP address from the same region or country. It also only works in Safari, so any web traffic outside of the browser still uses your usual IP address. You can download CyberGhost VPN to protect all of your online activity and choose server locations with IP addresses far beyond your region or country.

Can you hide your IP address from your ISP?

No. Your Wi-Fi network provider is responsible for connecting you to the internet. If your ISP can’t see your IP address, you can’t go online. ISPs often use digital surveillance tactics to spy on your activity, linking this back to your IP address. With a VPN, you can stop this surveillance. A VPN encrypts your connection, masking your activity from outsiders. Even if your ISP can see your IP address, they can’t see what you’re doing with that IP address, including your online searches and visited websites. They only know you’re using a VPN, that’s it.

Does a proxy hide your IP address?

Yes, a proxy hides your IP address. When you connect to a proxy, you’re given the IP address of the proxy server. Websites see the proxy server’s IP address when you visit. A proxy doesn’t encrypt your connection like a VPN does though, so everything you do through the server is exposed. This can leave you vulnerable to online monitoring and tracking, even if your IP address is disguised.

Elly Hancock

Elly is an experienced digital technology writer based in the UK. When she's not researching and writing about cyber security, you can find Elly on long dog walks, cooking a new recipe, or in the gym.

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