How to hide your IP address

Every website you visit sees your public IP address, which reveals your ISP and approximate location. Hiding it means routing your traffic through someone else’s IP. Here are the realistic options, what each protects against, and how to verify it actually worked with the VPN leak test.

What hiding your IP does (and doesn’t) do

Hiding your IP stops websites, advertisers and people on the other end of a connection from seeing your real ISP and location. It helps with geo-restrictions, reduces tracking by IP, and protects you on untrusted Wi‑Fi. It does not make you anonymous by itself: cookies, logged-in accounts and browser fingerprinting can still identify you, and the service you route through can see your real IP.

1. Use a VPN (best for most people)

A VPN (virtual private network) encrypts all traffic from your device to a VPN server, which then connects to websites on your behalf. Sites see the VPN server’s IP.

Pros: protects every app, fast enough for streaming and gaming, simple apps for every device, choose a country.
Cons: usually paid; you are trusting the VPN provider; some sites block known VPN IPs.
Choose one with: an independently audited no-logs policy, a kill switch, IPv6 and DNS leak protection, and WireGuard support.

Free VPNs exist, but many limit data or fund themselves through advertising and data collection. If privacy is the goal, a reputable paid VPN or a well-known free tier is safer.

2. Use Tor (best for anonymity)

The Tor Browser sends your traffic through three volunteer relays, each knowing only the previous and next hop. The website sees the exit relay’s IP, and no single relay knows both who you are and what you’re visiting.

Pros: free, strongest anonymity of these options.
Cons: slow, many sites show CAPTCHAs or block Tor, only protects the Tor Browser, not other apps.

3. Use a proxy server

A proxy forwards requests from one app (often only your browser) through another server. HTTP and SOCKS5 proxies change your visible IP but usually don’t encrypt traffic.

Pros: quick for a single app or a specific task.
Cons: no encryption; free proxies may log or modify traffic; WebRTC can still leak your real IP in browsers.

4. iCloud Private Relay (Apple devices)

With an iCloud+ subscription, Private Relay sends Safari traffic through two relays so that neither Apple nor the website sees both your IP and the site. You keep an IP in your general region rather than choosing a country, and it covers Safari and some app traffic, not everything.

5. Switch networks: mobile data or public Wi‑Fi

Turning off Wi‑Fi and using mobile data changes your public IP to your mobile operator’s — often a shared CGNAT address. Public Wi‑Fi gives you the café’s IP. Neither hides your identity from the network operator, and public Wi‑Fi has its own security risks, but they’re free ways to avoid exposing your home IP.

6. Ask your ISP for a new IP

If your goal is simply a different IP (for example, after being targeted by a DDoS while gaming), restarting your router may give you a new dynamic address. If not, your ISP can usually assign one on request. This changes your IP but doesn’t hide it.

Comparison

VPN: All apps · encrypted · fast · paid
Tor: Browser only · strong anonymity · slow · free
Proxy: One app · often unencrypted · varies
Private Relay: Safari · Apple-only · region-level IP
Mobile data: Changes IP · not private from operator
New ISP IP: Changes IP · doesn’t hide it

How to check your IP is really hidden

Note your real IP on the homepage with the VPN off.
Connect your VPN or proxy and reload. The IP, ISP and country should change.
Run the VPN leak test. It checks for WebRTC leaks, where the browser reveals your real address to websites, and compares your IPv4 and IPv6 addresses.
Check IPv6 on the IPv6 test: if your real IPv6 address shows while the VPN is on, your VPN isn’t covering IPv6.

Is hiding your IP legal?

In South Africa and most countries, using a VPN, Tor or proxy is legal. What you do through them is still subject to the law, and some services’ terms prohibit bypassing geo-restrictions. A few countries restrict or ban VPNs; check local rules when travelling.

Frequently asked questions

What is the easiest way to hide my IP address?

Use a reputable VPN. Install the app, connect to a server, and websites will see the VPN server’s IP instead of yours.

Does incognito mode hide my IP?

No. Incognito only stops your browser saving history and cookies locally; websites still see your real IP.

How do I know if my VPN is working?

Compare your IP on FernTool with the VPN on and off, then run the FernTool VPN leak test to check for WebRTC and IPv6 leaks.

Is it legal to hide my IP in South Africa?

Yes. Using a VPN, Tor or proxy is legal in South Africa; illegal activity remains illegal regardless.