There are plenty of reasons to hide your IP address: protecting your privacy, keeping advertisers from following you around, staying safer on public Wi-Fi or getting around geographic restrictions. One thing to understand first: you cannot browse with no IP address. "Hiding" it really means letting another address — a VPN server's, a proxy's or a Tor exit node's — appear to websites instead of yours. This guide covers the real methods, what each one protects you from, what none of them fixes, and how to confirm that yours works.
First decide: hide it from whom?
Different people can see your IP, and different tools protect against different ones:
| Who sees your IP | What they learn | What helps |
|---|---|---|
| Websites and apps you visit | Country, region, ISP and an identifier they can log (what an IP reveals) | VPN, Tor, proxy |
| Other people on the same Wi-Fi | Which sites you contact, if traffic is unencrypted | VPN (encrypts the whole connection) |
| Your ISP | Every site you connect to (not page contents on HTTPS) | VPN or Tor — but the VPN provider then sees it instead |
| Advertisers and trackers | A stable identifier linking visits | VPN plus tracker blocking, since cookies and logins also identify you |
1. Use a VPN
A VPN is the most common and simplest method. It routes all of your device's traffic through an encrypted tunnel to a VPN server, so websites only ever see the VPN server's IP address. We cover exactly how that works in this article.
- Pro: Full traffic encryption, simple, works on almost any device, good speed on a nearby server.
- Con: You have to trust your VPN provider, which can in theory see your traffic; free services are often slower and less trustworthy, and some sites block known VPN ranges.
2. Use the Tor network
Tor routes your traffic through three volunteer-run relays, encrypting it in layers so no single relay sees both where it came from and where it is going. The easiest way to use it is the Tor Browser.
- Pro: The highest level of anonymity available to the public, free and open-source.
- Con: Considerably slower than a VPN, not suited to streaming or large downloads, and many sites show CAPTCHAs or block Tor exit nodes.
3. Use a proxy
A proxy routes your requests through an intermediary server, but unlike a VPN it usually doesn't encrypt all your traffic and is often configured for just one app or browser. HTTP, HTTPS and SOCKS5 proxies exist; only the last two handle more than web pages.
- Pro: Quick to set up, often free, handy for one specific app.
- Con: Weaker security, typically no encryption at all, and the operator of a free proxy can read and even modify what passes through it.
Other ways to change what sites see
- A different network. Switching from home Wi-Fi to mobile data, or tethering to a phone, gives you a different public IP — but not privacy, because that network's owner still knows who you are.
- Apple iCloud Private Relay. On iPhone and Mac with iCloud+, Safari traffic goes through a two-hop relay that hides your IP from sites.
- Ask your provider. Restarting the router or requesting a new lease may change a dynamic IP; see how to change your IP address. That is not hiding, only replacing.
Comparison
| Method | Hides IP from sites | Encrypts traffic | Speed | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VPN | Yes | Yes | Good | Everyday privacy, public Wi-Fi |
| Tor | Yes | Yes (layered) | Slow | Strong anonymity for browsing |
| Proxy | Yes | Usually no | Good | One app or quick regional test |
For a deeper comparison, read Proxy vs VPN vs Tor.
What hiding your IP does not do
- It does not hide who you are when you log in. If you sign in to your Google or social account, the site knows it is you whatever the IP.
- It does not stop cookies and fingerprinting. Browsers also reveal fonts, screen size and plug-ins that identify you.
- It can leak. A broken VPN may expose your real address through DNS, WebRTC or IPv6. Run the leak check once after setup.
- It is not a licence for anything. Illegal activity is still illegal through a VPN, and laws on VPNs differ by country, so check the rules where you live.
How do I know my IP is actually hidden?
- Open the Show-IP.ir homepage before turning anything on and note your IP, country and ISP.
- Connect the VPN, Tor or proxy and refresh the page.
- If the IP, country and ISP changed, the method works. The "Security Check" section also shows whether the new IP is flagged as a VPN, proxy or Tor exit node.
- Disconnect once to confirm the original address returns, and repeat the check after a reconnect to be sure the kill switch holds.
Frequently asked
Is it safe to use a free VPN?
Often not. Running servers costs money; a free service may pay for it with ads, data collection or weak encryption. Prefer a provider with a clear no-log policy and independent audits.
Can I hide my IP without a VPN?
Yes: Tor, a trustworthy proxy, a different network, or Private Relay on Apple devices — each with the limits above.
Will hiding my IP make me anonymous?
No. It removes one identifier. Accounts, cookies and browser fingerprints can still identify you.
Key takeaways
- "Hiding" your IP means showing another address; decide first whom you are hiding it from.
- A VPN offers a good balance of speed, simplicity, and security; Tor offers the highest anonymity but is slow; a proxy is fast but weak.
- IP hiding does not stop logins, cookies or fingerprints from identifying you.
- Always verify: compare your IP on Show-IP.ir before and after, and run a leak check.