How to Hide My IP Address in 2024: 3 Best Ways

Your IP address is used to identify your device and approximate location. It’s visible to everyone on the Internet, so it can easily be tracked and compromised in various ways. Since it’s impossible to avoid using an IP address to connect to the Internet, the most effective way to hide your real IP address is to replace it with another one.

These are the three best methods you can use to hide your IP address:

1. Virtual private network (VPN)
2. Tor browser
3. Proxy server

I’ve compiled step-by-step instructions for hiding your IP address using the above methods and explained their differences. Read on to learn how to change or hide your IP address to enhance your location privacy.

What Is an IP Address and How Does It Work?

IP stands for Internet Protocol. Every device connected to the internet has a public and a private IP address. Private IP addresses are unique to each device and serve to identify devices within your own network. On the other hand, public IP addresses are used on the public internet to send and receive traffic.

Public IP addresses are similar to physical addresses. Like a postman, a website must know where to deliver data. However, your public IP address is indeed public, which has its downsides.

Your device’s information and real location are visible to the websites you visit, so you get ads customized to your location, language, and even personal interests.

Hide Your IP Address in 3 Easy Steps

If you’re not interested in learning about each different way to hide your IP address and just want to get it done right now, here’s my recommendation for the safest and most efficient way to hide your exact location and protect your privacy online.

1. Download a premium VPN like ExpressVPN.

2. Sign up and pick a plan that’s best for you.

3. Download and launch ExpressVPN, then just hit the power button. You’ll automatically be connected to the fastest VPN server, and your own IP address will be replaced with the VPN server’s IP address.

Method 1: Hide Your IP Address with a Virtual Private Network (VPN)

Hundreds of VPNs are available online, but not all are safe to use. Some (like most free VPNs) even track your internet activity and sell your data to advertising networks.

A good VPN hides your IP address and encrypts your online data so no one can see your physical address or online activity (except the VPN server itself). This way, the websites you visit will see only the IP address assigned to you by the VPN, not your actual information.

Some VPNs have global server networks with thousands of VPN servers. When you connect to a VPN server, your real location gets masked and replaced with the VPN server’s IP address. So, you can quickly and easily change IP addresses to jump from one location to another virtually.

You can also use a VPN to connect multiple devices simultaneously and even make each device appear to operate from a different location. Surfshark, for example, allows unlimited device connections.

Top 3 VPNs to Hide Your IP Address

Here’s my list of the top three secure, fast, and user-friendly VPNs to hide your IP address from other internet users, your internet provider, and the websites you visit.

To help you browse the internet anonymously, each of these VPNs uses the gold-standard AES 256-bit encryption, which governments also use to secure sensitive data. Additionally, all three VPNs have additional features like a kill switch and DNS leak protection to keep your IP address hidden even if your VPN unexpectedly disconnects.

All my recommended VPNs are fast. A VPN normally reduces connection speeds slightly due to the extra travel to the VPN server and the added overhead of encryption/decryption. I selected the VPNs that showed the best performance on my speed tests.

There aren’t any free VPNs on my list, but all of the listed VPNs come with a money-back guarantee, so you can claim a full refund if you’re not fully satisfied. They’re all easy to use and install on various operating systems to hide your IP address on almost any device.

1. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is the best-performing VPN overall. It’s simple and intuitive to use, providing exceptional speeds on 3,000+ servers worldwide. It will hide your IP address and keep your internet activity fully protected.

Each ExpressVPN server contains multiple IPs, and your IP address is frequently rotated, so you can avoid IP bans and make your real IP even more difficult to discover.

ExpressVPN uses TrustedServer technology, which prevents data exposure by ensuring your online data won’t ever be written to a hard drive. Its servers run entirely on RAM memory, and all your online information is wiped clean each time you reboot your device.

ExpressVPN’s only flaw is that it’s a bit more expensive than most other premium VPNs. However, there are often discounts on long-term plans.

You can also claim a refund within the first 30 days after purchase or get a 7-day free trial on your mobile device.

2. Surfshark

Surfshark offers 3,200+ servers in 100 countries. whenever you establish a VPN connection to a specific location, Surfshark will give you a different IP address. This is done according to rules resembling Round Robin, similar to taking turns. Once you disconnect, another user will get your IP, and you will get a new one when you connect again.

Surfshark also provides 36 Static Servers you can use to get the same IP address each time you connect. I like to use them to avoid annoying CAPTCHAs and other identity verifications each time I connect to a server.

Surfshark’s MultiHop servers, called Double VPN, give you additional protection by routing your traffic via two VPN servers. You can also use the Rotating IP tool. When switched on, it gives you a new IP address every 5–10 minutes while your server location remains the same. This makes it even more difficult to discover your real IP address.

Like ExpressVPN, you can get your money back during the first 30 days after subscribing. Surfshark also gives you unlimited device connections, and at the time of writing this article, its yearly plan was half the price of ExpressVPN’s.

3. CyberGhost

CyberGhost has a vast network of 9,000+ servers across 100 countries, which means you can change IP addresses as frequently as you want and never use the same IP twice. Remember to turn on CyberGhost’s Block Content feature so you can browse and stream without ads, trackers, and other distractions.

If you’re looking to hide your IP address, you’re most likely worried about your privacy. So, you’ll be glad to know that CyberGhost has a Security Suite for Windows, which includes an antivirus, app scanner, and privacy guard. Moreover, the VPN has the latest security features and a strict no-logs policy to keep your online data private.

CyberGhost’s apps are simple to use and have an attractive design. When writing this article, this was the most affordable VPN on my list, starting at $2.19/month for a 2-year plan, plus you get 2 months extra for free. But remember, Surfshark lets you connect unlimited devices so that Surfshark may offer a better per-connection price, like for a large family.

CyberGhost gives you a generous 45-day money-back guarantee when subscribing to an annual plan. This is probably the longest testing period with a premium VPN provider. If you decide to go for a monthly plan, you’ll only get a 14-day refund period.

Method 2: Hide Your IP Address with the Tor Browser

If you want to hide your original IP address and browse anonymously without connecting to a VPN or proxy server, Tor is a great option. It’s open-source software that doesn’t require any of your information, whereas, with a VPN, you’d need to enter your real name and payment details. The Tor browser is also completely free.

It takes less than 5 minutes to install and access Tor. Just follow these simple steps to use it on your device and hide your actual IP address:

1. Visit the Tor Project website and click on Download.

2. Choose your operating system.

3. Open the installation file and start the installation. Once it is finished, you’ll be ready to run the Tor browser.

4. After clicking on Connect, Tor will mask your IP address by routing it through multiple servers known as nodes.

Method 3: Hide Your IP Address with a Proxy Server

Like a VPN service, a proxy routes your internet traffic via an intermediary server. However, this method will only hide your IP address without encrypting your data or providing additional security features. So, when using proxy servers, your online activity and information remain accessible to internet providers and third parties.

Connecting to a proxy server will drastically reduce your speeds unless you use a premium proxy provider. If you’re already paying or considering paying for a proxy server, in that case, I recommend getting a VPN, as it’s a more secure option that will hide your browsing activity.

Some VPNs offer free proxy extensions for Chrome and Firefox. However, they’re usually much more limited than VPN apps. For example, with CyberGhost’s free proxy extension, you can hide your IP address by connecting to a proxy server in four countries: the US, Romania, the Netherlands, and Germany.

Additional Methods for Changing IP Addresses

A few other options are available to get a new IP address, but these are not real solutions to hiding your IP address. With these methods, the new IP address will not be private. It will offer little protection for your activities. However, having easy access to an alternative IP address can help in certain circumstances, like if you’re experiencing unexpected connection issues on a specific web service.

Change Your IP Address with a Mobile Network

You can use a mobile network if you need a different IP fast. Each time you turn your mobile data on and off, your IP address will change, so you can use this trick to frequently change your real IP address. Note that your mobile data likely provides worse internet speed than Wi-Fi and doesn’t offer data encryption. However, your mobile data is a bit more secure than Wi-Fi, and it can still get you a different IP address than you’d get on other networks.

Change Your IP Address with Public Wi-Fi

Another option is to use public Wi-Fi and get a public IP address. However, public Wi-Fi can infect your device with malware, and your passwords can be stolen. So, I don’t recommend using public Wi-Fi or public IP addresses to hide your IP address, as doing so can expose you to even more dangers than protecting your privacy.

We always recommend using a VPN when you connect to public Wi-Fi. However, it wouldn’t make sense to recommend getting a VPN just so you can use public Wi-Fi to change your IP address—you could use the VPN itself to get an IP address almost anywhere in the world, making public Wi-Fi unnecessary. Therefore, using a VPN is a much better solution, not to mention a VPN has additional features that enhance your privacy and security online.

Why Should I Hide My IP Address?

There are many reasons to hide your IP address. You might also want to hide your physical address to protect your privacy or bypass internet censorship and geo-restrictions.

Certain people, like online activists and journalists, may be worried about their safety if they share controversial information, so they may not want anyone to know their location or other information.

Personally, I find it uncomfortable that so much private information is visible to people I have never met, so I prefer to use a VPN all the time for privacy.

How to Check Your IP Address

You can just Google “What’s my IP,” and your IP address will be displayed.

This is the easiest way, but you can visit a website like ipleak.net or whatismyip.com to check your IP address.

If you’re using a VPN or a proxy, visiting the websites I just linked is a simple way to test if your connection is secure and if there are any IP or DNS leaks. Suppose you see your actual location among the listed DNS addresses. In that case, your VPN or proxy provider leaks your data so other parties can discover your approximate location and associate your activity with you. To prevent this, use a VPN from my list above, as they’re all thoroughly tested and do not leak data.

Conclusion

While various ways exist to hide your IP address, a VPN is the most secure option. However, not every VPN is safe to use, so I suggest you only get a provider that uses military-grade AES 256-bit encryption and a kill switch. It’s also crucial that the VPN you choose doesn’t log your IP address or browsing activity. ExpressVPN, Surfshark, and CyberGhost all fulfill these requirements.

If you don’t want to pay for a subscription, you can use the Tor browser, free proxy servers, or a free VPN. However, as I mentioned, this isn’t nearly as safe as a premium VPN with robust security features. For those who want to be careful with their budget,  several VPNs with a tested money-back guarantee are listed above, so there’s no risk in trying them out.

Frequently Asked Questions

Topic: How To Guides, Internet