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How to Hide Your IP Address in 2026: Top 5 Working Methods
How to Hide Your IP Address in 2026: Top 5 Working Methods
Every time you connect to the internet – whether from a work laptop or your phone in a café – your device is assigned that unique identifier, the IP address. The problem is that this address is not hidden at all.
And if someone decides to look a little closer, your IP can reveal quite a lot of interesting information. For example, where you are and who your internet provider is.
In this article, we’ll explain in simple terms what an IP address is and show you 5 easy methods to protect yourself and keep your privacy by hiding it from prying eyes.
What is an IP address?
An IP address is essentially your device’s passport on the internet. As soon as you connect to the network, your internet provider assigns a special numeric address to your device. Simply put, without an IP address, your device would be to the rest of the internet what an apartment without a number is to a postman.
There are two types of addresses: IPv4 and IPv6. The difference is that IPv4 is an older format – there aren’t enough addresses for everyone anymore, so the newer IPv6 with a huge pool of combinations was introduced.
What can be learned from your IP?
Any website you visit can see:
Which provider you use
Your approximate location (country, region, city)
Your time zone
By collecting this data from different sites, a fairly accurate picture of your habits, movements, and interests can be compiled. That’s why hiding your IP is worth it, at least for basic privacy protection.
Methods to hide your IP address
There are several ways to make your online presence anonymous. The most reliable and popular option for most users is using a VPN. You can also use the Tor browser, proxy servers, public Wi-Fi, or switch to a mobile network.
Here’s a quick table to help you navigate:
| **Method** | **Cost** | **Anonymity Level** | **Data Collection** | **Internet Speed** | **Features** |
|-----------------|------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------|
| **Proxy** | Free or paid | Medium, traffic not encrypted | Yes, especially with rotating proxies | High | Some services may monitor activity |
| **VPN** | Paid | High, full encryption | Possible but not ideal – some providers keep logs, frequent blocks | Lower due to encryption | Some providers keep logs, frequent blocks |
| **TOR** | Free | Very high (multi-layer encryption) | No, too slow | Low | Security warnings may appear |
| **Mobile** | Depends on plan | Medium (dynamic IP, no encryption) | No | Medium or high | Only IP change, no encryption |
| **Wi-Fi** | Free | Low, data vulnerable | No | Depends on network | Dangerous, not suitable for automation |
5 simple ways to hide your IP address
If you want to “cover your tracks” online, there are many options. We’ll go over the most popular ones. The choice of method depends on your goals and tasks.
**Using a proxy server**
A proxy server acts as an “intermediate checkpoint” between you and the rest of the internet. Imagine you don’t go directly to a website – you first knock on the proxy’s door. If you don’t want to expose your real address to the world, a proxy is very helpful. It also comes in handy for bypassing various restrictions – for example, if your work network or local laws block access to certain sites.
Proxies also unlock content blocked in your region. Each residential proxy is a real device address located in a specific country.
**Using a VPN**
VPN is the most popular way to hide your IP. Like a proxy, a VPN service routes your traffic through its own server, but with one important difference: it creates an encrypted tunnel. No one – neither your ISP nor hackers on a public network – can see which sites you visit.
From an anonymity standpoint, a VPN is “heavy artillery.” But it has a downside: speed may drop a bit due to encryption.
If you want to reliably hide your traffic, choose a paid VPN. Free services often cut corners on security, while premium options like our VLESS VPN pass tests.
**Tor browser**
Tor is a free browser that routes your traffic through three random servers around the world before sending it to the final website. Each server removes one layer of encryption.
Tor is great if you need free and maximum anonymous access. However, be prepared for connection speeds to drop significantly – watching videos or playing games will be impossible. For browsing websites or working on the Darknet, it’s perfect.
If you’re looking for free ways to hide your IP, try private search engines like DuckDuckGo. They don’t hide your IP directly, but they guarantee that no one tracks your search history.
**Switching to a mobile network**
The fastest way to change your IP is to simply turn off and then back on the mobile internet on your smartphone. The carrier will assign you a new IP address from its pool. This makes your traffic harder to track but does not encrypt it.
This method doesn’t encrypt data and uses up your data plan. It can help in an emergency, for example, if your home IP has been temporarily attacked or blocked.
**Connecting to public Wi-Fi**
Another way to quickly change your “digital footprint” is to go online through an open Wi-Fi network in a café, hotel, or shopping mall. You get the IP address of that network.
But it’s important: public Wi-Fi networks pose a serious security threat. Due to lack of encryption and many connected users, attackers can intercept your passwords or inject malware. Use this method only as a last resort and always with a VPN turned on.
Why hide your IP address at all?
Even if it seems now that there’s nothing to worry about, consider this: from such small things (a like, a registration), anyone can gradually compile an accurate picture of your digital life.
Hiding your IP means putting on a virtual mask. Yes, it’s just one precautionary measure. But it often becomes that simple step that genuinely gives you the right to decide for yourself which details of your life to share with the world and what to keep to yourself.
**Hide geolocation**
In reality, an IP address won’t reveal everything about you to the world. You’ve probably noticed: websites determine your location at most down to city or district. No advertiser can find your apartment number from an IP address. But if you want extra privacy, it’s enough to change your address via a proxy or VPN. It’s not always about security; sometimes it’s just about comfort. Still, it feels nice to be a little less transparent to internet giants.
**Bypass network restrictions**
Many networks block entertainment portals or messengers. Using a different IP address removes those restrictions and restores your freedom to access information.
**Avoid IP bans**
If you’re collecting data or simply using the same services frequently, websites may block your IP, suspecting a bot. In that case, hiding your IP is a necessity.
**Protection against targeted attacks**
Hackers generally look for easy targets. If they can’t see your real IP, they have nothing to attack. They won’t know who you are or where you are, making a potential hack practically impossible.
What else does your IP hide?
Your IP address leaves digital traces that can be used to reconstruct your online behavior. Experiments have been conducted where researchers used only an IP address as a search query and were able to find shocking details about a person. They found out which religious sites he visited, determined his fitness preferences, and located his forum posts.
Does a business need to hide its IP?
In the field of cybersecurity, it is vital for companies to hide their servers to protect against attacks. But e‑commerce is different: stores need to be visible to sell. Their websites and public IP addresses are the main sales and customer communication tools.
It’s important to know that companies often hide the real IP addresses of their web servers using a reverse proxy. This is an intermediary that accepts requests from users and forwards them to an internal server. As a result, no one knows the real address of the data server, which increases infrastructure security.
Wrapping up
Now that you understand what your IP address – that real digital footprint – can reveal about you, a reasonable question arises: how do you protect yourself? This is where tools like proxies and VPNs come onto the scene. They act like a mask, virtually “redressing” your traffic, hiding your real IP from websites and services. Besides privacy, they allow you to bypass country restrictions – for example, watch series or listen to music that isn’t available in your region.
Businesses typically prefer reverse proxies – these not only hide their public IP addresses from prying eyes but also add a layer of protection to the entire infrastructure. Essentially, the company becomes less vulnerable to attacks or competitor curiosity.
If you still have questions or want to try our proxies right away and see how they work for your security or accessing content from other countries, just write to us in the chat. We’re always ready to help you understand the details.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is an IP address always visible?
Yes, your public IP address is always visible to your internet provider and to every website you visit. This is necessary for data transmission. If you don’t use a proxy or VPN, your location and device information remain accessible online.
How to hide an IP address without a VPN?
You can use a proxy server, the Tor browser, or connect to a public Wi-Fi network. The most reliable method is to configure a proxy in your browser or system.
How to hide an IP address on Windows?
The easiest way is to use a VPN or set up a proxy server in network settings. You can also install a browser with built-in protection, such as Tor.
How to hide an IP address on a phone?
On smartphones, you can use VPN apps from official stores or manually configure a proxy in Wi-Fi settings.
Can you hide your IP address from your provider?
Yes, by using a VPN or proxy. In that case, your provider sees only the fact that you are connecting to those services, but not which websites you visit.
Is it legal to hide your IP address?
In most countries, using proxies and VPNs to protect personal data is not prohibited by law.
Can a person be tracked by their IP address?
It is possible to determine the provider and approximate location (city). However, when using a proxy or VPN, it is practically impossible to find the real physical address.