How to change your iPhone’s IP address: A quick guide

Why would you want to change your iPhone’s IP address?

Every website, app, and online service you use needs to know your IP address in order to send information back to your device. But for certain reasons, you might not want to keep the same public IP address:

• Protect yourself on public Wi-Fi. A changed IP address can help you stay safer when connected to open Wi-Fi in public places, like cafes or hotels.
• Enhance privacy. Changing your public IP address can make it harder for advertisers or third parties to track your online activity.
• Troubleshoot network issues. Resetting or switching your phone’s IP address can often resolve connectivity glitches.
• Access to home content from abroad. Some services and websites use IP location to control what content you can see. By changing your IP to the one from your country, you can watch TV shows and use online services you’re subscribed to at home when you’re traveling.
• Avoid targeted ads. Many advertisers use your IP address to deliver targeted ads.

No matter your reason, learning how to change an IP address on an iPhone is a useful skill to improve security and fix common network issues.

The easiest ways to change your iPhone’s IP address

You can change your iPhone’s IP address in so many different ways, and not all of them are technical or tricky. Often, the best answer is the simplest one. And your iPhone already comes with certain settings that can help you change your IP address in just a few taps.

Connect to a different Wi-Fi network

Each Wi-Fi network has a public IP address that comes from the internet service provider (ISP). The router, and every device connected to it, uses that IP address to reach the internet. So one of the easiest ways to get a new IP address is to simply connect your iPhone to another Wi-Fi:

1. 1.Open your iOS device’s settings.
2. 2.Tap “Wi-Fi.” You should also see your connected network name next to it. 
3. 3.Choose another available network name from the list and tap on it. Just be aware of the public Wi-Fi networks that don’t protect your traffic as well as the private ones.
4. 4.Enter the password if required.

Once connected, you’ll be assigned a different public IP address.

Temporarily switch on airplane mode

Another quick method to change your iPhone's IP address for a moment is to turn airplane mode on, especially if you rely on cellular data instead of Wi-Fi. This method may help with temporary issues with your network. Follow these steps:

1. 1.Go to your iPhone’s settings.
2. 2.Find the “Airplane mode” switch and turn it on.
3. 3.Wait around 30 seconds and turn the toggle off again.

How to change the IP address on an iPhone with a VPN

A VPN app gives you full control over your iPhone's IP address. A reputable VPN routes your internet traffic through a secure server. That server replaces your IP address with one of its own. You then appear to browse from another server location.

It’s usually not that difficult to change your location with a VPN. It only takes a few minutes with NordVPN:

1. 1.Download a VPN app for your iPhone device from the App Store.
2. 2.Install and open the app.
3. 3.The NordVPN app will ask if you want to register a new account. If you already have one, select “Log in.” If not, sign up for a new account. Once you sign up, you’ll return to the app to select your plan.
4. 4.To change your IP, choose a server from the servers list or click the “Secure my connection” button to automatically connect to the fastest server available 
5. 5.If you’re connecting for the first time, you’ll be prompted to allow NordVPN to add VPN configurations. It’s a standard practice necessary for connecting to a VPN service. Tap “Allow” to continue.

If you connect successfully, you’ll see “Connected to (country)” above the map and a VPN icon in the status bar. If you want to read more on how to set up a VPN on your iPhone, check out our article about it.

Pros and cons of using a VPN

A VPN is one of the most reliable tools you can use to change your IP address automatically, but no tool is perfect. You should understand both sides before you decide whether to rely on a VPN for your daily browsing.

Pros:

• Using a VPN changes your real IP address and virtual location, making your online activity more private.

• A VPN creates an encrypted tunnel between your device and a VPN server to keep your browsing more secure.

• You can access the content you’re subscribed to at home from abroad.

• Prevent bandwidth throttling from your ISP by making your activity type unreadable to them.

• Many VPNs come with added tools like NordVPN with Threat Protection, which blocks ads and malicious domains.

Cons:

• Reputable VPNs require a subscription.

• Depending on the server location and VPN protocol used, you might experience a slight slowdown in internet connection speed.

How to change the IP address on an iPhone with a proxy server

If you do not want to use a VPN, you can still reroute your traffic through a proxy server. The proxy will give your device a new IP address. However, keep in mind that it won’t fully encrypt your internet connection.

To set it up, take the following steps:

1. 1.Choose and sign up for a proxy service provider to get the login details, IP, and port.
2. 2.Open “Settings” and tap “Wi-Fi.”
3. 3.Find the network you’re currently connected to and tap the “i” icon next to it.
4. 4.Scroll down to the bottom and tap “Configure proxy.”
5. 5.Tap on “Manual.” Additional settings will appear.
6. 6.Enter your proxy server’s IP address and port number and tap “Save.” 

Now your iPhone routes requests through the proxy server. The sites you visit will see the proxy’s IP address instead of your real IP address.

Pros and cons of using a proxy

A proxy server gives you a quick way to change your public IP address, but it does not offer the same protection as a VPN. Before you decide to rely on a proxy, consider both the advantages and the drawbacks.

Pros:

• You can choose a proxy server from a free proxy server list, but they are often unreliable and unsafe.

• A proxy lets you appear as if browsing from a different IP address, giving you more privacy.

Cons:

• Most proxies do not encrypt your traffic, which means your data can still be intercepted.

• Free proxies are often unreliable, slow, and may even be unsafe.

• If only a proxy is used, your internet service provider (ISP), websites, or trackers can still track your activity.

How to change the IP address on an iPhone using the Tor network

If you want anonymity above all, you can turn to the Tor browser. It works by passing your requests through several layers of servers. Each server removes a layer, changing your real IP address and actual location in the process.

To use Tor on your iPhone, follow these steps:

1. 1.Install a Tor browser from the App Store.
2. 2.Open the Tor browser.
3. 3.Connect and wait until it finishes setting up.

This method makes it much harder to trace your identity. Every time you reconnect, the Tor network assigns you a new public IP address from another relay.

Pros and cons of using Tor

The Tor browser focuses on anonymity. It protects you by changing your public IP address through several layers of servers. Still, the Tor approach has certain strengths and weaknesses you need to know about.

Pros:

• Tor makes it very difficult to trace your internet activity back to you.

• It’s free to download and use.

Cons:

• Because your traffic passes through several nodes, Tor is much slower than regular browsing or a VPN.

• Some websites block Tor traffic entirely, which limits what you can access.

• It does not encrypt your browsing data once it leaves the Tor network, so information can still be exposed at the “exit node.”

How to change your iPhone’s private IP address manually

A private IP address is the identifier your router assigns to your iPhone so it can communicate with other devices on the same network. Sometimes changing the local IP address can help fix internet problems or private IP address conflicts if two devices connected to your local network accidentally share the same address.

To change your IP address manually:

1. 1.Open the iPhone network settings and tap “Wi-Fi.”
2. 2.Select the connected network and tap on the “i” icon next to it.
3. 3.Scroll down and tap “Configure IP.”
4. 4.Choose “Manual.”
5. 5.Enter your desired IP address, subnet mask (often 255.255.0.0), and your router’s (gateway) address.
6. 6.Tap “Save” to apply the changes.

Your iPhone will now use the new private IP address on that local network. Make sure you know which IP addresses are already being used on your network, so the new one you choose doesn’t clash with another device.

How can I check if my IP address has successfully changed?

After changing your public IP address, you’ll want to confirm it worked. 

The easiest way is to open Safari (or any browser) and search “What is my IP address?” to see what your network is reporting online, or use an IP address checker tool. If it’s different from what you saw before making the change, then your public IP address has successfully updated.