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Hide My IP: How you can protect your privacy online

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    Enhance your privacy by instantly hiding your IP address

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    Keep your personal information secure

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    Protect your device from malware

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How to hide your IP address

A woman is using a VPN to hide her IP address

Every device connected to the internet — from your smartphone to your printer — is given an IP address to communicate with websites and other devices. Your IP address can be used to track your activity and reveal your location, so hiding your digital identity is a great way to stay private and secure online.

Masking your IP address with a VPN (virtual private network) is the safest and fastest way to protect your privacy online. NordVPN can instantly hide your IP address and secure your online activity so your ISP (Internet service provider) can’t track your browsing history.

Hide your IP address in 3 easy steps

Once you’ve downloaded the NordVPN app, follow these three steps to hide your IP address:

Open NordVPN app

1. Open NordVPN

Launch the NordVPN app on your device

Choose a VPN protocol

2. Choose a subscription

Choose a monthly or annual subscription and sign in

Pick a VPN server

3. Connect!

Hit “Quick Connect” to instantly hide your IP address

Different ways to hide your IP address

A man is browsing securely online

Hide your IP address with a VPN

A VPN hides your IP address and encrypts your online activity for increased privacy and security. It assigns you a new IP address by connecting you to an encrypted, private VPN server instead of the ones owned by your ISP. This means your activity can’t be tracked, stored, or mishandled by third parties.

A woman is using Onion over VPN to browse .onion websites

Hide your IP address with Tor

The Tor Browser can hide your IP — just keep in mind that your internet connection may become sluggish. Be cautious when using the Tor network because it has no shortage of scams, phishing sites, and malware, all designed to trick new users. We recommend always using a VPN and verifying publicly posted Tor URLs from multiple sources.

But, in this case, you’re only protected inside the browser. If you decide to chat to someone or play an online game, your current IP and other sensitive data will be visible to your ISP. To hide all your internet activity on your device, use a VPN.

A man is hiding his IP address using a proxy server

Hide your IP address with a proxy server

A proxy server hides your location and IP address by using the IP address of the proxy server instead. It can also block access to certain websites based on their IP addresses, which is great for making the internet more child friendly at home.

A proxy will need to be configured on your web browser and may slow down your internet speed. You should also keep in mind that proxy servers offer no guaranteed protection.

A woman connects to a public Wi-Fi to hide her IP address

Use public Wi-Fi to hide your IP address

When you connect to public Wi-Fi on your laptop or smartphone, you’re assigned a different IP address from your real one. However, using public Wi-Fi without security measures such as a VPN may be unsafe and unreliable. Criminals can easily intercept your data on unsecured Wi-Fi hotspots or even set up fake hotspots to compromise your mobile device upon connection.

4 best ways to hide your IP address

Pros

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    Instantly hides your IP address when you use a VPN

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    Encrypts your data traffic for more privacy and security

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    Allows you to access your home content safely while traveling

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    Bypasses activity-based bandwidth throttling

Cons

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    Reliable VPNs charge a subscription fee

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    Some websites block VPN users’ access

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    Hides your IP address by default

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    Allows you to browse in relative privacy

Cons

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    Only protects browser traffic

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    Can be extremely slow

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    Some websites block Tor users’ access

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    Hides your IP address

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    Helps filter explicit content

Cons

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    Vulnerable to security exploits

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    Can slow down your connection

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    Servers can crash often

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    Can log your online activity

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    Millions of hotspots worldwide give free internet access

Cons

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    Leaves your data unencrypted

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    Connections can be unstable

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    Can make you vulnerable to cyberattacks

4 reasons to mask your IP address

You might be wondering why you need to hide your IP address in the first place. Here are the main reasons why:

Hiding your location

If you want to hide your virtual location from websites and third parties, masking your IP address will do the trick.

Online freedom

Using a different IP address lets you avoid many censorship and surveillance measures.

A better online experience

Hiding your IP prevents your ISP from tracking your online activity and throttling your internet speed based on what you’re doing. Remember, when you use the incognito mode, companies can still track your sensitive information.

Online privacy

Shield your online activity, including the websites you visit, from your ISP and others to enjoy privacy on the internet.

NordVPN makes your online data unreadable to others

Surf the internet in privacy and security, protected by state-of-the-art encryption.

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Why choose NordVPN to hide your IP address

The best way to hide your IP address and mask your internet activity is by using NordVPN to encrypt your connection.

Different devices you can use a VPN on

  • Maximum protection on all of your devices, even home routers
  • Simultaneous connection on up to 6 devices
  • Threat Protection helps against malware, trackers, and ads
  • Use Meshnet to link up with other devices directly for secure file sharing or gaming
  • Additional VPN features for security and privacy

Available on all major operating systems:

Available on popular browsers and third-party devices:

Ready to hide your IP and browse privately?

Frequently asked questions