How to Change Your IP Address on Android
An Android phone has two different IP addresses: a local one inside your Wi-Fi or mobile network, and a public one that websites see. Many guides mix them up, which is why changing the IP address in Wi-Fi settings often seems to do nothing. This guide explains the difference, then walks through four methods and what each one actually changes.
Check your current IP
Open our IP checker before and after you change your IP to see the difference. It also tests your browser for WebRTC leaks.
Public IP vs Local IP on Android
The IP address in Settings > About phone (on Samsung, About phone > Status information) is your local address. Your router or carrier assigns it, it usually starts with 192.168, 10 or 172, and only devices on the same network can see it. Websites see your public IP instead: the address of your home router, or of your carrier's gateway on mobile data. Many carriers use carrier-grade NAT, so many customers share one public IPv4 address, and many also give phones an IPv6 address. To see the public address that websites see, use an IP checker in your browser. Everything below is about changing that public IP unless it says otherwise.
Method 1: Use a VPN (Changes the IP Websites See)
A VPN is the only method in this guide that lets you choose the country of your new IP address. Traffic from your apps goes through an encrypted tunnel to the VPN server, and websites see the server's IP. It works the same on Wi-Fi and mobile data, and your usual address comes back as soon as you disconnect. To do it with VPN Wave, install the app from Google Play on Android 11 or later, choose a location and tap connect. VPN connections on Android require Premium; plans and prices are shown in the app before you buy. Android shows a key icon in the status bar while the VPN is on. A VPN changes your public IP only, so the local IP in Settings stays the same, which is expected.
Method 2: Toggle Airplane Mode on Mobile Data
Swipe down to open Quick Settings, turn on Airplane mode, wait 10 to 30 seconds and turn it off. When the phone reconnects to the mobile network, the carrier may hand out a different public IP. This is free and needs no app, but the result is not guaranteed: some carriers return the same address, and behind carrier-grade NAT you still share an address from the same pool. The new IP stays in the same country and with the same carrier, the traffic is not encrypted, and the trick does nothing on Wi-Fi, where the public IP belongs to the router. Restarting the phone has the same effect as airplane mode.
Method 3: Switch Networks or Restart the Router
Moving from Wi-Fi to mobile data, or from one Wi-Fi network to another, gives you whatever public IP the new network uses. At home, restarting the router can get you a new public IP if your internet provider assigns dynamic addresses, though many providers keep the same address for days or tie it to your router. These changes are real but random: you cannot choose the country or city, and switching to a public Wi-Fi network trades your home IP for a network that other people share and someone else controls.
Method 4: Change the Local IP in Wi-Fi Settings
Android lets you set a fixed local IP for a Wi-Fi network. On Pixel and stock Android, open Settings > Network & internet > Internet, tap the gear next to your Wi-Fi network, tap the pencil icon, open Advanced options and change IP settings from DHCP to Static. Samsung and Xiaomi phones have the same option in the network's advanced settings. This helps with port forwarding or an IP conflict on your home network, but websites will not notice: your public IP is still the router's. Forgetting the network and joining it again also asks the router for a local address, with the same limitation.
How to Check That Your IP Changed
Before you change anything, open the VPN Wave IP checker in Chrome and write down the public IP and country it shows. Change the IP with one of the methods above and reload the page. With a VPN, the address and country should match the location you picked. If you use a VPN, also run the leak test: it checks whether WebRTC in the browser or an IPv6 connection outside the tunnel still exposes your original address. If the IP checker still shows your old address with the VPN on, look for the key icon in the status bar, disconnect any other VPN app and connect again.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find my IP address on Android?
Your local IP is in Settings > About phone (on Samsung, About phone > Status information). Settings does not show the public IP that websites see; open an IP checker in your browser to see it, along with its country and network.
Does airplane mode change your IP address on Android?
Often, on mobile data. Turning airplane mode on and off makes the phone reconnect to the carrier, which may assign a different public IP. Some carriers return the same address, and it never changes your public IP on Wi-Fi, which belongs to the router.
Does restarting my Android phone change my IP?
On mobile data it can, the same way airplane mode does. On Wi-Fi it does not change the public IP, because that address belongs to your router or internet provider. Restart the router instead, or use a VPN.
How do I get an IP address from another country on Android?
Use a VPN and connect to a location in that country. Airplane mode, switching networks and Wi-Fi settings only give you an address from your current provider in your current country. On Android, VPN Wave connections require Premium.
Does changing my IP address change my Google Play country?
No. A new IP changes what websites and apps see for your connection. Your Google Play country follows your Google account and payment profile, so a VPN does not change the store you see or the prices you pay.
Why is my IP the same after turning airplane mode on and off?
Your carrier gave you the same address again, or you are behind carrier-grade NAT, where many customers share one public address. Wait longer before turning airplane mode off, try again later, or use a VPN if you need a different address now.
Is it legal to change my IP address?
Changing your IP address is legal in most countries; it happens by itself every time you switch networks. Rules on VPN use differ by country, and a VPN does not make illegal activity legal. Check the rules where you are before you travel.
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