What is my IP address?
This page shows the public IP address websites see when your device connects to them, the approximate location that address points to, and whether your browser reveals a different address through WebRTC. Check it before and after connecting to a VPN to confirm the VPN is really changing your IP.
Your connection right now
- Public IP address
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- IP version
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- Approximate location
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- WebRTC leak test
- Checking…
Want websites to see a different IP? Connect to VPN Wave, choose a country, then check again.
What your IP address tells a website
Your public IP address is assigned by whoever connects you to the internet: your mobile carrier on cellular, or the internet provider behind the Wi-Fi network you're on. Every website and app you connect to sees it, because it's where they send their replies.
On its own, an IP address reveals your internet provider and a rough location, usually a city or region and sometimes only the country. It doesn't reveal your name or street address, but it's enough for a streaming service to decide which catalog you get, for a website to guess your country and language, and for ad networks to link your visits together.
The location shown above comes from IP geolocation databases, not from your device's GPS, so it can be well off. Mobile carriers often route many customers through a few regional gateways, which is why a phone on cellular can appear to be in a city hundreds of miles away.
How to check that your VPN is working
- Note your real IP. With the VPN off, open this page and write down the address and location it shows.
- Connect to the VPN. In VPN Wave, pick a server country and tap Connect.
- Check again. Tap “Check again” or reload the page. The IP address should now belong to the VPN server, and the location should match the country you picked.
- Read the WebRTC result. It should report no leak. If it shows your real address from step 1, your browser is going around the VPN.
What a WebRTC leak is
WebRTC is the browser technology behind video calls and voice chat on websites. To connect calls directly, it asks a STUN server which public address your device appears from, and any website can run that same request in the background without asking you.
That's a problem for browser VPN extensions and proxies, which only redirect the browser's ordinary web traffic. WebRTC requests can go around them and expose your real IP while the extension still says you're protected.
A system-wide VPN on iPhone, iPad or Mac, such as VPN Wave, sends all of the device's traffic through the encrypted tunnel, WebRTC included. While it's connected, this test should show the VPN server's address or no public address at all.
iPhone settings that change the IP you see
iCloud Private Relay, part of iCloud+, hides your IP in Safari. When it's on, this page can show an address belonging to one of Apple's relay partners, such as Cloudflare or Akamai, while most other apps still use your real IP. A VPN changes the address for every app on the device.
Limit IP Address Tracking, under Settings → Wi-Fi → ⓘ and in the cellular data options, hides your IP from known trackers in Mail and Safari. It doesn't change what ordinary websites see.
Private Wi-Fi Address gives your device a different hardware (MAC) address on each Wi-Fi network. That isn't your IP address, and it has no effect on this test.
How to change your IP address
Turning Airplane Mode on and off, or switching between Wi-Fi and cellular, can get you a new address from the same provider in the same region. To appear in a different country, or to hide your real IP from every app at once, use a VPN.
Your IP address is read from the connection your browser made to load this page and shown back to you; this page doesn't store it. The WebRTC test sends one request to Cloudflare's public STUN server, which sees the same address.
IP address questions
What is my IP address?
It's the public address shown at the top of this page: the one websites and apps see when your device connects to them. Your mobile carrier or the provider of the Wi-Fi network you're on assigns it, so it changes when you switch networks.
Can someone find my home address from my IP?
Not from the IP alone. Geolocation databases usually narrow an IP down to a city or region. Only your internet provider can link an address to a specific customer, and it normally shares that only with authorities under a legal order.
Why is the location wrong?
IP location is an estimate from databases, not a GPS reading. Mobile carriers and some home providers send traffic through regional hubs, and the databases lag behind when providers move address blocks, so a location that's off by a city or even a country is common.
Why do I see an IPv6 address?
Your network supports IPv6, the newer address format, and your browser used it to reach this page. Many networks run IPv4 and IPv6 side by side, so the same device can have one address of each kind.
Does a VPN hide my IP address?
Yes, from the websites and apps you use: they see the VPN server's IP instead of yours. Your mobile carrier or Wi-Fi provider can still see that you're connected to a VPN, but not which sites you visit through it.
My IP didn't change after I connected to a VPN. What's wrong?
Reload the page first, because browsers sometimes reuse an existing connection. If it still shows your real address, check that the VPN shows as Connected under Settings → VPN. If the page shows a Cloudflare or Akamai address with the VPN off, that's usually iCloud Private Relay rather than a VPN.
Is it safe to check my IP here?
Yes. Every website you visit already sees your IP address. This page only shows it back to you and doesn't save it.
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