How to Change Your IP Address? Methods, Benefits, and Shortcomings

Your online presence is tied to your IP address. Many people wonder how to change their IP addresses to improve privacy and bypass online restrictions. An IP address is linked to your location, among other identifiers. If someone knows your IP address, they can determine where you are (precisely or approximately).

The same applies to the websites you regularly visit, which use your IP to track your activity and bombard you with targeted ads. At first, it may seem like your IP address is fixed. But is that really the case? Can you hide or even change it? The answer is yes. Several methods exist in 2026.

Some are quick and simple, some are more complex, with varying levels of effectiveness. In this guide, we’ll explore five practical ways to change your IP address, highlighting their advantages and limitations. Keep reading.

How to Change Your IP Address? 5 Simple Methods

If you’re short on time, you’ll want to know how to change your IP immediately. Our team of experts tested numerous workarounds, concluding that these five are the most effective and yield the best results:

Satisfied? No? In that case, refer to our comprehensive guides on changing your IP address below. We explain every method in depth to help you fully grasp the concept of altering your IP across all your devices.

1. Using a VPN Service

The first, most effective, and safest way to change your IP address is by using a VPN. In our list of the top 10 VPNs, we highlighted their humongous abilities. Such a service can not only alter your IP but also provide you with additional security and privacy. A VPN, most notably, allows you to navigate geo-blocks.

Simultaneously, you can download torrents anonymously and even save money on online purchases by changing your online location. Speaking of online locations, VPNs offer hundreds, and a prime example is NordVPN, our #1 pick. This VPN is famous for its no-log policy and encryption, both built for security and privacy.

Hide Your IP Address With NordVPN

With 8,900+ servers in 130countries, users can easily get another IP address from a specific location and reap all the benefits. The only downside is that NordVPN isn’t free. Neither is any quality VPN service. However, if you stick with us, we’ll explain how to change your IP address with NordVPN and enjoy it for free for up to 30 days.

How to Change Your IP With a VPN?

NordVPN, or any other reputable VPN service, offers apps for all devices and systems. This means the solution can be applied not only to your computer but also to your phone, tablet, laptop, Smart TV, and so on. The steps below are the same for all of these devices, too, so let us dive deeper immediately.

1. Subscribe to a VPN service. We recommend NordVPN, whose 2-year Basic plan is discounted by more than 70%. In addition, all plans have a no-question money-back guarantee, which can be taken advantage of (Step 5).
2. Download and install the VPN on your device.
3. Open the VPN app and sign in with your credentials. You provided them in Step 1.
4. Connect to a server in the country whose IP you want to get. We used the USA.
5. (Optional) Get a refund from NordVPN in the first 30 days if you no longer need it. This way, you’ll hide your IP address for free. You can do this by contacting its support team and requesting a refund.

Other VPNs We Recommend for Changing Your IP Address

While NordVPN is our favorite pick, other providers will do just fine, especially if they offer a wealth of locations. Our favorite options apart from NordVPN include:

• ExpressVPN. A safe provider with servers in 105 countries and more than 160 cities. It’s one of the fastest services with unlimited data, a no-log policy, and advanced security features for blocking ads and trackers.
• Private Internet Access. An amazing service with 30,000 servers in 91 countries. We love its privacy and add-ons like the SOCKS5 proxy and Shadowsocks for obfuscation. Read more about it in our Private Internet Access review.
• Surfshark. It’s an inexpensive service with over 4,500 servers in 100 countries. Packing unlimited connections, stable speeds, split tunneling, and MultiHop, it’s one of the most advanced providers to use for your IP address change.
• CyberGhost. CyberGhost has more than 12,000 servers in 100 countries and affordable prices. It offers Dedicated IPs, WireGuard, P2P servers, Forward Secrecy, and other innovations. Interestingly, 6-month and biennial CyberGhost plans have a 45-day money-back guarantee.

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2. Connecting to a Proxy

Another method of hiding your IP address is using a proxy, and it works on all devices. To make it clear, we don’t recommend this option for several reasons. Proxies aren’t as safe as VPNs, especially when talking about free proxies. Paid proxies, however, are quite different. These proxies cost quite a bit of money.

But, from our experience, they still rarely provide fast speeds compared to VPNs and often come with a heap of connection problems. Check out Oxylabs, Bright Data, or NetNut, the best proxy providers, and see how expensive they can be. If you want to quickly alter your IP address, go for a free proxy like Hide.me Proxy.

In our test, this proxy was barely fast enough for basic browsing and occasional YouTube streaming. Hide.me Proxy offers three locations: the Netherlands, Germany, and Finland. So, right from the start, you’re getting way less than with NordVPN or ExpressVPN, some of the most impressive VPNs.

To use this proxy, enter the domain address, select the country you want, and click Go. You’ll now visit the site using an IP address of the proxy server rather than your own. Free proxies mask your IP address only for the site you’re visiting, while all other traffic originates from your original IP address.

While Hide.me Proxy is safe, most free proxies collect and sell your data. They’re slow, don’t offer any encryption, and won’t unblock streaming services. Not to mention they’re a poor option for torrenting as well unless we’re talking about the SOCKS5 proxy, which, sadly, you won’t find for free.

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3. Using the Tor Browser

Tor Browser is often associated with exploring the dark web in privacy. Sure, it’s one of its uses. However, Tor’s main appeal is hiding your IP address and anonymizing your traffic. Tor relies on the so-called nodes to anonymize and encrypt the connection. When using it, the traffic is routed across Tor nodes that encrypt it.

The traffic is then decrypted before reaching the final destination, i.e., the website you’re trying to visit. As you can see, Tor is quite secure at first. Examining Tor closely, we already see some issues. Your ISP (Internet Provider) can see that you’re using Tor and suspect that you’re performing illicit activities on the dark web.

The entry node in Tor is unencrypted, leaving you exposed. Additionally, Tor nodes aren’t always secure and can be compromised. As a result, your sensitive data may still leak. From the perspective of changing your IP address, Tor isn’t great because it doesn’t let you select a location like NordVPN or another VPN.

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This solution is great for hiding your IP address, rather than changing it to a desired location. This spawns a flock of problems, such as the inability to bypass geo-blocks or download torrents privately. Tor is also very slow due to all the encryption going on. You’ll notice its connection times of up to a minute.

In comparison, VPNs connect in seconds. This is a price to pay for ironclad security that you don’t need to pay for with a VPN, while still getting stronger security and privacy. At the very least, Tor is free, so that’s something.

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4. Changing Your IP Address Manually

Let’s say you don’t want to use a VPN, Tor, or proxies. How to change your IP address in that case? There’s the option to alter your IP manually, but this doesn’t have specific benefits, at least not the best ones. You’ll be able to bypass an IP address ban if you’re a gamer, but you can do so more safely with a VPN.

The main issue is that you still don’t actually change your online location, gain additional privacy, and so on. Therefore, your ISP still sees your online activities and can restrict your internet by blocking websites, slowing the connection, etc. Sounds good? Perhaps not, but if you’re okay with this, we’ll proceed.

This is how to change your IP address manually on Windows, macOS, Android, and iPhone (iOS), and use another IP from your ISP’s pool.

Windows 11/10 Manual IP Address Change

1. Sign in with your administrator account.
2. Open Control Panel.
3. Click Network and Internet.
4. Select Network and Sharing Center.
5. On the left side, locate Change Adapter Settings and select it.
6. In the new window, find your connection and right-click on it.
7. Select Properties.
8. Find Internet Protocol 4 (TCP/IPv4) or Internet Protocol 6 (TCP/IPv6), depending on which type of IP address you’re using.
9. Select the appropriate option and click Properties.
10. Tick the box next to Use the Following IP Address.
11. Enter the desired IP address and press OK.

macOS Manual IP Address Change

• Open System Settings and select Network.
• ClickWi-Fi and then press Details…
• From here, click TCP/IP on the left side.
• On the right, you’ll see Configure IPv4 or Configure IPv6. Select one based on your IP type and set it to Manually.
• Next to IPv4 Address or IPv6 Address, type in the new IP and click OK.

Change Your IP Address Manually on Android

Let’s see how to do this on Android; we use a Samsung phone.

• Open Settings.
• Find your WiFi settings; it’s titled Connections on Samsung. Tap on it.
• Select your WiFi network and open its settings.
• Open advanced WiFi settings for that network. On Samsung, it’s the View More button that opens additional options.
• Under IP Settings, select Static instead of DHCP.
• Now enter your IP address and press Save.

Change Your IP address Manually on iOS (iPhone and iPad)

Finally, here’s how to change your IP on iPhones and iPads.

• Open Settings.
• Select Wi-Fi and tap on the network you’re using.
• Find the IPv4 Address menu and select Configure IP.
• Tap on Manual and enter the new IP address.
• Press Save, and you’re done.

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5. Rebooting Your Router

When you’re without an internet connection, the first thing that comes to mind is restarting the router. Little did you know that rebooting the router can change your IP address. At least in some cases. Most ISPs in the world use dynamic IP addresses. This means you’re not using a single IP address to go online.

Instead, ISPs shuffle different IP addresses between their users. One day, your IP can be 175.62.32.21, while another day, for whatever reason, your ISP can assign an IP address like 175.62.32.28. However, both IP addresses belong to your Internet Service Provider, and they serve the same purpose.

The trick to altering your IP address lies in unplugging your router. Some recommend a few minutes, while more extreme experts suggest waiting for 24 hours. Our experience showed that around 10-15 minutes is enough before you can plug the router back in. After that, you should be assigned a new IP address.

Again, that IP belongs to your ISP. We find this solution rather unreliable. For one, you won’t always get a new IP address, which can be the case if your ISP doesn’t use dynamic IP addresses. Two, it’s not safe compared to using an affordable premium VPN like NordVPN, as you don’t have additional security features.

Lastly, some users reported that this solution required a lot more than a few hours to work. We’ve heard of some people waiting for a day. In today’s day and age, spending 24 hours or even more without an internet connection is unnerving if your job is internet-dependent or if you need internet access for other essential needs.

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Why Should You Change Your IP Address?

We’ve thoroughly covered the five most effective methods to mask your IP address and use a new one. Doing so brings with it the undeniable benefits that people who switch their IPs look forward to. Beware that most of these advantages are tied to VPNs, not other methods we listed. Speaking of them, they include:

Amplified Privacy and Security

A VPN or even Tor positively impacts your privacy and security. Using another IP to go online hides your original one, allowing you to pose as another person. This is true when using NordVPN, whose security is unbeatable. With 256-bit encryption, no one can track you, not even your ISP.

NordVPN, along with ExpressVPN and CyberGhost, offers a kill switch that protects your identity even if the connection breaks. We then have a no-logs policy. This feature is present in all top-tier providers. It means the VPN doesn’t store or sell any sensitive user-related information on its servers.

These advantages are present in Tor and VPN only. However, if you use a paid proxy, you’ll find plenty of security features as well. They’re rarely worth the price, except if you’re into scraping and other non-typical benefits that they offer.

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Unblocking Restricted Websites

Unblocking sites is a key benefit of your IP address change. This will be valid with a VPN (and some proxies). By selecting another online location and country, you can appear as if you were browsing from that country. This is how people unblock streaming portals. The same goes for restricted sites, online bookies, and casinos.

Changing your IP to the UK means you can access Betfair, bet365, and other prevalent online betting sites. Changing your IP address with a VPN opens up limitless possibilities. Think of any restricted website, and you’ll likely be able to access it.

Anonymous Torrenting

Torrenting is all but safe and anonymous. With your IP address visible to other Peers in the P2P network, your privacy is always exposed. Torrent sites and their logging practices are notorious for going against your privacy by storing your download history. This is frequently reported to ISPs and authorities for processing.

An IP address change with a VPN remedies this issue. Once the connection is encrypted, all traffic will originate from another address of the VPN server in another country. The torrent site will now see the new IP and collect the download history based on this IP address. But what if this information ends up in someone’s hands?

That entity will see that the download history belongs to a VPN IP and do nothing. This is nearly impossible with the other four methods.

Saving Money on Online Purchases

You’ll discover that the prices of online goods differ from country to country. This applies to apps, games, and even physical items. People frequently travel more cheaply with a VPN, as flight tickets and hotel/parking rentals are more affordable in some countries. The key is to change your IP address to a less developed country.

You’ll immediately see different prices, as websites will think that you’re in the country you’ve chosen. As a result, they’ll display prices for that specific country. Experiment a bit and see what you can find. Our team managed to save upwards of hundreds of dollars annually on business flights and vacations.

Circumventing Firewalls

If you’re in a censored country like China or Russia, your internet space is limited. Using a VPN to change your IP address to another country can be beneficial. VPNs offer obfuscation that masks your VPN connection, making it look regular. You can use this for social media and VoIP apps in restricted regions.

We tested the other four methods, and they don’t work, however. Albeit some types of proxies are made for firewall restrictions, such as the Shadowsocks proxy. Paid proxiescan also sometimes bypass the Great Firewall of China and firewalls in other countries. But for this case, it’s smarter to use obfuscation.

NordVPN and ExpressVPN offer this feature, and it works well in China, Russia, Iran, and other locations. You can find out more about the top-rated VPNs for China here.

Several Types of IP Addresses

To understand how the five workarounds we discussed affect your connection, it’s important to know the different types of IP addresses. Here are our succinct explanations:

• Public IP Address: This is the IP address visible to the outside world and assigned to your home network by your ISP. Every device connected to your network shares this public IP, which can be hidden using a VPN, proxy, Tor, or similar tools.
• Private IP Address: Each device on your network has a unique private IP address assigned by your router. Unlike the public IP, this address cannot be seen outside your local network and is used for internal communication between devices. Private IPs cannot be changed.
• Static IP Address: A static IP remains fixed over time. It is sometimes shared among multiple users, often via a VPN service. Static IPs can be blocked if numerous requests from the same address are interpreted as spam by websites.
• Dynamic IP Address: Unlike static IPs, dynamic IPs change each time you reconnect to the network. This type of IP can enhance privacy but may cause issues with banking apps or websites that flag IP changes, potentially requiring additional verification or temporarily blocking access.
• Dedicated IP Address: A dedicated IP is similar to a static IP in that it never changes, but it is assigned exclusively to a single user. While it offers less privacy than dynamic IPs, it can help bypass CAPTCHA and avoid blacklisting issues that sometimes occur with shared static IPs. Dedicated IPs are typically available through VPN services such as NordVPN, ExpressVPN, Private Internet Access, or Surfshark, for a small fee.

Is Changing My IP Address Legal?

Doing this isn’t anything revolutionary, and millions of internet users do it daily. With a VPN, Tor, proxy, or other methods, you can do this safely and legally. The problem lies in what you’re doing with the IP, which can be legal or illegal.

If you’re looking to:

• Preserve your online privacy
• Unblock geo-restricted content
• Download non-copyrighted torrents
• Avoid ISP throttling, and so on.

Using another IP address is fine. But, if the purpose of an IP address change is to:

• Distribute copyrighted material
• Indulge in death threats and online harassment
• Buy/sell drugs and weapons, and so on…

Altering your online identity is ILLEGAL. We assume that most of our readers are on the righteous side of the law. Thus, it’s perfectly fine and legal to use a VPN or any other service or method we presented for this purpose.

How to Change My IP Address for Free?

You can do that with the five methods we discussed. If you’re thinking about using free VPNs or proxies, you know our unfavorable opinion about that. Free VPNs and proxies deliberately slow down your connection and limit your abilities. They don’t work for torrenting, they’re incapable of streaming, and have weak security.

Both are notorious for data collection, as well. While free proxies usually don’t allow you to select the location, neither do some free VPNs. Proton VPN, one of the most reliable free VPNs, offers only ten locations, but doesn’t let you manually choose one. Hide.me, another option, offers eight, while NordVPN offers 178+.

From the perspective of changing your IP address safely, free proxies and VPNs don’t make much sense. We’ll remind you of a 30-day money-back guarantee from providers like NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and PIA. Such providers can be used for free for 30 days with a refund at the end.

We title this the #1 solution to hide your IP with the most benefits.

The Bottom Line

With everything said in this comprehensive guide, we’re confident you know how to change your IP address on all devices. The best and most reliable route is the VPN. It works on all systems and allows you to modify your IP address in seconds. Proxy is also viable, but with a lot more compromises and shortcomings.

Hide.me Proxy is the only free option we recommend. We then have Tor, whose anonymity and privacy are decent, but with no ability to select a specific country, making it great only to hide your IP. The remaining two are the least attractive. While easy, they provide no other benefits, such as security, privacy, and unblocking.

Hide Your IP Address With NordVPN

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why would I want to change or hide my IP address?

People usually do this to enhance privacy, prevent websites from tracking them, bypass geographic restrictions, or troubleshoot network issues. In some cases, it also helps avoid online censorship.

Is it legal to hide my IP address?

Yes, in most countries it’s legal to hide or change your IP address. However, using it for illegal purposes (e.g., fraud, hacking, piracy) remains unlawful. Always check local regulations and use IP-masking tools responsibly.

Does hiding my IP make me completely anonymous online?

No. While hiding your IP address with a VPN or proxy improves privacy, complete anonymity requires additional steps, like using encrypted messaging apps, disabling trackers, and practicing safe browsing habits.