IP Address Leak Test: How to Check and Fix It

By MyLocation.place · Updated August 2026

A step-by-step guide to testing for IP, DNS, and WebRTC leaks and protecting your online anonymity.

Even when you're using a VPN or Tor, your real IP address can sometimes leak through without your knowledge. An IP leak exposes your true identity and location to websites, advertisers, and potential attackers. This guide will show you how to test for leaks and fix them.

What Is an IP Leak?

An IP leak occurs when your real public IP address is visible to websites or services despite using a tool like a VPN that should mask it. This typically happens through:

  • WebRTC — your browser's real-time communication protocol can expose your local and public IP via STUN server requests.
  • DNS leaks — your DNS queries (which reveal the websites you visit) are sent through your ISP's DNS servers instead of your VPN's encrypted tunnel.
  • IPv6 leaks — some VPNs only protect IPv4 traffic; if your device uses IPv6, your real IP can still be visible.
  • Kill switch failures — if your VPN connection drops and the kill switch fails, traffic continues through your real ISP connection.

Quick IP Leak Test (3 Steps)

Step 1: Check Your Public IP

Visit our IP Lookup Tool and note your IP address and location. This is your baseline.

Step 2: Connect Your VPN

Turn on your VPN and reconnect to a server in a different country.

Step 3: Re-check Your IP

Visit our tool again. If the IP and location match your VPN server, you're protected. If they show your real location, you have a leak.

Dedicated Tools for Leak Detection

Beyond our simple IP checker, these specialized services provide deeper testing:

Tool What It Checks Best For
IPLeak.net IP address, DNS servers, WebRTC IPs, IPv6, geolocation Comprehensive all-in-one test
DNSLeakTest.com Standard, extended, and full DNS leak tests DNS-specific testing
BrowserLeaks.com WebRTC, canvas fingerprinting, fonts, plugins, geolocation, IP Browser-level privacy audit
DoILeak.com IP, DNS, WebRTC, IPv6, proxy detection, TOR detection Detailed analysis with explanations

Want to mask your IP?

Read our VPN Comparison guide to find a service that prevents leaks.

How to Fix an IP Leak

  1. Use a reputable VPN with a kill switch. Free VPNs often lack leak protection. Recommended providers include NordLayer, ProtonVPN, and Mullvad.
  2. Disable WebRTC in your browser. In Firefox, go to about:config and set media.peerconnection.enabled to false. In Chrome/Edge, install an extension like uBlock Origin or WebRTC Leak Prevent.
  3. Disable IPv6 on your device or router if your VPN doesn't support it.
  4. Check for DNS leaks and manually set your DNS servers to your VPN's DNS (e.g., 1.1.1.1 for Cloudflare, 8.8.8.8 for Google).
  5. Test regularly. VPN configurations can break during software updates.

FAQ: IP Leaks

Not if you use a high-quality VPN that includes DNS leak protection and a kill switch. Budget VPNs are more prone to leaks. Always test after connecting and check for WebRTC and IPv6 leaks.

The Tor Browser is designed to prevent IP leaks, but you should never use BitTorrent over Tor, and avoid downloading files while connected. Browser extensions and plugins can also potentially bypass Tor's protection.

Your ISP can always see that you're connecting to a VPN server, but they can't see which sites you visit through the VPN. For additional obfuscation, use "obfuscated" or "stealth" VPN protocols that make VPN traffic look like regular HTTPS traffic.

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