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VPNs & DNS

How to Check If Your VPN Is Leaking Your IP Address

Updated · 2 min read

Written by the ScanMyPrivacy team. How we write and check guides · Report a correction

Try it yourself:DNS Leak TestWebRTC Leak TestAm I Using a VPN?

A VPN is supposed to replace your real IP address with the VPN server's address and keep your traffic private inside an encrypted tunnel. Sometimes part of that fails quietly: the VPN app says "Connected" while your real address, your DNS lookups or your IPv6 traffic slip around the tunnel. This checklist takes about five minutes and tests every common leak.

Before you start: get a baseline

With the VPN off, open the home page and note your address, internet provider and city. This is what a leak would reveal, so you need it to compare against. If you skip this step you cannot tell a leak from a harmless result.

Step 1: Check your IP address

Connect the VPN, wait ten seconds, then reload the home page. Your address, provider and location should now belong to the VPN, not to your home network. Run the VPN check too: it tells you whether sites will see your connection as a VPN or data-centre network. If your original address still shows, the VPN is not carrying your traffic at all.

Step 2: Test for DNS leaks

Every website you visit starts with a DNS lookup. If those lookups go to your internet provider instead of the VPN, your provider can still see every site you visit. Run the DNS leak test. A good result lists resolvers on the VPN's network. A resolver belonging to your home provider is a leak. A public resolver such as Google or Cloudflare is not a leak of your location, but it is not your VPN's own privacy protection either. More detail is in do VPNs leak DNS?

Step 3: Test for WebRTC leaks

WebRTC is a browser feature for video calls that can reveal your real address to a website, even through a VPN. Run the WebRTC leak test. If it shows an address that is not the VPN's, follow how to stop WebRTC leaks.

Step 4: Check IPv6

Some VPNs only tunnel IPv4. If your connection also has IPv6, that traffic can bypass the VPN entirely. On the home page, look at the IPv6 line. "Not detected" is fine. An IPv6 address that belongs to your home provider is a leak. Read what is an IPv6 leak for the fix.

Step 5: Run everything at once

The full privacy scan repeats these checks together and turns them into a single score with a fix list. Run it with the VPN on and again with it off to see exactly what the VPN changed.

If a test fails

  1. Turn on your VPN's DNS leak protection and kill switch in its settings.
  2. Disable IPv6 on your network adapter if the VPN does not support it.
  3. Restrict WebRTC in your browser.
  4. Test again. If it still leaks, switch to a provider or protocol that does not.

These tests show a snapshot. Retest after VPN app updates, when you change networks (home Wi-Fi to mobile data) and after your computer wakes from sleep, because those are the moments leaks usually appear.

Tools that can help

VPNs

What it does: Replace the IP address websites see with the VPN's, and encrypt traffic between your device and the VPN. Useful on untrusted networks. What it does not do: Stop phishing, malware, browser fingerprinting or tracking by sites you log in to. The VPN company can see your traffic instead, so choose one you trust and avoid free services you cannot vouch for.

  • Proton VPNFree tier and paidNo commissionVPN with a free plan (fewer servers) and paid plans. Visit site
  • Mullvad VPNPaidNo commissionPaid VPN that does not ask for an email address to sign up. Visit site
  • Our VPN partnerPaidAffiliate: we may earn a commissionThe VPN we have an affiliate arrangement with. Compare it with the options above before you buy. See the offer

Privacy-focused DNS

What it does: Change which company answers your website lookups, and can block known malicious or tracking domains. What it does not do: Hide your IP address, stop browser fingerprinting, or hide which sites you visit from your internet provider (it can still see the connection).

  • Quad9FreeNo commissionFree public resolver run by a non-profit that blocks known malicious domains. Visit site
  • Cloudflare 1.1.1.1FreeNo commissionFree public resolver focused on speed, with optional malware-blocking addresses. Visit site

Items marked Affiliate pay us a commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you; they never change what our tests report or the order of free options. How we choose.

Keep reading

Do VPNs Leak DNS?Why a VPN can still leak your DNS requests to your ISP, the common causes (IPv6, Windows, browser DoH) and how to test for and fix a DNS leak.How to Stop WebRTC LeaksStep-by-step settings to stop WebRTC leaking your real IP address in Firefox, Chrome, Edge, Brave and Safari, and how to confirm the leak is closed.What Is an IPv6 Leak, and How Do You Fix It?An IPv6 leak exposes your real address even while a VPN shows connected. Learn how it happens, how to test for it and three ways to fix it.VPN connected but your real IP is still visible: causes and fixesTest shows your real IP while the VPN says connected? Check IPv6, WebRTC, DNS, split tunnelling and a dropped tunnel in order, and how to confirm each.How to Test Your VPN Kill SwitchA kill switch should cut your internet when the VPN drops. Here is a simple, safe way to test it with a repeating IP check, on Windows, Mac and Linux.Are Free VPNs Safe?Why free VPNs are risky, how they make money, documented cases of abuse and what to use instead if you cannot pay. Includes a checklist to evaluate any VPN.

Frequently asked questions

How often should I test my VPN for leaks?

After installing or updating the VPN, after switching networks and occasionally for peace of mind. A passing test today does not guarantee a passing test after the next app update.

My VPN shows connected but the IP check shows my real address. Why?

The VPN may be connected without routing your traffic, which can happen after sleep, a network change or a conflicting app. Disconnect, reconnect and test again. If it keeps happening, change protocol or server.

Is a passing leak test proof my VPN is private?

No. It shows your address and lookups are not leaking right now. It says nothing about how the VPN company handles logs and data. Choose a provider you trust as well as one that passes the tests.