Does my browser expose my real IP through WebRTC?
Your browser exposes your real IP only if the test above shows a public address other than the one this site sees. That is a WebRTC leak, and with a VPN on, the other address is usually your internet provider's. An address in the other format, IPv6 next to IPv4 or the reverse, is a leak only if your VPN does not cover that format. Addresses on your home network, and the ones your browser hides, are not leaks.
WebRTC can reveal your address even when a VPN hides it
WebRTC is the part of your browser that runs video and voice calls, and any web page can use it. To set up a call, it asks a STUN server which public address it sees, which is the address your router or network shares with the internet . The internet standard RFC 8828 notes that when you hide your location with a VPN, WebRTC can find both the VPN's public address and your internet provider's address underneath .
That is what a WebRTC leak test looks for. Test sites show the addresses WebRTC exposes, and seeing your provider's address instead of the VPN's while the VPN is on means a leak . This page does the same and labels each address, so you can tell which ones matter.
How to read your result: only a different public address is a leak
The box beside the title shows the address our server sees, then everything WebRTC found. To be sure an address is your provider's, run the test twice:
- Turn the VPN off and note the address this site sees.
- Connect the VPN and select Check again.
- If that first address appears anywhere in the WebRTC list, your browser is leaking it.
The verdict at the top reads No leak, Leak or Check. While it runs it says Testing, and No answer or Not compared if our server cannot read your address. Match each line of the list to this table.
| What you see | What it is | Result in the box |
|---|---|---|
| Same as this site sees | Your public address, found through the STUN server | No leak: sites already see it |
| A different public address of the same kind | An address WebRTC found outside the path your browser uses | Leak: with a VPN on, it is usually your provider's address |
| An IPv6 address while the site sees IPv4, or the reverse | A public address in the other format (both formats explained) | Check: a leak only if your VPN does not cover that format |
| A private address, such as 192.168.1.20 | Your device's address on your home network | No leak: it does not reach the internet |
| A number of hidden addresses | Local addresses your browser replaced with random names ending in .local | No leak: the browser is hiding them |
| Nothing, or WebRTC turned off | The browser shares no address | No leak |
Source: IETF RFC 8828 and RFC 1918; Google Chrome team, Mozilla and WebKit. Checked October 2026.
Hidden addresses are the browsers' own fix. Since Chrome 76 in 2019, Chrome replaces private addresses in WebRTC with random .local names, except on sites you allow to use your camera or microphone . Firefox added the same kind of protection in version 74, in some cases . Safari shows only public addresses unless a site has camera or microphone access .
A private address is not a leak even when it shows. Those addresses are reserved for internal networks and are not passed on to the internet , so no site can reach you through one.
What VPN apps and extensions do about WebRTC leaks
Extensions that work as proxies cover one browser, unlike a VPN app that covers the whole device: NordVPN says its extensions secure only browser traffic . NordVPN and ExpressVPN build WebRTC blocking into their extensions:
- NordVPN says its extension blocks WebRTC leaks, with the feature on by default .
- ExpressVPN's extension has a Block WebRTC setting under Privacy & Security, which it says makes the browser use the same network path for media as for normal web traffic .
Why the WebRTC test shows a leak, and how to fix it
Most WebRTC leaks behind a VPN have one of three causes. Find the line that matches what you see.
| What you see | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| A different public address while the VPN app is connected | Split tunneling, a setting that lets chosen apps bypass the VPN, leaves this browser out, or the VPN dropped | Take the browser out of split tunneling, or reconnect, then test again |
| A different public address with a VPN browser extension | The extension proxies only browser traffic, and WebRTC can go around it | Turn on the extension's WebRTC blocking, or use the VPN app |
| An IPv6 address while the site sees IPv4 | The VPN carries only IPv4 and does not block IPv6, so IPv6 traffic goes out | Ask your VPN provider whether its app carries or blocks IPv6, and use the app that does |
Sources: UK NCSC; NordVPN and ExpressVPN help pages; ACM IMC (2018) and PoPETs (2015) studies of IPv6 leaks. Checked October 2026.
An IPv6 leak is the same problem for one address format: the VPN carries IPv4 but lets IPv6 traffic leave with your real address .
How to stop or disable WebRTC in each browser, from Chrome to Brave
Each browser handles WebRTC its own way. Of the settings below, only Firefox's turns WebRTC off entirely. Start with the row for the browser you use.
| Browser | What it does already | How to stop leaks |
|---|---|---|
| Chrome | Hides local addresses behind .local names since Chrome 76 | Install Google's WebRTC Network Limiter extension |
| Firefox | Hides local addresses in some cases since Firefox 74 | Set media.peerconnection.enabled to false, which turns WebRTC off |
| Safari | Shows only public addresses unless a site has camera or microphone access | Use a VPN app that covers the whole device |
| Edge | Has an admin policy that stops WebRTC exposing the local address | Ask whoever manages the computer to set the admin policy to AllowPublicInterfaceOnly, which hides only the local address |
| Brave | Offers a WebRTC IP handling policy in its settings | Choose "Default public interface only" or "Disable non-proxied UDP" |
Sources: Google Chrome team; Mozilla; WebKit; Microsoft; Brave; BrowserLeaks and ipleak.net. Checked October 2026.
The Edge policy is called "Restrict exposure of local IP address by WebRTC", and it works on Windows and macOS from Edge 77. It hides only the local address. For a public-address leak, use a VPN app that covers the whole device.
To turn WebRTC off in Firefox:
- Type about:config in the address bar and continue past the warning.
- Search for media.peerconnection.enabled.
- Set it to false. Video calls in Firefox stop working until you set it back to true.
In Brave, the setting is Settings › Privacy and security › WebRTC IP handling policy . You may also read an older tip about uBlock Origin. It removed its WebRTC setting from desktop browsers in version 1.38, because browsers now hide local addresses themselves .
What this test does not check
This test looks only at WebRTC in the browser you run it in. Other leaks need their own check:
- Your main IP address and its country, which the What is my IP page shows.
- DNS leaks, where the lookups for site names go outside the VPN, usually to your provider . The VPN check page explains how to test for them.
- IPv6 traffic from other apps. Proton suggests comparing your IPv6 address with the VPN off and on .
- Other browsers and devices, which each have their own WebRTC settings.
How this test works and what it sends
The test asks your browser to gather its addresses through Cloudflare's public STUN server, stun.cloudflare.com, which Cloudflare says is free and unlimited . That is the only request this test sends anywhere besides our own server. Our server returns the address it sees, read from the request your browser sends through Cloudflare , and your browser compares the two lists itself.
The page never asks for your camera or microphone. Chrome and Safari reveal local addresses to sites that have that access , so here Chrome and Safari keep them hidden. We store nothing, apart from the technical logs described in our privacy policy.
Where to go next
- Online VPN tools: the IP check, the VPN check and this test, in the order to run them.
- What to do about Netflix error E106: when Netflix says you are using a VPN.
- VPNs that work for streaming: which VPNs work with each service in our research.
- VPN IP checker: whether an address is listed as a VPN, data center or Tor exit.
- NordVPN's apps, extension and research scores: its WebRTC blocking and how it does with each service.
Quick questions
- Will turning off WebRTC break video calls?
- Yes, in that browser. WebRTC is what runs video and voice calls in web pages, so turning it off in Firefox stops them until you turn it back on. Chrome's WebRTC Network Limiter and Brave's WebRTC setting limit which addresses WebRTC uses instead of switching it off.
- How do I disable WebRTC in Chrome?
- Chrome's documented fix is Google's WebRTC Network Limiter extension, which leak-test sites list as the main mitigation for Chrome. Install the extension from the Chrome Web Store, then run this test again to see what Chrome still shows.
- Is it a leak if the test shows a .local address?
- No. A name ending in .local is a local address your browser has hidden behind a random name, and this test counts these as hidden. Chrome has done this since version 76, except on sites with camera or microphone access, and Firefox since version 74 in certain cases.
- Can WebRTC leak my IP address on an iPhone?
- Only a public address can leak through Safari on an iPhone: WebKit, the engine behind Safari, shows sites only public addresses unless you let a site use your camera or microphone. Connect your VPN app on the iPhone and run this test in Safari to see whether the public address matches the one sites see.
- Is WebRTC safe to leave on?
- It is safe to leave on when this test, run with your VPN connected, shows no public address other than the one sites see. Current Chrome and Safari hide local addresses from most sites, and Firefox does in some cases, so the address that matters is the public one.
Sources31 official pages and data sets behind this page
Numbered in order of first use. Research scores are our own aggregate: how we gather sources.
- 1RFC 8489: Session Traversal Utilities for NAT (STUN)IETF / RFC Editor · Page dated 1 February 2020
- 2RFC 8828: WebRTC IP Address Handling RequirementsIETF / RFC Editor · Page dated 2021-01
- 3WebRTC Leak TestBrowserLeaks · Checked 6 October 2026
- 4IP/DNS Detect (ipleak.net)ipleak.net (AirVPN) · Checked 6 October 2026
- 5Is my VPN working?Proton VPN blog (Douglas Crawford) · Page dated 16 February 2024
- 6RFC 1918: Address Allocation for Private InternetsIETF / RFC Editor · Page dated 1 February 1996
- 7PSA: Private IP addresses exposed by WebRTC changing to mDNS hostnames (forwarded to the IETF rtcweb list)Google Chrome/WebRTC team (Qingsi Wang), forwarded by Justin Uberti · Page dated 13 August 2019
- 8Firefox 74.0 release notesMozilla · Page dated 10 March 2020
- 9A Closer Look Into WebRTCWebKit · Page dated 3 July 2017
- 10What is a NordVPN browser extension and why do I need it?NordVPN · Checked 7 October 2026
- 11Should I choose NordVPN app or NordVPN extension?NordVPN · Checked 7 October 2026
- 12How to download NordVPN software?NordVPN · Checked 7 October 2026
- 13How to stop WebRTC leaksNordVPN · Checked 7 October 2026
- 14How to use the ExpressVPN browser extensionExpressVPN · Page dated 19 August 2026
- 15Evolving Proxy Detection as a Global ServiceNetflix (About Netflix newsroom), David Fullagar · Page dated 14 January 2016
- 16Why does BBC iPlayer think I'm outside the UK?BBC iPlayer Help · Checked 6 October 2026
- 17Manage your home area or current location for YouTube TV (Android)Google (YouTube TV Help) · Checked 6 October 2026
- 18Understanding DAZN's VPN Policy (DAZN Help Center, en-gb)DAZN · Page dated 8 September 2025
- 19Amazon Prime Video Terms of Use - GlobalAmazon (Prime Video) · Page dated 26 August 2026
- 20GeoIP Anonymous IP database documentationMaxMind (developer portal) · Checked 6 October 2026
- 21GeoIP Anonymous IP Database (product page)MaxMind · Checked 6 October 2026
- 22Virtual private networks (device security guidance)UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) · Checked 6 October 2026
- 23What is Split Tunneling and how to use it with NordVPN?NordVPN Help Center · Page dated 17 September 2026
- 24An Empirical Analysis of the Commercial VPN Ecosystem (IMC 2018)Khan, DeBlasio, Voelker, Snoeren, Kanich, Vallina-Rodriguez / ACM IMC · Page dated 31 October 2018
- 25A Glance through the VPN Looking Glass: IPv6 Leakage and DNS Hijacking in Commercial VPN clients (PoPETs 2015)Perta, Barbera, Tyson, Haddadi, Mei / PoPETs · Page dated 2015
- 26Microsoft Edge policy: WebRtcLocalhostIpHandling (Restrict exposure of local IP address by WebRTC)Microsoft · Page dated 20 May 2026
- 27WebRTC Custom Settings (Brave browser wiki)Brave · Page dated 2 October 2018
- 28Prevent WebRTC from leaking local IP address (uBlock Origin wiki)uBlock Origin (Raymond Hill) · Page dated 17 September 2021
- 29Test your IPv6 connectivity (test-ipv6.com)test-ipv6.com (APNIC Labs per copyright notice) · Checked 6 October 2026
- 30Cloudflare Realtime TURN service: service addresses and FAQCloudflare · Checked 7 October 2026
- 31Managed Transforms reference: Add visitor location headersCloudflare · Checked 7 October 2026