Why Is My Vpn Not Hiding My Location
Why isn’t a VPN hiding my real location? | TechRadar
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Using a VPN brings all kinds of benefits. One of the most important is that it gives you a new virtual location, maybe helping you access geoblocked is largely automatic. Connect to a server in the UK, US or anywhere else your VPN offers, and your regular IP address will be shielded – websites should treat you as though you’re visiting from your chosen country. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work that way. You might have connected to a US server, but some websites may still know you’re in the UK, while others think you’re somewhere else entirely, or just refuse to work as you’d expect. (Image credit: BBC)This could be a major issue, especially if accessing this website is the reason you’re using the VPN in the first place, but sometimes there’s little you can do to solve the problem. Netflix makes huge efforts to block VPNs and proxies, for instance, and does this very effectively. Your only option is to try and find another service which allows access, but even then, there’s no guarantee it will stay working for VPN location issues are simpler to address, though, so don’t give up just yet. Following our guide may help you to identify the cause of your problems, and get the VPN working just as you’d ’s also worth bearing in mind the good reasons why a VPN isn’t enough(Image credit:)Verify your VPN locationThe first step in diagnosing VPN location issues is to confirm what your client software is telling you. There are two issues to think about metimes a VPN client will say it has allocated an IP address from one country, but actually use somewhere else entirely. For example, one VPN we tested gave us German and US IPs when we connected to its two UK servers. As a result, although we thought we were connected to the UK, BBC iPlayer wouldn’t play as we appeared to be from another second problem is that some poorly programmed VPN clients don’t properly monitor your connection state. They might show you as connected, even if the VPN drops. In that case it might look like you’re using a VPN server far away, but any website will just see your regular check this for yourself, point your browser at IP Location immediately after you’ve had any location problems. The site runs your IP address through several web services and displays the city and country where it thinks you’re located. Note that geolocation isn’t a precise science, so don’t worry if there are several suggested cities – the country is what the report shows your home country and ISP, the VPN connection may have dropped or stopped working. Reboot and try the IP address is from another country, but not the one you selected, your VPN may be at fault. Close and restart your client, connect to several servers and verify their location with the site. Report any variations to your your VPN has given you an IP address exactly where you requested, then it seems to be working as it should. That’s good news, but also means you’ll have to dig a little deeper to find the source of your problems. (Image credit: Witopia)Try another serverSometimes you’ll be allocated a new IP address correctly, but a website might recognize that it belongs to a VPN address range, and block it or somehow limit your could mean that although you’re connected to a UK, US or some other server, this won’t allow you to unblock a streaming site in that providers will sometimes try to highlight the best servers for particular tasks. The client might have an icon to indicate which servers are best to use for Netflix, for example. Sometimes there will be a server list on the website with this information, or you could always email the company and ternatively, if you can’t properly access a website from one of your VPN’s servers in that country, try each of the other servers in turn. There’s no guarantee of success, but we’ve often found that’s enough to solve the out the best free VPN servicesCookie cutting and moreReplacing your IP address won’t always be enough to persuade a website that you’re in another location, particularly if you have an account at the site or have visited it before. A website might use an IP and location from your initial visit, for instance. If you’ve logged in via a social media account, it may be able to obtain location-related profile details. It could use cookies to maintain location across tactics aren’t used by everyone, but it’s still a good idea to check whether these website state issues might be related to your VPN by logging out from a website account at the end of a normal session, then connect to your VPN and log in as removing any browser state information – delete your cookies, browser history and so on – before you log ternatively, launch an anonymous browsing session which won’t have any previous website state information (in Chrome this is Menu > New Incognito Window, and in Firefox it’s Menu > New Private Window, or a similar option in other browsers). (Image credit: Sitepoint)Geolocation APIWebsites and apps have several options available to try and find your location, but one of the simplest is the HTML Geolocation API. It’s easy to use, often surprisingly accurate, and probably won’t be affected by your this by connecting to your VPN, then running the geolocation test on the BrowserLeaks rmally your browser should ask if the site can access your location. Give it permission and a map will appear, most likely with your real location, and not the VPN main problem here is that if you give an app or website permission to access your location, that may be remembered next time, and the website will always be able to see where you your browsers and apps for permissions you may have given previously, and delete any you don’t Chrome, click Settings > Privacy and Security > Site Settings > Location to see the list of blocked and allowed refox has a similar list at Options > Privacy and Security > Permissions > Location. Opera’s is at Settings > Websites > Location. Internet Explorer can allow or block location checks from Tools > Internet Options > Privacy > Location. Another option is to manage location permissions at device level, allowing you to control more apps at Android, click Settings > Locations to view recent location requests or turn off location access for Windows 10, press Win+A and click All Settings > Privacy > ‘re able to see and control which apps have permission to access your precise location. A Clear button wipes Windows’ recent location history, and you can optionally turn off the location service for all Windows apps at once. Keep in mind that this only works for system apps, like Cortana and Edge – it won’t affect Chrome, Firefox or other third-party software. (Image credit:)IP leaksA website could try to identify your real location by checking for IP address leaks, or other indicators that you’re not where you say you and click Start Tests to see how this might the WebRTC Leak and HTTP Request Leaks sections, in particular. If either of these contain your real external IP (not a local 192. 168. x. x address), that could provide any website with a way to detect your real report might also list signs that suggest you’re using a proxy or VPN. These could include an unusual connection type, multiple browser types or differences between your browser and IP address time results you’ll see might vary depending on your browser, so revisit the site with any other browsers or devices you might use, and look for any you find one browser or device doesn’t report a particular leak, try using that with your VPN to connect to any problem sites. And if they no longer seem to detect your location, maybe the address leak was the leaks is more difficult, as they’re usually a function of how the service is set up, but there may still be things you can do. Check out your client Settings dialog for additional privacy features you might be able to turn on – smart DNS, multi-hop VPN, Tor support – or browse the VPN provider’s support pages to find out out our best VPNDiscover how to change location with a VPN
Mike began his career as a lead software developer in the engineering world, where his creations were used by big-name companies from Rolls Royce to British Nuclear Fuels and British Aerospace. He now covers VPNs, antivirus and all things security for TechRadar, although he still has a secret love of quirky open-source and freeware apps which find brand new ways to solve common problems.
Why is VPN Not Hiding Your Location (Hide IP) – CyberWaters
One of the VPN features is the ability to virtually change your location. It does that by masking your real IP address and using a VPN server to connect to websites on your anging the location allows you to access otherwise restricted content and browse privately. But does it hide your location all the time? You probably noticed that websites sometimes still know your location even when on a VPN. So why is VPN not hiding your real location when it is supposed to? Let’s see why you can still be discovered and how to solve is VPN not hiding your location? Your VPN leaks IP addressWebsites use tracking cookiesYour browser geolocation is usedHow to hide your location using a VPNTest for IP leaksCut Off Tracking CookiesDisable geolocation on your browserConclusionWhy is VPN not hiding your location? A VPN may not hide your location for a few reasons. First, the VPN you use might have IP leaks that reveal your real location. Second, websites use cookies, browser fingerprinting, and browser’s geolocation API to track you. A VPN can not hide your location completely if these methods are ’s take a look at possible reasons why VPN is not hiding your VPN leaks IP addressThere are three types of leaks: IP, DNS, and WebRTC leaks. IP leak protection is critical for a VPN to hide your location at all times. Even temporarily exposing your IP may reveal where you are, and it’s a serious privacy issue. IPv4 and IPv6 leaks: nowadays your ISP assigns you two types of IP – versions 4 and 6. VPN services mostly use IPv4 and block IPv6 addresses. If any of those are leaked your location is exposed to the leak: before connecting to a website your device makes a DNS query to turn a domain name into a website’s IP address. These queries are often leaked if a VPN is not configured properly. DNS leaks can reveal your real location and show the visited websites to your leak: this type of leak is a browser-specific leak. A VPN apps have no control over it and it needs to be turned off in the browser settings. Find suggestions on how to turn it off s use tracking cookiesMany websites use cookies either for functionality or tracking. Cookies can hold up information about your identity, location, and previously visited websites. Unfortunately, a VPN can not block cookies as they are files that are downloaded inside a VPN tunnel. So even with your IP changed they still may reveal the information about where you websites inject third-party cookies that can track you across the internet. These are mostly used by advertisers that can determine your approximate location. Another tracking technique is called browser fingerprinting. It uses your browser’s parameters to partially identify you and your approximate browser geolocation is usedYour location may be revealed by your browser GPS functionality. Some websites ask permission to use your browser’s geolocation API to let them know where you are. A VPN can not protect from that as all the coordinates are sent over the VPN, inside the encrypted tunnel. You should set browser location permissions manually as a VPN has no control over of the time websites detect your location by IP address. But, if browser geolocation is used your location is revealed even if you are connected to a VPN can test how this works at to hide your location using a VPNThere are still options for what you can do to fully hide your location when on a VPN. You need to tackle IP leaks, tracking, and deal with geo-location with simple ’s how to hide your location on a VPN:Test for IP leaksTo make sure your VPN truly works as intended you need to test for IP leaks. The easiest way to do so is to visit IP leak testing websites: or will tell you if your real IPv4, IPv6, and DNS addresses are shown. It will display the results for WebRTC leak as well. In case a WebRTC leak is detected you need to install a VPN browser extension and disable the setting there. The best VPNs include those extensions in your any of those tests fail this means your VPN leaks your real location. You should seriously consider changing your service provider immediately. NordVPN or ExpressVPN are the leaders in the industry that do not leak any Off Tracking CookiesA VPN on its own does not protect from tracking cookies. But, some services have features that can block malicious websites and advertiser tracking. They do protect from third-party cookies. Another great tip is to use an incognito window. It is a privacy window that deletes all cookies after you close it. It starts your browsing session fresh each time and you can find it on every browser:You can open Private Incognito Window in any browser by keyboard commands:Chrome: CTRL/Command + Shift + NFirefox: CTRL/Command + Shift + PSafari: Command + Shift + NDisable geolocation on your browserTo hide your location on a VPN, you must configure your browser location permissions. Geolocation is the most common way to expose your coordinates even when connected to a VPN. You can do this on every browser. Disable browser geolocation API On Chrome:Go to Menu > SettingsSelect Privacy and Security > Site SettingsThen LocationTurn on “Ask Before Accessing”Disable browser geolocation API On Safari: Go to Preferences > PrivacySelect Website TrackingCheckmark “Prevent cross-site tracking” and “Ask websites not to track me”Disable browser geolocation API On Firefox: Go to Menu > OptionsSelect> Privacy And SecurityThen Permissions > LocationAdd checkmark on “Block new requests” or manage permissionsConclusionWhen using a VPN your location might not be hidden all the time. This might happen because your VPN might leak your real IP address. The use of a browser geolocation API and cookies might also be one of the of the time it is enough to hide your location with a VPN and blocking browser GPS settings. Here are the best VPNs to do that:
FIX: VPN not hiding location (8 foolproof hacks) – Windows …
Elena started writing professionally in 2010 and hasn’t stopped exploring the tech world since. With a firm grasp of software reviewing and content editing, she is always trying new things to improve her skill… Read more
Updated: Dec 3, 2020
Posted: July 2018
If your VPN can’t hide your location, then it’s failing one of its main jobs. You won’t be able to protect your privacy due to IP leaks.
We prepared an eight-step guide below to help you easily fix location issues with your virtual private network solution.
Find out more about how to stop browser leaks and protect your online privacy using our methods.
Join our VPN Troubleshooting Hub if you’re experiencing any other VPN-related issues.
If your VPN doesn’t hide your location, it means that it’s failing at its job.
The main goal of a virtual private network solution is to protect your online privacy. But it can’t do that without masking your IP address and geolocation.
Fortunately, this is a common issue that you can easily solve by exploring our solutions below.
How to tell if your VPN is leaking your location
Without connecting to a VPN, ask Google what’s your IP address
Write it down (that’s your true IP)
Launch your VPN app and connect to a VPN server
Go back to Google and ask the same question
Compare the new IP address with the previous one
If the two IP addresses are the same, it means that your VPN is leaking your IP and location.
What can you do if your VPN isn’t hiding your location?
Avoid using free VPN
If you intend to remain anonymous when going online, you shouldn’t put your faith in a free VPN since it does more harm than good.
A free VPN may have faulty security features and leak your IP address and location. On top of that, it might monitor, collect and share your traffic.
But a paid VPN is another story. Because it’s continuously maintained by a development team, you will often receive updates with new features and improvements.
Take Private Internet Access (PIA), for example. It’s a premium VPN service with more than 3, 300 servers spread across 48 countries.
PIA passes all IP leak tests, so you can trust that this VPN won’t fail to hide your location.
And, if something like that happens, you can immediately get in touch with the development team, thanks to 24/7 live chat support.
Private Internet Access
Get this super-reliable VPN to protect your device from any IP leaks.
Update your VPN app to the latest version
It’s essential to keep your VPN app updated to the newest version, no matter what operating system or device you use. This way, you can prevent issues like the VPN not being able to hide your location.
Check the settings of your VPN client for version updates and make sure it’s set to automatically get the latest versions.
However, it’s not a good idea to join any beta development programs. The beta phase is unstable and could result in further issues, such as IP leaks or crashes.
Disable WebRTC leaks
If WebRTC is enabled in your web browser, then it will leak your IP and location no matter what you do. It’s not a feature that you can control from a VPN desktop app.
You can manually configure browser settings to disable WebRTC leaks. Or, you can turn to a browser extension that automatically does that.
There are plenty of free browser extensions that can turn off WebRTC. Just head over to Chrome Web Store or Firefox Add-ons and search for “disable WebRTC”.
However, if you own Private Internet Access (buy here), make sure to install its browser addon. It has an extra feature for blocking WebRTC IP detection.
Connect to a different VPN server
The VPN provider doesn’t always create the tunnel correctly. It might leak your IP address and location along the way.
What you can do is simple: connect to another VPN server. You can also try restarting the VPN app and reinstalling the TAP drivers.
Always use HTTPS
HTTP requests can leak your IP address and location, without any fault on the VPN client’s side.
To stop this from happening, avoid visiting HTTP pages and make sure you’re always using HTTPS.
You can find a lot of awesome addons that force your web browser to access only HTTPS websites, such as HTTPS Everywhere.
If you’re a premium VPN user, though, check if the VPN‘s browser addon can enforce HTTPS pages. For instance, Private Internet Access (buy here) follows this rule.
Change your GPS location
If you’re trying to access services that track you down by GPS instead of IP, then your regular VPN won’t be able to hide your location. Examples include Waze, Google Maps, and Tinder.
A VPN isn’t designed to change your GPS location. However, if you’re an Android user, look for apps in the Play Store for this purpose.
If you prefer using a VPN with integrated features for changing your GPS location, use Surfshark (buy here).
It’s an excellent premium VPN service that supports unlimited connections. And its Android app can take over your GPS.
An alternative solution is to disable location services in your web browser. But you won’t be able to use those services anymore.
Disable geolocation API
In Chrome, go to Settings > Advanced > Location
In Firefox, head over to Options > Privacy and Security > Permissions > Location
In Opera, visit Settings > Websites > Location
In Microsoft Edge, check out Tools > Internet Options > Privacy > Location
Once you reach the location settings, you can manage permissions by disabling access to your current location for each online service.
Geolocation API is one of the easiest ways for online apps and services to find your location. It’s accurate, easy to use, and unaffected by your VPN.
To test this, connect to your VPN and run a geolocation test using this tool.
Use a VPN kill switch
A VPN kill switch is an excellent addition to any VPN service. It automatically cuts off all Internet access on your device if the VPN drops unexpectedly.
So, the kill switch prevents IP leaks that could occur in the time it takes your VPN client to reconnect.
Private Internet Access (buy here) is a prime example of a virtual private network solution with a built-in kill switch. You can quickly find and activate it from the settings panel.
To recap, you should fix any problem caused by your VPN, even if it doesn’t hide your location.
Avoid using a free VPN, keep your VPN app updated to the latest version, and disable WebRTC leaks in your web browsers.
You can also connect to another VPN server, visit only HTTPS websites, and change your GPS location or disable the geolocation API.
Lastly, it’s essential to get equipped with a reliable VPN service that comes with a kill switch, such as Private Internet Access (buy here).
Your connection is not secure – websites you visit can find out your details:
Your IP Address:34. 138. 201. 227
Companies can sell this information, alongside your location and internet provider name, and profit from it by serving targeted ads or monitoring your data usage.
We recommend Private Internet Access, a VPN with a no-log policy, open source code, ad blocking and much more; now 79% off.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my VPN not hiding my location?
How do I hide my location without a VPN?
You can use a proxy server, join Tor, or use a Smart DNS to unblock streaming content.
Frequently Asked Questions about why is my vpn not hiding my location
Why isn’t my VPN hiding my location?
Change your GPS location If you’re trying to access services that track you down by GPS instead of IP, then your regular VPN won’t be able to hide your location. … And its Android app can take over your GPS. An alternative solution is to disable location services in your web browser.Dec 3, 2020
Can a VPN hide your location?
A VPN can hide your online identity by masking your IP address. It encrypts your location and the data you send and receive, helping protect your personal identifiable information (PII).
How do I fix my VPN location?
How to change your location with a VPNChoose a reliable VPN if you don’t have one yet. NordVPN is a good choice.Download your VPN and install it on your computer.Open and log in your VPN. … Select the country you want to connect to.Now your IP address and location are changed.Sep 27, 2021
