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World desk4 min

How to Check Whether a VPN Is Leaking Your IP Address or DNS Requests

Check your VPN’s public IP, WebRTC, DNS resolver, and IPv6 separately—and repeat after changing browsers, servers, or networks.

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To check for a VPN leak, compare your public IP with the VPN off and on, then test WebRTC, DNS resolver identity, and IPv6 separately while connected. Repeat the checks in each browser you use and after network or server changes. A single passing browser test cannot establish that every app, browser, or connection state is protected.

What to check—and what each test can tell you

  • Public IP: whether the browser’s ordinary web traffic appears to use the VPN exit address.
  • WebRTC: whether browser address discovery exposes your ordinary public IP separately from a page request.
  • DNS: which resolver handled a fresh lookup. A test that cannot observe resolver identity cannot confirm whether DNS is leaking.
  • IPv6: whether IPv6 traffic follows the VPN path or can use your ordinary network connection.

These are separate checks. A pass on one does not establish a pass on the others.

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Run the checks in order

1. Record your public IP with the VPN disconnected

Temporarily disconnect the VPN and use a reputable public-IP checker. Note the address and approximate country. This is your comparison baseline, not a security test by itself.

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2. Check the visible IP with the VPN connected

Connect the VPN, reload the same checker, and compare the result. The browser should show the VPN exit address, usually associated with the selected server, rather than the baseline address. If the baseline is still shown, check that the VPN app reports a connection, whether split tunneling excludes the browser, and whether the system route changed.

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3. Check WebRTC in every browser you use

With the VPN connected, run a WebRTC leak test in each browser used for sensitive browsing. Compare any public addresses it reports with your VPN-off baseline. ExpressVPN’s WebRTC testing guidance describes noting public IPs with the VPN off, closing the page, reconnecting, and comparing results. If the same ordinary public IP appears as a WebRTC public candidate, that is concerning.

A private or local-network address is not the same as exposing your public connection address. If WebRTC is unavailable or disabled and the test cannot run, record that this check was unavailable; do not treat it as proof that all leak paths are clear. WebRTC uses ICE address discovery mechanisms, including STUN/TURN, to support direct connections, and browser implementations and protections vary. One browser’s result does not establish another’s.

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4. Check DNS resolver identity independently

Use a DNS leak test that observes which resolver handled a fresh, unique lookup while the VPN is active. Compare the observed resolver with the VPN’s expected DNS path. Read the test’s documentation to confirm it measures the device and connection you intend to check.

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Not every test page can see resolver identity. The VPN and Privacy leak-test page explicitly says its browser page cannot identify the resolver and instead provides terminal examples:

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These are examples for particular services, not universal proof for every operating system, DNS configuration, device, or VPN. The AMTSO VPN testing guidance cautions that some DNS tools may not suit every tested product; use a tool whose method matches the setup being tested.

5. Check IPv6

While connected, use an IPv6 check to see whether your device has a public IPv6 address and whether that address follows the VPN path. An IPv4 VPN connection alone does not show that IPv6 is tunneled. If your VPN does not tunnel IPv6 and your device has usable public IPv6, IPv6-capable sites may see an address from your ordinary connection. A page that observes only IPv4 can miss an available IPv6 path.

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Check your VPN provider’s supported IPv6 settings. Disabling IPv6 on the device is one possible workaround when the VPN does not support tunneling it, but the steps and trade-offs depend on the platform and configuration.

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Repeat after changes in server or network

Run the relevant checks again after switching VPN servers, changing Wi-Fi access points, or moving between Wi-Fi and mobile data. Browser choice and split-tunneling behavior can also change what is exposed. AMTSO’s 2025 guidance covers connected use and transitions, including server and network changes, WebRTC, IPv6, and unexpected split tunneling; it says, “No data packets should exit the device unencrypted (via any other network interface except the VPN interface).” This is testing guidance, not a guarantee about any particular consumer setup.

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Interpret a result and choose the next check

Result What to do
The ordinary public IP appears in the normal IP check. Confirm the VPN connection and routing; inspect whether split tunneling excludes the browser.
The ordinary public IP appears as a WebRTC public candidate. Retest in a fresh page and in each browser you use. Review VPN browser protections or browser WebRTC controls. Browser changes can affect calling and other WebRTC features, and exact settings vary by browser and version.
The DNS test reports the ordinary ISP resolver. Review the VPN’s DNS-protection or “use VPN DNS” setting, then retest with a tool that observes resolver identity. Windows DNS configuration can also complicate interpretation; verify any platform-specific fix for your Windows version.
IPv6 follows the ordinary connection. Verify whether the VPN supports IPv6 tunneling. If it does not, consider disabling IPv6 on the device as a workaround and test again.
Browsers give different results. Treat each browser separately. Browser behavior and protections can differ.
All checks pass once. Keep a record of the browser, device, VPN server, and connection state tested. One static check does not cover other apps, browsers, protocols, or transitions.

Choose a test tool that measures the question you have

Before relying on a leak-test service, check whether it separately measures public IP, WebRTC, IPv6, and DNS resolver identity; whether you can run it on the device and in the browser you want to assess; and whether it covers the connection states that matter to you. Review what data the service says it collects. A page’s own privacy claims apply to that service, not to leak-test tools generally.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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