Our VPN guides explain in plain language how to test your VPN, find leaks and fix them. Each guide is short, practical and links to the free test that checks the result.
- How to test a VPN (and check it is working)
- What is a DNS leak?
- How to test your VPN kill switch
- How to prevent a WebRTC leak
- How to check your VPN on iPhone
Free tests
Start here
New to VPN testing? Start with how to test a VPN. It walks you through every check in about five minutes: your IP, IPv6, WebRTC, DNS, the kill switch and your torrent client. Each step links to the test you need.
Testing your VPN
- How to test a VPN: a complete checklist to make sure your VPN really hides your IP address and location.
- How to test your VPN kill switch: three safe ways to check that your internet stops when the VPN drops, so your real IP never leaks.
- How to check your VPN on iPhone: find the VPN status in iOS, check your IP in Safari and turn on Connect On Demand.
Fixing leaks
- What is a DNS leak?: why your internet provider can still see the sites you visit when your VPN is on, and how to stop it.
- How to prevent a WebRTC leak: browser by browser steps for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave and Safari.
Which test do I need?
- Not sure if your VPN is on? Use the VPN checker.
- Want to check everything at once? Run the VPN leak test.
- Want to see every IP address a site can find? Use the IP leak test.
- Worried about video-call features exposing you? Use the WebRTC leak test.
- Using torrents? Use the torrent IP check.
- Blocked by a streaming site or bank? Try the VPN detector.
- Is your VPN slow? Use the VPN speed test.
Common VPN problems and where to find the fix
- My VPN says connected but my IP did not change. Start with how to test a VPN, which covers split tunneling, browser extensions and reconnecting.
- My ISP can still see the sites I visit. That is a DNS leak. Read what a DNS leak is and how to stop it on Windows, Mac and phones.
- Video-call features reveal my real IP. Follow our WebRTC leak prevention guide for your browser.
- My real IP shows up when the VPN drops. Check and test the kill switch with our kill switch guide.
- I am not sure my iPhone VPN is on. Our iPhone guide shows where to look and how to test it in Safari.
Why testing your VPN matters
A VPN is easy to install and easy to forget about. Apps update, settings reset, and networks change every time you move between home, work and public Wi-Fi. A VPN that worked last month can quietly start leaking after an update. Testing takes a few seconds, and it is the only way to know your real IP address is hidden. We recommend testing after every VPN or system update, and whenever you join a new network. If a test finds a problem, the guides above explain what it means and how to fix it, step by step, in plain language.
How we write our guides
Every guide is based on how the tests on this site work, and we check the steps against current versions of the apps and operating systems. Settings move around after updates, so if a step no longer matches what you see, please tell us and we will update the guide.