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Hide your IP by browsing the web with Tor
Written byNicole Levine, MFA
Last Updated: August 4, 2024Fact Checked
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When you first open Tor, you're prompted to connect to the Tor network. This connects you to a relay and assigns you a browsing IP address that's different than your current home, work, or school IP address. If you just want to browse the web from a new IP address, this is all you'll need to do to get one! But if you're already using Tor and want an IP address that's different from the one you were assigned upon connecting, you can create a new Tor identity. This wikiHow article teaches you how to generate a new IP address using the Tor web browser.
Using Tor to Change Your IP Address
When you open Tor and click "Connect," you'll receive a new IP address for browsing. If you decide you want to change the IP address Tor assigns you, click the menu and select "New Identity."
1
Open Tor on your computer. You'll find it in your Windows Start menu or Mac's Launchpad. If you haven't installed Tor yet, you can download it from https://www.torproject.org/download.
- If you haven't already connected to Tor for a session, click Connect when prompted. This assigns you a new IP address that's different from your actual IP address.
- If you already have a website open and want to change your IP address, read on.
2
Click the hamburger menu ☰. It's at the top-right corner of Tor.
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3
Click New Identity. Choose this option if you want a new IP address everywhere on Tor and don't want your previous activity to be linked to the new IP address. A pop-up window will warn you that Tor will close all windows and tabs. If you have any downloads in progress, they'll also be stopped.
- If you just want a new IP address for the current website but don't care if your previous browsing activity is linked to your new IP address, you can select New Tor Circuit for this site instead.[1]
- Once Tor acquires a new IP address, it will refresh the current tab so you're loading it from your new IP address.
- Any tabs open to the same site will refresh the new IP address once you activate them, but other websites and active downloads won't be affected.
4
Click Restart Tor Browser to restart. Tor will shut down and re-open, acquiring a new IP address in the process. Now that you have a new IP, the sites you visit will see this IP rather than your previous one.
- When changing your IP address in Tor, the change only affects Tor and not other programs on your computer.[2]
- If you want to specify which country your IP address is in, you can specify a region using Strict Nodes.
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Tor has three security levels—Standard, Safer, and Safest. To check and adjust your Tor security settings, click the hamburger menu, select Options, and then click the Privacy & Security tab.[3]
Tor recommends not installing any browser add-ons to avoid accidentally compromising your anonymity.[4]
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Written by:
wikiHow Technology Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Nicole Levine, MFA. Nicole Levine is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. She has more than 20 years of experience creating technical documentation and leading support teams at major web hosting and software companies. Nicole also holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Portland State University and teaches composition, fiction-writing, and zine-making at various institutions. This article has been viewed 42,084 times.
Co-authors: 3
Updated: August 4, 2024
Views:42,084
Categories: Internet Browsers
Article SummaryX
1.Click the three-line menu at the top-right.
2.Click New Identity.
3.Click Yes.
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FAQs
It's at the top-right corner of Tor. Click New Identity. Choose this option if you want a new IP address everywhere on Tor and don't want your previous activity to be linked to the new IP address. A pop-up window will warn you that Tor will close all windows and tabs.
How do I change my IP address in Tor? ›
To change your IP and country, simply click on the three lines at the top left of the browser and select “New TOR Circuit for this Site.” This will establish a new connection to the TOR network and assign a new IP and country. Repeat the process for multiple country and IP changes.
How can I force my IP address to change? ›
How to change your IP address manually
- Choose Start > Settings > Network & Internet.
- Choose your network and select Properties.
- Under IP assignment, click Edit.
- Under Edit IP settings, choose Manual, and toggle on the IPv4.
- Type in your new IP address, and click Save.
How to change IP address on Tor Browser into specific country? ›
Using Tor to Change Your Location
- Open the “torrc” file in a text editor.
- Type in EntryNodes {} StrictNodes 1 below the last line of text.
- Add ExitNodes {} StrictNodes 1 onto the following line.
- Enter your country's entry and exit codes into the blank {}.
- Click save and exit, then open Tor when you visit a website.
Is a Tor IP changer safe? ›
While VPNs and Tor might hide your IP, they don't change your device's unique fingerprint. Your location might be masked, but fingerprinting solutions can still identify repeated visits from a device.
Is it possible for your IP address to change? ›
Yes, your IP address changes when you use a different Wi-Fi network. However, you can establish a static IP address so you'll always use the same private IP address on a particular wireless network, but you can't configure the same IP address to use across all Wi-Fi networks.
How to change the IP address of your browser? ›
How To Change Your IP Address Manually
- Go to Start, Settings, and Network & Internet.
- Select Properties under your local area connection.
- Click Edit under IP assignment.
- Select Manual, toggle on the IPv4, and type in your new IP address.
- Click Save.
How to change IP address for free? ›
How to change your public IP address
- Connect to a VPN to change your IP address. ...
- Use a proxy server to change your IP address. ...
- Use Tor to change your IP address for free. ...
- Change IP addresses by unplugging your modem. ...
- Ask your ISP to change your IP address. ...
- Change networks to get a different IP address.
How do I force my computer to get a new IP address? ›
The ipconfig command
On a Windows computer, use the following information to release and renew your IP address: Go to "Start > Run" and type " cmd " (no quotes), then select "OK" Type " ipconfig /release " (no quotes) and press "Enter" Once the prompt returns, type " ipconfig /renew " (no quotes), then hit "Enter,"
Does VPN change IP address? ›
A VPN replaces your actual IP address to make it look like you've connected to the internet from a different location: the physical location of the VPN server, rather than your real location.
Tor Browser will warn you that all activity and downloads will be stopped, so take this into account before clicking "New Identity". To use this option, you just need to click on 'New Identity' in Tor Browser's toolbar.
Can Tor Browser change your location? ›
However, unlike a VPN, the Tor browser does not allow you to select a specific country or location for your traffic to appear easily. The exit node (the last relay your traffic passes through before reaching the internet) can be in any country and this changes with each new session or website you visit.
What is the Tor IP address? ›
Tor IP addresses are tunneled through other devices on the Tor network with "Onion Routing". This prevents a user's real IP address from being exposed and instead proxies a request through other Tor devices.
Can Tor IP be traced? ›
Tor doesn't provide a new IP address when you open the browser, so anyone watching knows you're using Tor and could track your true location. It does encrypt your traffic on most nodes, but it doesn't offer encryption at the exit node. This leaves room for malicious software to creep into your system.
How risky is using Tor? ›
Tor Browser is safe to use if you're browsing the same sites you would on the “clear web.” But if you browse . onion sites, use caution. Tor's encryption tries to keep your identity and destination secret, but bad actors can still find a way to identify you.
Is your IP hidden on Tor? ›
TOR hides your IP whenever you request to contact a web server. It does this by encrypting the request from the client and making it difficult for anyone to know your IP. TOR has a network of volunteer relay systems worldwide to assist with this process.
Can your IP address be traced on Tor? ›
Yes, Tor hides your IP, concealing it and making it difficult for anyone to trace your internet activity back to you. In addition to relaying your data through network nodes to hide your location and identity, Tor's onion routing uses multi-layered encryption to provide even more robust privacy protection.
Can I change my website IP address? ›
To change one of your domains' IP addresses, you must first obtain the IP address from your data center and add it in WHM's Add a New IP Address interface (WHM » Home » IP Functions » Add a New IP Address). If you run a data center, obtain your IP addresses from your Regional Internet Registry (RIR).
How do I change my Tor settings? ›
The Security Settings can be accessed by clicking the Shield icon next to the Tor Browser URL bar. To view and adjust your Security Settings, click on 'Settings' button in the shield menu.
How do I change my IP address to a different location? ›
5 ways to change your IP address
- Use a VPN. A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is an excellent way to change your IP address. ...
- Use a proxy server. Outside of using a VPN to change your IP address, you also have the option of a proxy server. ...
- Reset your modem. ...
- Switch networks. ...
- Request a new IP address from your ISP.