What this VPN leak test checks
A VPN is meant to replace your address with its own for everything your device sends. A leak is any way a site can still learn the real one. The test looks at four things:
- Your IP address and location. The address your connection comes from, as every site sees it, and the rough place it maps to. On a VPN, both should belong to the VPN server.4
- WebRTC. The browser feature behind video calls collects your device’s addresses and hands them to the page, without asking.12 The test flags any public address that differs from the one above, and any local network address.
- IPv6. If your device has a public IPv6 address and the VPN only carries IPv4, sites you reach over IPv6 can see your provider’s address.
- Your timezone. Your browser tells sites its timezone.5 It is not a leak, but a mismatch with your address tells a site you are probably on a VPN.
How to run a VPN leak test
- Start with the VPN off. Load this page and note the address at the top. That is your real address.
- Connect the VPN. Pick a server, then press Run the test again.
- Compare. The address and location should now belong to the VPN. Answer Yes to the question, and read each result.
If your real address from step 1 shows up anywhere in step 3, including in the raw results, traffic is going around the tunnel.
What the results mean
| Result | What it means |
|---|---|
| Leak | A site can see a public address that is not the one your VPN gives you. Fix it before you rely on the VPN. |
| Worth a look | Not your public address, but a detail that can help a site recognize you, or an address worth checking. |
| No leak | Nothing in this check gave away a different address. |
| Note | Information about what sites can see, without a verdict. |
The address itself only proves which network you came from. That is why the test asks whether you are on a VPN: the same result means something different with and without one.
How to fix a leak
WebRTC shows a different public address
This usually means your browser’s traffic goes through a proxy extension while WebRTC goes straight out.1 Use a full VPN app that carries all traffic from your device, and check that split tunneling does not leave your browser outside the tunnel. Then run the test again.
WebRTC shows your local network address
This does not reveal your public address. Local addresses come from ranges set aside for private networks.6 Many browsers now replace them with a random name ending in .local before a page sees them,3 so updating your browser often hides it.
Your device has a public IPv6 address
Check whether your VPN app has an IPv6 setting and turn it on. If it carries IPv4 only, turning off IPv6 on your Wi-Fi or network adapter keeps all traffic on the tunnel.
Your timezone does not match
This is not a leak. If you want the two to agree, pick a VPN server in your own timezone, or set your device’s timezone to match the server.
Questions about VPN leaks
How do I check if my VPN is leaking?
Run this test once with your VPN off and note the address. Connect the VPN and run it again. The address should change to one that belongs to your VPN, and WebRTC should show no other public address. If the old address shows up anywhere, something on your device is going around the tunnel.
How can I tell if my VPN is working?
Compare the address and location at the top of this page with your VPN off and on. If both change when you connect, and the location is near the server you picked, your browser’s traffic is going through the VPN.
What is an IP leak?
An IP leak is when a site learns your real public address while you are on a VPN. It usually happens through WebRTC, through IPv6 traffic that the VPN does not carry, or through a browser proxy that covers some traffic but not all of it.
What does a WebRTC leak test show?
The addresses a web page can collect through WebRTC, the browser feature behind video calls. With your VPN on, no public address in the list should differ from the one sites already see. There is more in our explainer on WebRTC leaks.
Does incognito mode hide my IP address?
No. Private browsing stops your browser from keeping history and cookies after you close the window, but it does not change your address. Sites see the same IP address in a private window as in a normal one.
Why does the location look wrong?
The location comes from a database that maps blocks of addresses to places, so it is approximate. On a VPN it shows where the VPN server is. Without one, it can be a nearby city, or the city where your internet provider or mobile network routes its traffic.
Is my IP address stored when I use this test?
No. To show your address, the page asks secria.me which address your connection comes from, and the answer goes back to your browser only. It is not logged or stored, and the page sets no cookies. The WebRTC check runs inside your browser and contacts no server.
Related
Sources
- IETF, RFC 8828: WebRTC IP Address Handling Requirements (January 2021).
- IETF, RFC 8445: Interactive Connectivity Establishment (ICE) (July 2018).
- IETF, Using Multicast DNS to protect privacy when exposing ICE candidates (Internet-Draft).
- Netlify, Functions API, the context object’s ip and geo fields, which give the address and location shown above.
- MDN Web Docs, Intl.DateTimeFormat: resolvedOptions(), the timeZone property.
- IETF, RFC 1918: Address Allocation for Private Internets (February 1996), the local address ranges.
Checked October 2026.