Published Feb 16, 2026, 10:30 AM EST
Pankil is a Civil Engineer turned freelance writer from Ahmedabad, India. As a long-time Windows and Android user, he has extensive knowledge of both operating systems and specializes in creating how-tos and troubleshooting guides.
Pankil has been writing about Windows, Android, and iOS since 2021. He has written over 1200 articles across reputable publications like MakeUseOf, GuidingTech, and TechWiser.
Outside of his writing endeavors, Pankil is an avid football fan and loves to plan his international travels with his wife in his free time.
Your IP address is essentially your digital identity on the internet. It’s how websites can tell your general location and your internet provider. An IP address is nothing but a unique string of numbers assigned by your ISP to your network. Each device on the network also has its own private IP address, which is what your router uses to communicate with them.
The biggest benefit of changing your IP address is that you can limit what websites and your ISP track about you. It’s also useful for accessing geo-restricted content, bypassing IP-based bans, and troubleshooting network-related issues. So if you want any of these benefits, changing your IP address is nowhere near as complicated as it sounds.
Use a VPN
Fast, secure, and easy
If you’re looking for the fastest and most reliable way to change your IP address, a VPN is your best option. VPN stands for Virtual Private Network, and it lets you change your IP address with a single click.
When you use a VPN and connect to one of its servers, your internet traffic is routed through that server instead of going directly to websites. This means sites you visit see the server’s IP address instead of yours. To them, it looks like you’re browsing from wherever that server is located. A VPN also hides your browsing activity from your ISP, which is great for privacy.
Finally, a VPN is great for accessing content that’s not available in your country, such as websites, online services, or streaming libraries. Getting started is easy. You need to pick your VPN provider, install their app, and choose the server you want to connect to. That’s it. Your IP address will be changed.
The tricky part is choosing the VPN provider. Most free options show you ads, offer a limited number of servers, and may even log your data. That said, if you don’t want to pay for another subscription, ProtonVPN has a no-log policy and is completely ad-free. The tradeoff is that the free plan only offers servers from a few countries and reduces the internet speed.
Proton VPN
Logging policy No logs
Mobile app Yes
Encryption AES-256 or ChaCha20
Set up a proxy server
Convenient for casual use
A proxy server offers another simple way to change your IP address. Your internet requests are sent to the proxy server first, and then forwarded to the website. The website sees the proxy server’s IP address instead of your real one. Unlike a VPN, though, proxy servers don’t encrypt your traffic. This means they don’t offer the same level of privacy and security as a VPN. Your ISP and others may still be able to see what you’re doing online.
That said, proxy servers have their advantages. For instance, they’re free and usually don’t slow down your internet speeds as much as VPNs. This makes them useful when you simply want to change the IP address to access region-restricted content.
Setting up a proxy server requires you to access your phone or PC’s network settings and enter the proxy server address you want to connect to. You can even set up a proxy server directly inside your browser or inside specific apps.
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Change the IP address manually
A DIY job
It’s also possible to change your IP address manually through your device’s network settings. This works best for changing your local IP address, the one assigned by your router to your device.
Every device on a network has its own IP address. Typically, the router assigns automatically using DHCP, but you can override it easily. As long as the address is valid and not already in use by another device, it’ll work fine.
Again, this only affects your private IP address and not the public one that websites see. This means websites and other services still see the public IP and can identify your connection. Still, it can be handy if you’re having internet issues on a device or want to bypass a device-specific restriction on your local network.
On Windows, you can open Command Prompt and run ipconfig /release, followed by ipconfig /renew to get a new IP address. Similarly, changing the IP address on a Mac, Android, or iOS is just as easy.
Restart your router
Get a new IP address with a reboot
Credit: Amir Bohlooli / MUO
Most ISPs typically assign IP addresses dynamically, which means they change when you turn your router off and back on. To do this, you simply need to unplug your router from the power outlet, wait 5-10 minutes, and then turn it back on. Once your router reconnects, your public IP address may be different.
Now, there’s a reason I’ve kept this for last, even though it’s the easiest. The amount of time you need to keep your router turned off varies. For most ISPs, a few minutes is enough, but for others it can be as long as 24 hours. And waiting that long just to change the IP address isn’t practical. Also, this method only works if your ISP uses dynamic IP addresses.
Still, rebooting your router is worth trying because it’s simple and doesn’t require installing apps or changing any settings.
A new IP address is only a few clicks away
The “right” method to change the IP address comes down to what you want. If you want to change the IP address while also strengthening your security and privacy, a VPN is your best option. But if you want a free method, rebooting your router or setting up a proxy server can also work well.