How to hide an IP address in Google Chrome – Switcherry VPN
Hello, my name is Nicholas Kats. I am an employee of Switcherry VPN. In this article, you will learn what an IP address is and why, why it sometimes has to be hidden, and how to do it for users of the Google Chrome browser.
Google Chrome – the most popular browser in the world. Despite the fact that Chrome is considered one of the most secure browsers, it, like all other browsers, allows the leakage of critical information that makes it possible to identify the user. This information contains, among other things, your IP address, which immediately identifies the country and region where you live.
And not only the country – knowing the IP address of the user can learn a lot about it, almost everything, up to the home address, which is known to his Internet provider. And the Internet service provider records all the network activity of its customers in log files. According to the legislation of most countries, these log files must be stored on the servers of the Internet provider for at least six months and presented to the employees of government agencies on demand.
Thus, if you do not take any security measures and protect your personal data during your online activity, then all the most confidential information about you can fall into the hands of outsiders and can be used against you. The purpose of this article is to tell users of the Google Chrome browser how to remain anonymous while surfing the web and how to protect themselves from the leakage of personal data.
Read our review “How to hide your IP in Windows“.
Table of contents1 What is IP2 How to hide IP in Google Chrome browser2. 1 Anonymizers2. 2 Proxy extensions for the Google Chrome browser2. 3 Buy a proxy server and configure the operating system to work with it2. 4 VPN extensions for Google Chrome3 Why you should try the SwitcherryVPN extension for Google Chrome
What is IP
IP-address (Internet Protocol Address) – is a digital identifier assigned to each server, computer, or any other device connected to the Internet. There are two types of IP addresses: old IPv4 (version 4 IP addresses) and new IPv6 (version 6 IP addresses). IP addresses of the 4th version are a 32-bit binary number, which is usually represented as four decimal numbers separated by dots. A typical IPv4 address looks like this: 157. 240. 224. 35 or so: 91. 198. 174. 192. Due to the lack of IP addresses in version 4 (the total number of IPv4 addresses can not be more than 4. 3 billion), a new Internet addressing system was developed – IPv6. The IP address of version 6 is a 128-bit binary number represented by a series of hexadecimal numbers separated by a colon. Example IPv6-address: 2001:67c:2660:425:21b:21ff:feb5:b89c.
The IP addressing system allows computers and other devices to exchange information on the network. Just as any person receiving mail has a personal unique email address, any device connected to a network has its own unique IP address. And if the user does not take any measures to protect personal data, then the IP address of his computer or tablet can be identified as easily as by his postal address.
Read more about this here.
How to hide IP in Google Chrome browser
There are several proven methods of hiding IP address in Chrome
Many Internet users hide their IP address not only for security reasons. Spoofing a real IP address allows users to change their geolocation and thereby gain access to blocked sites and streaming services. Since prices in many online stores depend on the customer’s location, changing the geolocation also makes it possible to make purchases online at minimal prices.
There are several proven methods of hiding and spoofing an IP address in Chrome: installing various browser extensions designed to ensure anonymity and security of surfing on the network, as well as using anonymizers, proxy servers and VPN.
Anonymizers
Using anonymizers is the easiest way to hide your real IP address. The main function of anonymizers is to allow users to visit websites that are blocked in their countries for one reason or another. In most cases, anonymizers refer to web anonymizers – online services that allow their users to surf the web anonymously.
How anonymizers work
For the average user, the web anonymizer looks like a regular website. The main element of the web anonymizer is the address bar, in which the user enters the address of the target web page. The anonymizer uploads this page to its server and, after processing, sends it to the user on behalf of its server. That is, the web page that the user needs turns out to be «inside» the anonymizer’s web page. The anonymity and confidentiality of the user are ensured as follows:
IP-address server anonymizer substitutes the user’s IP address, so that the user can visit web resources that are blocked by their owners for viewing in their region;
IP-address of the visited web page is also substituted with the IP address of the anonymizer server, which makes it possible to overcome the censorship and blocking of the Internet provider.
Popular anonymizers
As mentioned above, using the web anonymizer is very simple – just enter the address of the site you need in the address bar, which is located in the most prominent place. The best, advanced anonymizers additionally allow you to select geolocation and configure the connection: allow or deny JavaScript, record and transfer cookies, encrypt data, etc. Popular anonymizers New IP Now, Hide My Ass, 4 Ever Proxy at the same time, they are among the best, Zend Proxy and 11 proxy – examples of the simplest web anonymizers.
New IP Now
A popular anonymizer that allows the user to change the geolocation and choose a new IP.
To visit the site you need, select the appropriate geolocation and IP from the list, enter the site address in the Connect To field, and tap Enter.
Hide My Ass
Advanced web anonymizer that allows you to select a new geolocation and set up a connection.
Select the desired geolocation from the drop-down list, enter the address of the site you plan to visit in the upper field, and tap Enter.
4 Ever Proxy
One of the most advanced web anonymizers. In addition to the server that spoofs the user’s IP address, you can also choose an intermediate web server. A secure «tunnel» connection is created between the two servers, which maximizes the security and confidentiality of the connection.
Select a new geolocation, the location of the intermediate web server, enter the address of the web page in the upper field, and click the Go button or tap Enter.
Zend Proxy
The simplest web-proxy that does not allow the user to select geolocation.
The only useful element of the page is the address bar in the center. Enter the address of the site you need in it, click on the Go button or tap Enter.
11 proxy
Very simple HTTP web anonymizer without advertising.
Is it safe to use anonymizers
Only anonymizers that use the secure HTTPS protocol can be considered relatively secure, since they encrypt traffic, protecting the user from surveillance by supervisory authorities and hacker attacks. Many old web anonymizers, for example Anonymouse, still use the insecure HTTP protocol. It is not recommended to use such anonymizers! You can also not trust the new, newly created web anonymizers, since it may well be that they were created by hackers to intercept passwords and other sensitive user data.
Anyway we strongly recommend that you do not use web anonymizers to transmit critical information, such as usernames and passwords of e-mail and social networks, bank card data, bitcoin wallets, etc. Use web anonymizers only for normal surfing on the network!
The main disadvantage of web anonymizers is the ease of blocking them. In fact, a web anonymizer by definition looks like a normal website and can therefore be blocked by an Internet service provider very easily. For example, in China, Iran, and Russia, the vast majority of popular anonymizers are blacklisted and blocked by local regulatory authorities. Therefore, for residents of these and similar countries, almost all web anonymizers are inaccessible and useless.
Features of web anonymizers
not all web anonymizers have the ability to choose geolocation. A simple anonymizer automatically redirects all user requests to the nearest unloaded server;
the ability to unblock streaming services in practice is difficult due to the fact that it is not always possible to choose a new geolocation, as was mentioned in the previous paragraph, and if such a possibility exists, the choice of available IP addresses is always very limited and, most likely, blocked. Also, due to the fact that web anonymizers significantly reduce the speed of the Internet, they can not be used to watch streaming videos;
downloading from torrent trackers is extremely difficult and unsafe, since all web anonymizers significantly reduce the data transfer speed and do not protect against tracking. Web anonymizers are created exclusively for surfing the web!
web anonymizers are available for all devices that have any modern browser installed, including Google Chrome.
Proxy extensions for the Google Chrome browser
Another way to protect your anonymity and hide your IP address for Google Chrome browser users is to install the Proxy extension. By default, the Google Chrome browser uses the system settings for using a proxy server. Proxy extensions for Chrome make it possible to use a proxy server only for this browser. That is, the system settings are not affected, other browsers running simultaneously with Google Chrome will still access the Internet directly, without using a proxy server.
How Proxy extensions work
After installing, configuring, and enabling the Proxy extension, all browser traffic will go through the intermediate proxy server specified by the user in the settings. At the same time, the «native» IP address of the user is replaced by the IP address of the proxy server. If the connection between the browser and the proxy server is encrypted (when using an HTTPS proxy), the Internet service provider will not be able to censor and block access to prohibited sites.
Popular Proxy Extensions
Proxy SwitchyOmega
Proxy SwitchyOmega – this extension allows you to manipulate dozens of proxy servers by setting the conditions for their use in the parameters. The user specifies the protocol, IP address, port number, and proxy servers. Also, in the settings, you can specify which proxy servers to use when visiting certain sites, make lists of exceptions, etc.
Falcon Proxy
Falcon Proxy – popular Proxy extension for Google Chrome browser.
Proxy Helper
Proxy Helper – the simplest proxy server manager for the Google Chrome browser.
Best Proxy Switcher
Best Proxy Switcher – this extension offers you to use free proxy servers or buy access to paid VPN servers. Unfortunately, most free proxy servers are not anonymous, do not encrypt traffic, and significantly reduce the speed of the Internet.
Is it safe to use Proxy extensions
Proxy extensions themselves are not malicious programs, but the use of proxy servers does not always guarantee security and anonymity. Proxy servers hide the user’s IP address, but they can transmit critical information about the user that can be used to identify the user. Also, the Internet service provider, using modern technology of deep packet analysis (DPI), can determine what type of content the user is viewing, what files he downloads, whether he uses a torrent, etc.
Proxy Extension Features
Proxy extensions for Google Chrome provide the user with the ability to choose geolocation (the appropriate location of proxy servers is selected);
free open proxy servers are blocked by the administration of streaming services. But even users of paid proxy servers can not always overcome the blocking of streaming services, since the entire range of available IP addresses of companies that provide proxy server rental services is usually known to the owners of video services, and is blacklisted;
to download from torrent trackers, you need to install an additional extension – the Torrent client for Google Chrome. Only paid proxy servers allow you to freely download files from torrents, but your Internet service provider, using deep packet analysis technology, can determine that you are using a torrent and block your Internet access.
Proxy extensions can be installed on any device that has the Google Chrome browser installed.
Buy a proxy server and configure the operating system to work with it
Installing the Proxy browser extension protects traffic originating only from this browser. But you can make sure that all the computer traffic goes through the selected proxy server. To do this, in the network settings of the operating system, you must specify that you want to use a proxy server and enter its parameters – IP address and port number.
How it works
Just like the Proxy extension for the browser, but it protects not just one browser, but the entire computer. From a consumer point of view, proxy servers are divided into commercial, for the use of which you have to pay and free (open) proxies.
Paid proxy servers. Now there are a huge number of companies in the world that provide proxy server rental services. In some of them, you can purchase a specific proxy server with a specified geolocation and a static IP address, while others offer to install software that allows customers to independently select the location and IP address of the proxy server and change these parameters «on the fly» for IP address rotation.
Open proxy servers. The main disadvantage of free proxies is their unstable operation and short lifetime. The «life» of free proxy servers is usually quite short. On the Internet, you can find many sites that publish regularly updated lists of «live» free proxy servers. Use open proxy servers with great caution, as they do not guarantee security. In addition, some free proxy servers are created by hackers specifically to intercept confidential information.
Is the method safe
Everything that was said above about the security of the Proxy extension for the browser also applies to proxy servers. Paid, highly anonymous HTTPS proxy servers provided for rent by reliable companies can be considered relatively secure. Using open free proxies is always associated with the risk of personal data theft.
VPN extensions for Google Chrome
VPN extensions allow you to choose geolocation, replace the user’s IP address, and securely encrypt traffic. Using VPN extensions is the best way to protect yourself from tracking and circumvent censorship and geo-blocking.
In fact, the VPN extension for Google Chrome is an ordinary VPN client that works «inside» the browser. Immediately after the VPN client starts, it creates a secure connection to the VPN server – a so-called «tunnel». All browser traffic passes through this «tunnel». The user’s IP address is substituted with the IP address of the VPN server, the data is encrypted and protected from tracking. In this case, the system settings are not affected, other browsers work on the network directly, under the user’s own IP.
Popular VPN Extensions for Google Chrome
Very important! You can install multiple VPN extensions for your Chrome browser at once, but while one extension is running, all other extensions must be disabled. Otherwise, the extensions will conflict with each other.
DotVPN
DotVPN – one of the most popular extensions for the Chrome browser. The choice of geolocation is limited to 30 countries. Only the paid version of the extension works.
– a VPN extension for the romanian company’s Chrome browser. Geolocation is limited to 20 countries. It works only after registration and payment for access.
Tunnello VPN
Tunnello VPN – this extension has a seven-day trial period, after which you must pay for access.
Hotspot Shield Free VPN Proxy
Hotspot Shield Free VPN Proxy – a popular VPN extension for the Chrome browser. In the free version, you can only connect to US VPN servers. To get the ability to choose geolocation, you need to buy premium access.
Switcherry VPN
Switcherry VPN is an extension for the Google Chrome browser of our company. It appeared in the Google Chrome store quite recently, but has already managed to gain great popularity among users due to the high connection speed and stable operation. The main thing that distinguishes our extension from the products of competitors is a large selection of countries, the full operation of the free version of the program and the low price of premium access.
Currently, a VPN is considered the safest way to change the IP address and protect personal data on the network. The VPN extension for Google Chrome will help users bypass censorship and geo-blocking, ensuring complete anonymity and privacy.
Opportunities
all full-featured VPN extensions have a choice of location;
all VPN extensions are able to unblock streaming services, but 100% success is not guaranteed;
secure download from torrent trackers is guaranteed, but the download speed may decrease slightly;
VPN extensions for Google Chrome are available for all devices and operating systems that have the Chrome browser installed.
Why you should try the SwitcherryVPN extension for Google Chrome
We have made our extension for Google Chrome as user-friendly as possible. Distinctive features of the SwitcherryVPN extension for Google Chrome:
easy to install and configure;
intuitive interface;
stable operation;
changing the current geolocation with a couple of clicks;
a large selection of geolocations – more than 70 countries are available for registered users! Our app will help you easily unblock Netflix and other streaming services, bypass censorship and geo-blocking;
the highest possible data transfer speed, which is not available to our competitors, allows you to easily download files from torrents and watch 4k video streaming;
the basic version of the extension is completely free, premium access (more professional settings) for a small fee.
Installing the SwitcherryVPN extension for Google Chrome and other products of our company will ensure your privacy, protect you from surveillance, protect you from hacker attacks, and raise your network security to the highest level.
How to hide my IP in Chrome (4 foolproof solutions)
Elena started writing professionally in 2010 and hasn’t stopped exploring the tech world since. With a firm grasp of software reviewing and content editing, she is always trying new things to improve her skill… Read more
You can hide your IP address in Chrome to protect your online identity, encrypt your data, block malware, send emails and shop securely, unblock streaming services, defeat censorship, and the 4 best ways to hide your IP in Chrome: one is secure but not free, while the others are free but unsafe. Figure out why you want to hide your IP before choosing the best method for our Google Chrome section for news and guides about this web to our VPN Troubleshooting Hub to find out what else you can do with a VPN.
If you’re interested in hiding your IP address in Chrome, we’re here to help. We prepared 4 easy solutions: 3 of them are free but unsafe while 1 is paid and secure.
Concealing your IP address comes with several benefits. You can protect your digital identity when browsing the web and access websites that aren’t normally available to your country.
It’s also possible to circumvent geoblocking and access websites that blocked your IP address due to too many connections, as well as defeat government censorship.
If Google Chrome is your primary web browser, here’s how you can hide your IP address and freely navigate the Internet, without any restrictions.
How can I hide my IP address in Chrome?
Set up a proxy browser addon
Search for a proxy addon in the Chrome Web Store.
Select a tool and add it to Chrome.
Click its icon and connect to a proxy server.
Proxy servers act as a gateway between you and the Internet. They’re build to mask your IP address and help you access content that’s not normally available.
But a proxy server is less secure than a VPN because it doesn’t use encryption. So, if you’re attempting to send or receive sensitive data over the Internet, we strongly recommend using a VPN instead of a proxy.
Otherwise, you can find a lot of proxy browser extensions in the Chrome Web Store. A lot of people misunderstand proxies for VPNs (even Google does this sometimes), so make sure to not fall into that trap.
Use a free online service that hides your IP
Go to HMA’s online proxy.
Enter the site you want to access.
Click Agree & Connect.
There are a few online services that you can use to hide your IP address in Chrome to access blocked websites, without having to install any addons and sign up for accounts.
The free online proxy of HideMyAss is a good example. You just have to specify the website from which you want to conceal your online identity. Plus, you can choose a preferred server, which is practical for bypassing geo-restrictions by using the IP address of a server from another country.
But this means that your IP address is blocked only for that website. If you open a new tab in Chrome and try to visit another page, it will read your true IP address. Still, using a free online service is a good way to hide your IP for Internet browsing.
Configure proxy settings manually
Click the Windows 10 Start button, type proxy settings, and press Enter.
At Manual proxy setup, enable Use a proxy server.
At Address and Port, enter the proxy server address and port number.
Click Save.
If you can’t connect to proxy on Windows 10, you can easily diagnose and fix the problem.
Unlike Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome doesn’t have built-in settings for changing your proxy configuration. It uses the Windows proxy options instead. So, if you set up a global proxy server on Windows, then Chrome will automatically use that configuration to establish the Internet connection.
However, unlike the previous two proxy methods, this solution requires you to obtain proxy server addresses. If you don’t know where to get them, you can find a lot of free proxy server addresses on Google.
We suggest using Haschek’s Proxy Checker to make sure that the proxy server address is online, has a good response time, allows HTTPS, and actually hides your IP in Chrome.
So, what’s the best way to hide your IP in Chrome?
Without a doubt, using a VPN for Google Chrome is the safest way to hide your IP. By design, a virtual private network solution protects your browsing traffic by encrypting everything you send and receive in Chrome.
Compared to a free proxy server, you don’t have to worry that the new IP address actually works. Plus, free proxy providers can monitor your traffic and share it with third parties, such as marketing agencies.
Furthermore, you can choose from numerous VPN servers from all over the world, which are stable, always functional, and don’t have network congestion.
And, depending on the VPN provider, you might be able to bypass the Netflix site error and unblock catalogs that aren’t normally available in your country (free proxies always get blocked).
Why use Private Internet Access
We used Private Internet Access (PIA) in our example above because it’s the best all-round VPN. Created by Kape Technologies, PIA hides your IP address in Chrome if you want to settle for its Chrome browser extension only.
Moreover, it has a built-in ad and malware blocker for web browsers called PIA MACE, designed to protect you from phishing attempts and other Internet dangers. You can also unblock Netflix US with PIA using high-speed VPN servers that don’t cause buffering.
But a paid premium subscription to PIA also gets you VPN desktop clients for Windows, Mac and Linux, native VPN apps for Android and iOS, together with browser addons for Firefox and Opera (in addition to Chrome).
You can even set up PIA on your router to share your VPN account with all connected devices. It uses 256-bit AES military-grade encryption, OpenVPN and WireGuard protocols, and private DNS servers.
If you insist on also using a proxy server over the VPN, you should know that PIA has built-in support for SOCKS5 and Shadowsocks. And, if you ever stumble upon any technical difficulties, you can turn to its 24/7 live chat support.
More about PIA:
Explore more than 3, 300 servers in 48 countries
Supports up to 10 simultaneous connections
No traffic logs, no IP leaks
30-day money-back guarantee (no free trial)
Private Internet Access
Hide your IP in Chrome, encrypt your data, block malware, and unblock Netflix US with this high-speed VPN.
In conclusion, we think that the best way to hide your IP address in Chrome is by using a VPN browser extension like PIA.
However, if you’re not yet ready to commit to a premium VPN service, you can use a proxy server for Windows 10, as long as you don’t use it for confidential browsing activities.
If you’re using an older OS edition, you can hide your IP on Windows 7. It’s also possible to hide your IP on Windows XP.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Chrome Incognito hide your IP?
If you allow the browser addon responsible for hiding your IP to work in Chrome Incognito mode, then yes, you can conceal your IP in private browsing sessions.
How do I hide my IP address completely?
You can use hide IP address software to completely conceal your IP at a global level on your computer.
Can VPNs be traced?
Yes, VPNs can be traced in certain cases, for example, if the VPN provider collects and shares your VPN traffic with others). That’s why you shouldn’t use free VPNs.
Can I hide my IP address without a VPN?
Yes, you can hide your IP address using a proxy server instead of a VPN.
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Frequently Asked Questions about hide ip address google chrome extension
How do I hide my IP address on Google Chrome?
Another way to protect your anonymity and hide your IP address for Google Chrome browser users is to install the Proxy extension. By default, the Google Chrome browser uses the system settings for using a proxy server. Proxy extensions for Chrome make it possible to use a proxy server only for this browser.May 14, 2021
How do I hide my IP address extensions?
Set up a proxy browser addon Proxy servers act as a gateway between you and the Internet. They’re build to mask your IP address and help you access content that’s not normally available. But a proxy server is less secure than a VPN because it doesn’t use encryption.Jul 30, 2020
How do I disable VPN in Chrome?
Have hide.me VPN For Chrome Downloaded In 3 Easy StepsInstall the hide.me Chrome Extension.Add the Extension in your Chrome Browser.Connect to any server you like. Install Now.