How to Change Your IP Address (5 Easy Methods)

There are plenty of reasons you might want a new IP address. Maybe you have been soft-banned from a website, your current IP is on a blacklist, you want to access region-locked content, or you simply want a fresh start for privacy reasons. Whatever the motivation, changing your IP is straightforward once you understand how it works.

Start by checking your current IP address at our My IP Address tool. Write it down so you can confirm the change after following any of the methods below.

How IP Addresses Are Assigned

Your public IP address is assigned by your Internet Service Provider (ISP). Most residential connections use dynamic IP addressing, where your ISP assigns you an address from their pool and can change it periodically. Business connections often use static IPs that stay the same indefinitely.

Your private IP address (the one used inside your home network, like 192.168.1.x) is assigned by your router. This is separate from your public IP and only matters within your local network.

Understanding this distinction is important because some methods below change your public IP, some change your private IP, and some change what the outside world sees without actually changing the IP your ISP assigned.

Method 1: Restart Your Router

The simplest way to get a new public IP address from your ISP.

How to do it:

1. Unplug your router from power (and your modem if it is a separate device)
2. Wait at least 5 minutes — this gives your ISP time to release your current IP lease
3. Plug the modem back in first and wait for it to fully connect
4. Then plug in the router and wait for it to boot
5. Check your new IP at My IP Address

Does it always work? Not guaranteed. Some ISPs hold your IP lease for hours or even days. If your IP did not change, try leaving the router unplugged overnight. The longer the disconnection, the more likely you are to receive a new address.

Changes: Public IP (potentially)

Does not change: What websites already know about you

Method 2: Use a VPN

A VPN does not change the IP your ISP assigned to you, but it changes the IP that websites and services see. This is the most practical method for most people.

How to do it:

1. Sign up for a VPN service (we recommend NordVPN for reliability and speed)
2. Install the app on your device
3. Connect to a server in your desired location
4. Verify your new visible IP at My IP Address

Advantages over other methods:

• You choose exactly which country or city your new IP appears to be in
• The change is instant — no waiting for ISP lease expiration
• Your connection is also encrypted
• You can switch IPs as often as you want by changing servers

Changes: Visible public IP (via tunnel)

Does not change: Actual ISP-assigned IP

After connecting, always run our VPN Leak Test to make sure your real IP is not leaking through DNS or WebRTC.

Method 3: Release and Renew Your IP via Command Line

This method requests a new private IP from your router (or a new public IP if your device connects directly to your modem).

Windows

Open Command Prompt as administrator and run:

ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew

macOS

Open Terminal and run:

sudo ipconfig set en0 DHCP

(Replace en0 with en1 if using Ethernet instead of Wi-Fi)

Linux

Open a terminal and run:

sudo dhclient -r
sudo dhclient

Note: This primarily changes your private IP address on the local network. It will only change your public IP if your device is connected directly to the modem without a router (uncommon in modern setups).

Changes: Private IP (and sometimes public IP if directly connected to modem)

Method 4: Contact Your ISP

If you need a genuinely new public IP address and router restarts are not working, you can call your ISP and request one.

When to use this method:

• Your IP has been blacklisted and you need a clean one (check with our Blacklist Check tool)
• You need a static IP for business purposes
• You want to switch from a static IP back to dynamic

What to say: Tell them you need a new IP address. Most ISPs can release your current lease and force a new assignment. Some may charge a fee for static IP assignment.

Keep in mind:

• ISP support quality varies widely
• They may ask why you need a new IP
• If your IP is blacklisted due to malware on your network, they may require you to resolve the infection first

Changes: Public IP (confirmed new assignment)

Method 5: Switch Networks

The quickest way to get a different IP is simply to connect to a different network:

• Switch from Wi-Fi to mobile data — your cellular carrier assigns a different IP than your home ISP
• Connect to a different Wi-Fi network — each network has its own public IP
• Use a mobile hotspot — creates a new connection through your cellular carrier

This is useful as a quick fix but is not a long-term solution.

Changes: Public IP (different network, different IP)

How to Change Your IP on Specific Devices

Change IP on iPhone

1. Settings > Wi-Fi > tap (i) next to your network
2. Tap "Configure IP" and select "Manual"
3. Enter a new IP in the same subnet (e.g., change 192.168.1.10 to 192.168.1.50)
4. Or select "Renew Lease" for automatic reassignment

Change IP on Android

1. Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi
2. Long-press your connected network > Modify network
3. Show advanced options > Change IP settings from DHCP to Static
4. Enter your desired IP address

Change IP on Windows

1. Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi (or Ethernet) > Properties
2. Under IP assignment, click Edit
3. Switch from Automatic (DHCP) to Manual
4. Enter your desired IP, subnet mask, gateway, and DNS

Change IP on macOS

1. System Preferences > Network > select your connection
2. Click Advanced > TCP/IP
3. Change "Configure IPv4" to "Manually"
4. Enter your new IP settings

Important: When setting a static private IP, make sure it is within your router's subnet and not already in use by another device. Using an IP outside the DHCP range (but within the subnet) prevents conflicts.

Verifying the Change

After using any method above:

1. Visit My IP Address to confirm your public IP changed
2. Run an IP Lookup on your new address to see its location and ISP details
3. If you used a VPN, run the VPN Leak Test to ensure no leaks

When Changing Your IP Is Not Enough

Changing your IP address does not make you anonymous. Websites use many other signals to identify you:

• Browser fingerprinting — your screen resolution, fonts, plugins, and dozens of other factors create a unique fingerprint. Check yours with our Browser Fingerprint tool.
• Cookies and local storage — these persist even when your IP changes
• Account logins — if you log into the same account, your identity is tied to that account regardless of IP
• Device identifiers — advertising IDs on mobile devices persist across IP changes

For comprehensive privacy, combine an IP change with clearing cookies, using private browsing, and checking your overall exposure with our Privacy Score tool.