Your iPhone has two IP addresses, and most guides mix them up. One is the private IP address your router gives the phone on your home Wi-Fi, something like 192.168.1.23. The other is the public IP address that websites and apps see, which belongs to your internet provider or mobile carrier.
Which one you need to change depends on why you're changing it. Hiding your location or getting past a block means changing the public IP. Fixing a network conflict at home means changing the private one. Here are five ways to do both, and which address each one changes.
Public vs. private IP: which one do you need to change?
To see your public IP on iPhone, open any "what is my IP" page in Safari. To see your private IP, go to Settings > Wi-Fi, tap the ⓘ next to your network and look under IPv4 Address.
1. Use a VPN (changes your public IP in every app)
A VPN connects your iPhone to a server elsewhere, and all your traffic goes out from there. Websites and apps see the server's IP address and location instead of yours. You can choose the country, and you can switch to a new IP any time by picking a different server.
- Install a VPN app from the App Store and sign in.
- Choose a server location, or let the app pick the fastest.
- Tap Connect and allow the VPN configuration.
- Check your IP again. It should now show the VPN server's address and location.
Changes: public IP, for every app on the phone. Best for: hiding your location, public Wi-Fi, getting a different country's IP, getting past CAPTCHAs and IP blocks.
2. Turn on iCloud Private Relay (changes your IP in Safari)
If you pay for iCloud+, Private Relay gives Safari a temporary IP address through two separate relays. It also covers DNS lookups and unencrypted (HTTP) traffic from apps. Apple's description is that no single party, not even Apple, can see both who you are and which site you visit.
- Open Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Private Relay.
- Turn on Private Relay.
- Under IP Address Location, choose Maintain General Location (keeps local results) or Use Country and Time Zone (more private).
Changes: public IP, in Safari and for unencrypted (HTTP) app traffic. Normal encrypted traffic from other apps still shows your real IP address. Limits: you can't choose a country, and Private Relay isn't available in every country or region (mainland China, for example). More in our guide to Limit IP Address Tracking.
3. Toggle airplane mode on cellular (may get a new public IP from your carrier)
When your iPhone reconnects to the mobile network, the carrier often assigns a new public IP address.
- Turn off Wi-Fi so you're on cellular data.
- Open Control Center and turn on Airplane Mode.
- Wait 10 to 30 seconds, then turn it off.
- Check your public IP again.
Changes: public IP on cellular, sometimes. Limits: it's up to your carrier. On many carriers your phone also has an IPv6 address, so an IP check page may show a long address with colons. That is a public IP too. Many carriers put lots of customers behind shared addresses (carrier-grade NAT), so you may get the same address, or one shared with many others. You also can't choose the location. It's still in your carrier's region.
4. Use Renew Lease (gets a new private IP on Wi-Fi)
Your router lends each device an IP address for a set time, called a DHCP lease. Renewing it asks the router for an address again.
- Open Settings > Wi-Fi.
- Tap the ⓘ next to your network.
- Tap Renew Lease, then confirm.
Changes: private IP, sometimes. Many routers hand the same device the same address again. Best for: fixing an IP conflict or a connection that says it's connected but won't load anything.
Restarting your router can also give your whole home a new public IP from your internet provider, but many providers keep the same address for days or weeks.
5. Set a manual IP address (chooses your private IP on Wi-Fi)
You can tell your iPhone to use a specific private IP address on a network.
- Open Settings > Wi-Fi, tap the ⓘ next to your network.
- Tap Configure IP and choose Manual.
- Enter an IP Address in your router's range but outside the automatic range, the Subnet Mask (usually 255.255.255.0) and the Router address (usually the address shown before, like 192.168.1.1).
- Tap Save.
Changes: private IP only. Best for: port forwarding, local servers, game consoles and other setups where the phone needs a fixed address. Careful: if you pick an address another device is using, both lose their connection. To undo it, set Configure IP back to Automatic.
Which IP does each method change?
What doesn't change your IP address
- Private Wi-Fi Address. This setting changes your phone's MAC address (its hardware ID on the network), not its IP address. On iOS 18 and later you can set it to Off, Fixed or Rotating (the address changes about every two weeks). Useful for privacy, but a different thing. Apple explains it here.
- Incognito or Private Browsing. Private tabs don't touch your IP address at all. See what incognito mode actually hides.
- Clearing Safari history or cookies. This removes stored data on your phone, not your address.
- Location Services off. This stops apps from using GPS. Websites can still estimate your location from your IP.
Which method should you use?
Is it legal to change your IP address?
Yes, in the US and most countries. A few countries restrict or regulate VPN use, including China, Russia and Iran, so check local rules if you travel or live there. What matters is what you do with the new IP: breaking a service's terms or the law isn't made legal by a different IP address.
Change your IP with Atomic VPN
- Servers in 88+ countries. Pick a location, or switch servers for a fresh IP in seconds.
- Covers every app, not just Safari.
- DNS inside the tunnel, so your internet provider can't log the sites you look up.
- No activity logs, RAM-only servers and an independently audited no-log policy.
- $2 a month on the yearly plan, 5 devices.
The Atomic VPN iPhone app is on the way. Until then, you can protect your iPhone on your home network by setting Atomic VPN up on your router. See how to set up a VPN on any device.
FAQ
How do I change my IP address on my iPhone?
Use a VPN to change the public IP that websites and apps see, or iCloud Private Relay for Safari and unencrypted app traffic. To change the private IP on Wi-Fi, tap the ⓘ next to your network and use Renew Lease or Configure IP > Manual.
How do I change my IP address on iPhone without a VPN?
Use iCloud Private Relay (Safari and unencrypted app traffic, needs iCloud+), toggle airplane mode on cellular for a possible new carrier IP, or restart your router. None of these let you pick a location.
How do I get a new IP address?
On cellular, toggle airplane mode. At home, restart the router, though many providers keep the same address. With a VPN, connect to a different server for an instant new IP.
Does airplane mode change your IP address?
Often, on cellular data. When the phone reconnects, the carrier may assign a new public IP. It's not guaranteed.
Does Private Wi-Fi Address change my IP?
No. It changes your MAC address, the hardware identifier your phone shows the Wi-Fi network.
Does resetting network settings change my IP address?
It can change your private IP on Wi-Fi because the phone reconnects and gets a new lease, but it doesn't change the public IP your provider assigns. It also deletes saved Wi-Fi networks and passwords, VPN settings and cellular settings, so use it only to fix a network problem. It's under Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings.
Can someone see my location from my IP address?
They can see your approximate city and your internet provider, not your street address. A VPN replaces that with the VPN server's location.
Is changing your IP address illegal?
No, in the US and most countries. Some countries restrict VPNs (China, Russia and Iran, for example). Using a new IP to break the law or a service's terms is not legal anywhere.
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