A VPN sends all of your online activity through an encrypted tunnel, shielding it from external observation or theft. However, some VPNs fail to live up to their promises and leak DNS information, your IP address, or other personal data that should be protected. Testing your VPN is a good way to make sure that it’s functioning as expected and protecting your privacy.

To test VPN connection , first look up your current IP address with the VPN switched off (this is called a “regular” test). Then connect to your VPN and select any server location, ideally in a country different than your own. Refresh the site that shows your IP address to see if it changes to the one provided by your VPN, which indicates that your connection is working correctly.

Check If an IP Is a Virtual Private Network: Step-by-Step

You can also test your VPN’s location-changing magic by visiting a geo-sensitive website, such as streaming services or region-blocked websites, and then connecting to another server location to see if it unlocks the content. Some VPNs also include tools to test your VPN’s performance on a specific site or app, which is especially useful for troubleshooting if a particular service isn’t working properly.

Another important test is to check for WebRTC leaks, which can expose your real-world IP address even when you’re connected to a VPN. To do this, open a browser and head to a WebRTC leak tester website, such as BrowserLeaks, with the VPN switched off. Note any public IP addresses displayed and then reconnect to the VPN and refresh the page. If your VPN is leaking your actual IP address, it’s time to switch to a better solution.