WebRTC Leak Test
Check if your browser is leaking your real IP address through WebRTC, even when using a VPN.
How Does the WebRTC Leak Test Work?
WebRTC (Web Real-Time Communication) is a browser technology that enables peer-to-peer audio, video, and data sharing directly between browsers without needing plugins. To establish these connections, WebRTC uses a protocol called ICE (Interactive Connectivity Establishment) which discovers all available network interfaces on your device, including your real local and public IP addresses.
This tool creates a temporary RTCPeerConnection and listens for ICE candidates. Each candidate reveals an IP address that your browser can use for communication. If you are connected to a VPN, your public IP should be the VPN server's IP. However, a WebRTC leak occurs when the browser bypasses the VPN tunnel and exposes your real ISP-assigned IP address through the ICE candidate gathering process. Our test compares the IPs found via WebRTC against your detected public IP to identify any discrepancies that indicate a leak.
Why is WebRTC Leak Detection Important for Privacy?
A WebRTC leak completely undermines the privacy protection of your VPN. Even if your VPN is actively encrypting your traffic and masking your IP for all other web requests, a single WebRTC leak can expose your true identity to any website that runs a simple JavaScript snippet. This means your real location, ISP, and potentially your identity are visible to trackers, advertisers, and malicious actors despite you paying for VPN protection.
This is particularly dangerous for users relying on VPNs for sensitive activities such as journalism, activism, accessing region-locked content, or simply maintaining personal privacy. Many popular browsers including Chrome, Firefox, and Edge have WebRTC enabled by default, making this a widespread vulnerability that most users are completely unaware of. Regular testing with tools like this one is essential to verify your VPN is providing complete protection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is a WebRTC leak?
A:A WebRTC leak is when your browser reveals your real IP address through the WebRTC protocol, bypassing your VPN connection. This happens because WebRTC uses STUN servers to discover your network interfaces, which can expose IPs that your VPN is supposed to hide.
Q: How do I fix a WebRTC leak?
A:You can disable WebRTC in Firefox via about:config (set media.peerconnection.enabled to false). For Chrome, use a browser extension like 'WebRTC Leak Prevent'. Many premium VPNs like NordVPN also include built-in WebRTC leak protection.
Q: Does every browser have WebRTC?
A:Most modern browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera, Safari) support WebRTC by default. Safari has partial support and is generally less susceptible to leaks. Tor Browser disables WebRTC entirely for maximum privacy.
Q: Can websites detect WebRTC leaks without my knowledge?
A:Yes. Any website can run JavaScript code to gather ICE candidates and discover your real IP address. This happens silently in the background without any browser prompt or notification to the user.