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How to Change IP location With a VPN

Change IP Location with VPN

VPNs are becoming increasingly popular tools for online users who want to change their IP location to any place around the globe. So, how exactly do you change your IP with a VPN? More than that, why would you even want to change your IP address with a VPN?

Changing your IP address with a VPN is known as geo-spoofing, and it’s not that difficult to do. Plus, it enables you to take advantage of numerous benefits. Read our detailed guide and learn everything you need to know about changing your IP location with a VPN.

How to Change your IP Address With a VPN

Using a VPN to change your IP address is super simple, and you don’t need any advanced technical knowledge to do so. What’s more, we’ve created a straightforward guide you can follow to change your location effortlessly.

  1. Subscribe to one of our recommended VPNs
  2. Download the appropriate app for your device.
  3. Open the VPN app and log in.
  4. Select a server you want to connect to.
  5. Enjoy browsing with your new IP address!

These five simple steps will enable you to change your IP every time and connect to any server worldwide. Just pick a server in a country of your choice and wait a few seconds for the connection to establish. 

With that in mind, your setup experience might be slightly more complicated depending on which device you want to use the VPN. So, we want to go even further in-depth and cover detailed instructions on how to use a VPN to change your location on different types of devices.

How to Change IP Address on Mobile Devices

Changing your IP address on Android and iOS devices is easy, as everything is automated, and the VPN app installs itself. All you need to do is follow a few simple steps to change your IP address on iOS/Android:

  1. Sign up with a VPN (We recommend NordVPN).
  2. Download the iOS/Android app.
  3. Wait for the installation to finish.
  4. Launch the client and log in.
  5. Connect automatically or pick a server manually.
  6. Your IP will change after a few seconds when the VPN establishes a connection.

How to Change IP Address on Windows with a VPN

Changing an IP address on Windows requires a bit more work because the VPN app won’t install automatically as it does on mobile phones. You’ll have to download the app first and then install it. But, don’t worry, this is still pretty straightforward.

Here’s how to use a VPN to change your IP address on Windows devices:

  1. Sign up and download the Windows app from the VPN’s site.
  2. Run the EXE file when downloaded.
  3. Follow the installation steps to set up the VPN.
  4. Once the installation completes, open the app and log in.
  5. Pick a recommended server or choose one manually.
  6. Connect to the VPN server to change your IP address.

How to Change VPN Location on Mac

Changing your IP address on a Mac doesn’t differ significantly from doing so on your Windows device. That said, to ensure this process goes without a hitch, we’ve prepared easy-to-follow steps on how to change VPN location on Mac:

  1. Sign up with one of our recommended VPNs.
  2. Download the app from the Apple App Store or directly from the VPN’s site.
  3. Follow the prompts to complete the installation.
  4. Open the app and log in.
  5. Choose a server and connect.

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Why Might Want to Change your IP Address Location

Even though the Internet has been around quite a while, many people still don’t understand how it works, how to make the best of it, and how to protect against the many threats waiting in the online world. 

So, to bring this topic a bit closer, we want to highlight the biggest reasons why you should consider using a VPN to change your IP address location. Here’s why you might want to change your IP address:

Ensure Data Privacy

Your IP address is like your identification card when you use the Internet. Because of this, your ISP, the government, and third parties can use it to track your online activities and interests. If this sounds too intrusive and you want to keep your data private, a VPN is the best tool for the job. 

When you’re connected to a VPN’s IP address, any tracking attempts lead to the VPN server you’re using and not your actual IP address. Moreover, as all of your data is encrypted, you can use the Internet with complete privacy.

Improve Network Performance

If you generally have poor Internet service, your ISP might be throttling your bandwidth. This is when they intentionally slow down your connection, most often in order to save on operating costs.

In such situations, switching your IP address can help improve your network performance. By doing so, you will hide your real IP location and replace it with the VPN’s server IP, which isn’t under the ISP’s oversight. 

Access Geo-Restricted Content

Not all online streaming services are available in every country. For example, the BBC iPlayer is only available to UK viewers. What’s more, even online streaming services that operate in many countries, like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, can’t offer the same content library in every country due to copyright restrictions.

So, to prevent people from different regions from accessing content they can’t show, these services use geo-blocking tools. Luckily, when you change your IP with a VPN, you can easily go around these geo-blocks. Just connect to the VPN server in a country you want to access, and you can enjoy streaming shows, movies, and sports that otherwise wouldn’t be available for streaming in your country.

Get Better Deals and Prices

Many online businesses have a sneaky and underhanded practice of changing their prices in different regions they offer their products and services. So, while you might think that you’re getting a deal on something, in reality, you’re paying much more than someone from a different country.

With a VPN, you can quickly change several IP addresses and compare prices in different locations. This is most useful when booking airline tickets or hotel accommodation, as these services often mark up their prices to certain markets.

Best VPN Apps to Change Your IP Location – our detailed list:

1. NordVPN

🌐 Website:nordvpn.com
🏢 Headquarters:Panama
📍Servers/Countries:5800+ servers in 60 countries
₿ Accepts CryptocurrencyYes
💸 Deals & CouponsGet 68% off + 3 months extra

NordVPN is the best VPN service to use to change your IP location, as it offers over 5,400 servers worldwide. Moreover, if you use NordVPN to change your location, you can even opt for a dedicated IP option. This allows you to use a VPN server that will only be available to you, if you don’t want anyone else using the same IP.

Besides that, this industry-leading VPN has tons of privacy and security features that will guarantee your protection when browsing the Internet. NordVPN comes with private DNS, server obfuscation, a kill switch, and a strict no-logs policy.

Pros

  • Thousands of lightning-fast and well-optimized servers
  • Unblocks all the major streaming sites
  • Fully supports Torrenting and P2P
  • Strict no-logs policy and RAM-disk servers
  • Ad blocker and malware protection features
  • Robust security features and military-grade encryption to protect you from DDoS attacks and other online threats
  • 24/7 live chat support
  • 30-day money-back guarantee

Cons

  • Only 6 simultaneous connections
  • No free trial

2. Surfshark

🌐 Website:surfshark.com
🏢 Headquarters:The British Virgin Islands
📍Servers/Countries:3,200+ servers in 100 countries
₿ Accepts CryptocurrencyYes
💸 Deals & CouponsSave 84% Now!

Surfshark is an award-winning VPN with excellent privacy protection features. Furthermore, it’s also one of the fastest services in the market. Each of its 3,200+ servers runs on RAM and has private DNS and IP leak protection. Surfshark includes features like NoBorders Mode and Camouflage Mode that help make the Internet a safer and more unrestricted space.

Not to mention, this VPN allows you to connect an unlimited number of devices per single subscription. You can get all of these advantages at affordable subscription prices, especially if you sign up for a long-term deal.

Pros

  • A very affordable VPN provider
  • Unlimited simultaneous connections
  • Ad-blocking feature
  • Unblocks streaming platforms
  • Ad blocker and malware protection features
  • A fast and light WireGuard protocol
  • Allows split-tunneling and has a multi-hop VPN feature
  • No-log policy and robust security features
  • GPS spoofing on Android devices
  • 30-day money-back guarantee

Cons

  • No free version
  • Does not allow P2P seeding

3. Atlas VPN

🌐 Website:atlasvpn.com
🏢 Headquarters:United States
📍Servers/Countries:1000 servers in 49 locations
₿ Accepts CryptocurrencyYes
💸 Deals & Coupons85% OFF + 3 Months FREE!

Atlas VPN offers more than enough IP addresses to choose from, as it has a network of over 750 servers worldwide. Every server is equipped with private DNS and supports the WireGuard protocol. With superior web traffic encryption, a kill switch, and a 100% no logs policy, Atlas VPN ensures no data can be linked back to you when using one of their IP addresses.

Moreover, Atlas VPN has some very convenient features. For example, you can use the SafeSwap tool to access the Internet from several IP addresses at a time. You can also utilize MultiHop+, split tunneling, and other advanced settings to customize your connection. 

Pros

  • Very affordable plans and it has a free version
  • Fast Speeds
  • Helpful against an ISP throttling your connection
  • Unlimited device support
  • WireGuard protocol, DNS leak protection, and strong security features
  • Torrenting-friendly
  • Unblocks streaming services
  • 30-day money-back guarantee

Cons

  • Limited Linux app
  • Based in the US
  • Not so many servers

4. PrivateVPN

🌐 Website:privatevpn.com
🏢 Headquarters:Sweden
📍Servers/Countries:200 servers in 60 countries
₿ Accepts CryptocurrencyYes
💸 Deals & CouponsSave 85% Now!

If your main goal is only to use a VPN to switch your IP location and not much more, PrivateVPN is a perfect choice. You can choose between 200+ server locations in 63 countries. Plus, it’s one of the most beginner-friendly VPN services with some of the most intuitive apps around.

This is not to say that PrivateVPN lacks quality features in this simplicity. It delivers fast and reliable connections and can access almost any streaming service in any country. It also keeps your IP location protected by DNS and IPv6 leak protection, as well as an automatic kill switch.

Pros

  • Supports P2P traffic and allows port forwarding
  • Unlimited bandwidth and great speeds
  • Unblocks most streaming platforms
  • Zero-logging policy
  • Free Static IP servers
  • A fast and light WireGuard protocol
  • 10 simultaneous connections
  • 30-day money-back guarantee

Cons

  • Not as many servers as other VPN providers
  • No split-tunneling

5. ExpressVPN

🌐 Website:expressvpn.com
🏢 Headquarters:The British Virgin Islands
📍Servers/Countries:3000+ servers in 94 countries
₿ Accepts CryptocurrencyYes
💸 Deals & Coupons+3 months FREE!

ExpressVPN is one of the most secure VPNs you can get, making it an excellent pick for all users that want to change their IP location and keep their real IP address away from prying eyes. It offers 160 server locations, each supporting the provider’s in-house Lightway protocol.

This VPN has a proven track record backed up by independent audits. It uses TrustedServer technology and has a strict no-logs policy. ExpressVPN’s military-grade encryption, DNS and IP leak protection, as well as a network lock mechanism (kill switch), ensure maximum network protection. You can even use ExpressVPN with Tor, and it has its own .onion website.

Pros

  • Works with streaming
  • Supports torrenting
  • No-logs policy
  • TrustedServer technology with RAM-only servers
  • Premium security features
  • 30-day money-back guarantee

Cons

  • Expensive subscription plans
  • Only 5 simultaneous connections

VPN Location Changer Alternatives

Using a VPN is the most efficient and most practical way to change your location. That said, it’s far from being the only option. You can use several alternate ways to change your location. Here’s a close look at the best VPN alternatives for changing your location:

Get a Proxy Server

This is the most common alternative for online users that want to change their location but don’t want to use a VPN service. 

In simple terms, a proxy works similarly to a VPN in the sense that it conceals your IP address and acts as an intermediary between you and the sites you access.

But, there is one massive difference between a proxy server and a VPN server. A proxy server doesn’t encrypt your connection. This means that you can’t enjoy any of the online protection features that come with using a VPN service.

Use Tor

The Tor Project is very popular among privacy-conscious online users. The free Tor Browser is available on all major software platforms.

Tor is excellent at keeping you anonymous online as it sends your connection through several nodes across the globe. Each node only knows the node that precedes it. This makes it extremely challenging for anyone to track your real IP location.

However, this complex system also has one drawback. Tor is significantly slower than other browsers. Moreover, it can’t offer the fast streaming or online browsing speeds you can obtain with a VPN.

Unplug Your Modem

This is one of those tips that seems too simple to be real, but it actually works. Changing your IP location can sometimes be as straightforward as unplugging your modem, waiting a few minutes, and then plugging it back in. So, why does this do the trick?

When you unplug your modem, you “release” your IP address, and your ISP might recycle it by assigning it to someone else. If this happens, when you plug back your modem, your ISP will give you a new IP address.

Sometimes this doesn’t work, as the ISP will just assign you your old IP back when you turn your modem on again. But, the longer you leave your modem unplugged, the higher the chance that your ISP will assign you a new IP address when you plug it in again. Additionally, for this to be possible, your ISP must use dynamic addresses.

Ask Your ISP To Change Your Address

Lastly, and this is something many people don’t know, you can reach out to your Internet Service Provider and see if they would change your IP address. This isn’t the best alternative if you’re aiming for maximum privacy, as your ISP will still know your new IP address.

Moreover, you can’t change your IP address very often with this method, as the new IP you get is tied to your router or device. Still, if you only need a one-off IP change, this is a good way to go about it.

VPN location Changer FAQs

Is it legal to change IP addresses?

Yes, it’s perfectly legal in most countries to use a VPN that lets you change location by switching your IP address to appear like you’re somewhere else. However, you shouldn’t try to change your IP address to engage in illegal activities, as you might get in trouble with the law if you get caught.

Why is my VPN location not changing?

In some situations, you may encounter leaks when your VPN location won’t change and your IP address. While this can be a serious privacy issue, you can easily test and fix this issue. That way, you’ll make sure that your VPN hides your real connection when you connect to one of its servers.

Does VPN change mobile device location?

Yes, a VPN can change your mobile device location, but only when it comes to the IP address aspect. Keep in mind that a VPN on its own can’t change your GPS location and HTML5 geolocation, which is obtained through Wi-Fi and nearby cell towers. To hide or change these, you’ll need to use additional apps and tools.

How do I find my VPN location?

To find if your VPN location is the one you’ve selected, you can go on Google and type “what’s my IP”. If the results show that your location is the one you’ve connected to in your VPN client, then the VPN is properly connected, and your real IP is hidden. If not, the VPN might not be working or could have a leak.

Can VPN location be tracked?

Yes, in some cases, the VPN location can be tracked by the government, your ISP, or even hackers. You can be tracked through cookies, DNS leaks, or browser fingerprinting, among other ways. That said, if you want to avoid being tracked while using a VPN, we have the best tips on how to stay anonymous with a VPN.

Can I change my IP address for free?

While you can use a VPN to change your location free of charge, we don’t recommend you do so. A free VPN that changes location can’t offer the same quality of service as a premium one. Plus, the vast majority of free VPNs are simply unsafe and may infect your device or sell your private data.

Conclusion

If you read through this guide hoping to learn the answer to the commonly asked “will a VPN change my location”, hopefully, you’ve found everything you were looking for. 

Changing your IP address is simple and brings many useful benefits. And, with all of the setup tips, VPN recommendations, and additional pointers, you know how to effectively change your IP location. 

Still, if you don’t want to settle for anything less than perfect, NordVPN is our top pick as the best VPN to change location with. It’s fast, secure, and private, making it the best choice to change your IP address on any device.

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