Guides
VPN connected but the public IP is not changing
If this browser still shows the same public IPv4 or IPv6 address after you connect, web requests from this app are not leaving through the VPN exit. The app can look connected while split tunneling, an excluded browser, IPv6, or a failed reconnect leaves ordinary HTTPS on the old path.
A public IP is simply the address a website or lookup service sees for the connection that reached it. It is not a street address, and it is not proof that you are logged into an account. What is my IP asks free lookup providers from this browser, so the number is yours, not this site’s hosting server.
Many VPN apps can be “on” while a particular application is excluded. Browser extensions, work profiles, and “allow local network” switches also produce this pattern. IPv6 is a frequent surprise: IPv4 may move to the VPN while IPv6 still goes to the ISP.
IP geolocation databases can be outdated, but that is a different problem. If the numeric IP itself did not change, location labels are irrelevant until the address changes. VPN test only compares IP, country, and ISP after you save a baseline; it cannot detect a VPN automatically.
Symptoms and likely causes
| What you see | More likely explanation |
|---|---|
| VPN window says connected; What is my IP still shows the home or office IP. | This browser is excluded from the tunnel, or the VPN process did not actually take the default route. |
| IPv4 changed, IPv6 on IPv6 test still looks like the ISP. | The VPN is not covering IPv6. That is a routing gap, not a DNS leak test. |
| Phone hotspot or guest Wi‑Fi still shows the same IP after reconnect. | The old session was cached in the tab, or you compared two lookups too quickly. |
| Country label changed but the IP string did not. | Unlikely for a real path change. Recheck the IP field itself, not only the map or flag. |
Troubleshooting steps
1. Save a baseline, then change only the VPN
On VPN test, save the current connection. Connect or disconnect the VPN once. Test again. If IP, country, and ISP are identical, this browser’s public path did not move.
2. Confirm the same browser is inside the tunnel
Turn off split tunneling or “open websites without VPN” lists for this browser. If you use a VPN browser extension and a system app, pick one path so you are not mixing them.
3. Reconnect cleanly
Disconnect, wait a few seconds, connect again, then reload What is my IP. A half-open session can keep sending HTTPS on the old interface.
4. Check IPv6 separately
Run IPv6 test. Seeing a public IPv6 address means this browser currently has IPv6 connectivity. It does not prove a VPN leak by itself, but it does mean IPv4-only protection is incomplete on dual-stack networks.
5. Rule out a stale tab
Close the results tab, open a new one, and look up the IP again. Do not paste the full address into chats or tickets.
How to verify the fix
- Use What is my IP before and after a reconnect. The IP string should change if this browser started using a different path. Country and ISP may change too, but databases can lag.
- Use VPN test with a saved baseline so you can see which of IP, country, and ISP actually moved. Unchanged fields do not prove the VPN is off; they only show those three values matched.
- If IPv4 moved but you still worry about a second path, run IPv6 test as well. This site does not test DNS leaks.
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FAQ
- Can a website always tell that a VPN is on?
- No. This site refuses automatic “VPN detected” labels. A changed IP after you toggle the app is a useful clue, not a detector.
- Why would IPv4 change and IPv6 stay put?
- Dual-stack networks can send IPv6 on a different route. Check IPv6 test. A visible IPv6 address is not, by itself, proof of a VPN leak.
- Does a dedicated VPN IP always look like my home country?
- Not necessarily. A dedicated exit can still geolocate to a datacenter or a neighbouring region. See the vendor note on dedicated IPs if you use that product.
- I refreshed once and the IP flickered back. Is the VPN broken?
- A single refresh is a weak sample. Save a baseline, reconnect, and compare again. Also make sure you are not looking at a cached screenshot.