What Is a WebRTC Leak and How to Fix It

You're connected to a VPN, feeling safe and anonymous. But what if websites can still see your real IP address? That's exactly what a WebRTC leak does — and millions of VPN users are affected without knowing it.

What Is WebRTC?

WebRTC (Web Real-Time Communication) is a technology built into modern browsers that enables peer-to-peer communication — think video calls (Zoom, Google Meet), file sharing, and live streaming. It's incredibly useful, but it has a critical privacy flaw.

How WebRTC Leaks Your IP

To establish peer-to-peer connections, WebRTC needs to discover your IP addresses. It does this through a protocol called STUN (Session Traversal Utilities for NAT), which queries external servers to find your public IP.

The problem: WebRTC makes these requests outside of the VPN tunnel. This means:

• Your VPN shows websites a fake IP ✅
• But WebRTC secretly reveals your real IP ❌
• Websites can use JavaScript to access WebRTC and detect both IPs

This effectively defeats the purpose of using a VPN.

Am I Affected?

Run our VPN Leak Test right now to check. It compares your standard API IP against your WebRTC IP. If they differ, you have a leak.

Which Browsers Are Affected?

• Google Chrome — Affected (WebRTC enabled by default)
• Microsoft Edge — Affected (Chromium-based)
• Mozilla Firefox — Affected (but can disable WebRTC)
• Opera — Affected (Chromium-based)
• Safari — Affected in some versions
• Brave — Partially protected (blocks some WebRTC leaks)

How to Fix WebRTC Leaks

Fix 1: Use a VPN With Built-in Protection

The easiest fix is to use a VPN that blocks WebRTC leaks automatically. NordVPN includes built-in WebRTC leak protection in their browser extensions and desktop apps.

Fix 2: Disable WebRTC in Firefox

1. Type about:config in the address bar
2. Accept the risk warning
3. Search for media.peerconnection.enabled
4. Double-click to set it to false

Note: This will disable video calls in the browser.

Fix 3: Use Browser Extensions

• Chrome: Install "WebRTC Leak Prevent" or "WebRTC Control" from the Chrome Web Store
• Firefox: Use the built-in setting above, or install "WebRTC Control" add-on
• Edge: Install "WebRTC Leak Prevent" extension

Fix 4: Use uBlock Origin

The popular ad blocker uBlock Origin can also block WebRTC leaks:

1. Install uBlock Origin
2. Open its settings
3. Check "Prevent WebRTC from leaking local IP addresses"

Verify the Fix

After applying a fix, always verify it's working:

1. Connect to your VPN
2. Visit our VPN Leak Test
3. If WebRTC shows "Blocked" or matches your VPN IP, you're protected!