What Does a VPN Hide (And Why That Matters in 2026)

A VPN can hide several things to protect your privacy, including your IP address, your location, and your online activity, both at home and on public Wi-Fi.

When you use a VPN, your internet connection is encrypted and routed through the VPN's secure server. This hides:

• Your IP address (a number that identifies you and your location online)
• The websites you visit (from your ISP)
• Your location (from most apps and websites)
• What you’re doing online both at home and on public Wi-Fi

What a VPN doesn't hide:

• Who you are if you're logged into services like Google or Facebook
• What you post online
• Device or browser “fingerprints”
• What your VPN provider could log - unless it has a no-logs policy (which means it doesn’t track or store what you do online)

A good way to think about it:
A VPN shields your connection - not your identity.

Your internet provider (ISP) can usually see everything you do - the websites you visit, what you download, and even how long you stay on certain pages.

When you connect through a VPN:

• Your ISP can only see that you're connected to a VPN - not what you’re doing
• All the traffic between your device and the VPN server is encrypted
• The websites you visit and what you do on them are hidden from your provider

That means:
No more snooping, profiling, or selling your browsing history to advertisers.

Technically, yes - if they wanted to.

This is why it’s so important to choose a provider with a real no-logs policy (meaning they don't record your online activity) and a proven track record. The best VPNs:

• Don’t store activity logs or connection timestamps
• Undergo independent audits to verify their claims
• Are based in countries with strong privacy laws (not places where governments monitor internet activity)

If you’re using a free or shady VPN, there’s a good chance they are tracking you - and possibly selling your data.

If you want to see which VPN providers truly keep no logs, our VPN comparison for 2026 lists each service’s logging policy side-by-side.

Not completely.

A VPN hides your IP address and makes it harder to link your activity back to you - but it doesn’t:

• Mask your identity if you're logged into accounts (like Gmail, YouTube, or Instagram)
• Block cookies or trackers on its own
• Prevent apps from accessing GPS if you’ve given permission

To stay more anonymous:

• Use private browsers
• Avoid logging in where possible
• Combine your VPN with privacy tools like tracker blockers

Yes. A VPN encrypts your internet connection at home, making it much harder for hackers or snoopers to intercept your data. The bigger risk often comes from public Wi-Fi, where anyone on the same network could potentially spy on your activity.

When you’re on public Wi-Fi (like at a café or airport), a VPN keeps you safe by:

• Preventing anyone else on the network from seeing what you’re doing
• Protecting your passwords, messages, and personal information
• Blocking hackers from snooping on your data, even on open or unsecured Wi-Fi

Whether you’re at home or on public Wi-Fi, your connection stays private and secure.

A VPN protects and hides your connection, not your identity.

✅ It hides:

• Your IP address and location
• Your traffic from your ISP
• Your activity on public Wi-Fi

❌ It doesn’t hide:

• Who you are when logged into accounts
• What you post or share online
• What a shady VPN provider might track

If you want to make sure you’re using one of the most reliable services for privacy, speed, and streaming, see our best VPNs for 2026 for our top recommendations.