However, even the best VPNs have limitations. While a VPN securely encrypts your traffic and location data, it can’t prevent websites from tracking you through cookies and other methods. Understanding exactly what a VPN can and cannot hide is crucial for using it effectively, and I’ll provide all the information you need in this article. Editor’s Note: We value our relationship with our readers, and we strive to earn your trust through transparency and integrity. We are in the same ownership group as some of the industry-leading products reviewed on this site: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, Private Internet Access, and Intego. That said, our detailed reviews follow a strict methodology that examines all relevant performance factors to help you arrive at your own informed conclusion.
Quick Summary: Here’s Everything a VPN Hides
What a VPN Hides
A VPN creates an encrypted tunnel for your internet traffic, concealing several key aspects of your online activity from prying eyes. The following are the most crucial things that a top VPN can effectively hide.
Browsing Activity
A VPN encrypts your web traffic and prevents your ISP and anyone else trying to spy on you from seeing which websites you visit. Without a VPN, your internet provider can track every site you access and potentially sell this data to advertisers or share it with authorities. During my tests with ExpressVPN, my ISP could only see encrypted data packets going to the VPN server — not my actual browsing destinations. This protection also extends to anyone monitoring your local network, like network administrators at work and school or hackers on public WiFi. They’ll only see a secure connection to a VPN server, not your actual online activities.
IP Address
Your IP address reveals your general location and can be used to track your online movements across different websites. A VPN masks your real IP address by replacing it with the IP of the VPN server you’re connected to.
This IP masking prevents websites, advertisers, and online services from building detailed profiles based on your browsing habits. It also helps avoid price discrimination that some e-commerce sites implement based on your location.
Location
VPNs hide your physical location by routing your traffic through servers in different regions or countries. This makes websites and online services think you’re browsing from the server’s location instead of your actual position. During testing, I could make my connection appear to come from Tokyo while physically located in London. This location masking is particularly useful when traveling, as it helps avoid location-based restrictions on your accounts and can prevent price targeting. Banking services and payment processors often flag foreign logins as suspicious — a VPN helps maintain access by making it seem like you’re still in your home country.
Some VPNs go beyond this. For instance, Surfshark offers GPS override on Android, ensuring your device’s GPS information corresponds with the VPN location you’re connected to.
Itself (Obfuscation)
Advanced VPNs can hide the fact that you’re using a VPN through a process called obfuscation. Some networks and services block VPN connections, but obfuscation disguises your VPN traffic to look like normal HTTPS web traffic. This feature is essential in regions with heavy internet censorship or on networks that block VPN usage. It works by disguising VPN signatures that might otherwise be detected by deep packet inspection techniques. During my tests in restrictive network environments, ExpressVPN’s automatic obfuscation successfully bypassed network restrictions that blocked other VPNs.
Downloads
A VPN encrypts your download activity, keeping your file transfers private from your ISP and network administrators. An extra benefit of this is helping prevent bandwidth throttling that some ISPs impose. In my speed tests, previously throttled connections started maintaining more consistent speeds when connected to a VPN. Using a VPN also adds a layer of privacy when downloding files through torrents or other peer-to-peer network. Of course, you should note that a VPN doesn’t make illegal activity legal — it simply hides it from third parties. Always use VPNs responsibly, as my team and I don’t condone illegal activity.
What a VPN Doesn’t Hide
Despite their powerful protection capabilities, VPNs have limitations. Understanding these helps you avoid a false sense of security. Here’s what VPNs can’t hide:
Local Browser History
Your browser still keeps a record of visited websites on your device, even with a VPN active. While a VPN prevents external parties from seeing which sites you visit, anyone with access to your device can check your browser history. To protect your local browsing history, use private/incognito browsing modes alongside your VPN, or manually clear your browser history after sessions. Another alternative is using a privacy-focused browser that can take care of these things for you.
Account Activity on Social Media (And Other Sites)
This tracking happens because these services identify you through your account credentials rather than your IP address. The only way to prevent this is to avoid logging into these services or use separate accounts when privacy is essential.
Search History
Your search queries remain linked to your account when logged into search engines. Google, Bing, and similar services save your search history to your profile when you’re signed in, regardless of whether you’re using a VPN. I verified this by checking my Google search history after extensive VPN usage — all queries were still recorded. To prevent search history tracking, use private browsing, log out of search engines before searching, or switch to privacy-focused alternatives like DuckDuckGo that don’t track your searches.
Pre-existing Cookies
Cookies already stored in your browser continue tracking you even after connecting to a VPN. These small files contain identifiers that websites use to recognize you across sessions. During tests, websites I had previously visited still recognized me after connecting to a VPN due to existing cookies. For complete privacy, clear your cookies before connecting to a VPN.
How to Know if a VPN is Trustworthy
Not all VPNs provide the same level of privacy protection. Here’s how to determine if a VPN service can be trusted with your data:
Encryption and Security Protocols
Trustworthy VPNs use AES-256 encryption and modern security protocols like WireGuard or OpenVPN. This level of encryption is virtually uncrackable with current technology.
During my security assessments, I verified that ExpressVPN, NordVPN, and Surfshark all implement these standards correctly.
Jurisdiction
The location of a VPN’s headquarters affects privacy protection. VPNs based in countries with strong privacy laws and outside the 14 Eyes’ jurisdiction generally offer better protection. In my research, I found that services based in the British Virgin Islands (like ExpressVPN), Panama (NordVPN), or Romania (CyberGhost) face fewer legal pressures to share user data.
This jurisdiction becomes crucial if authorities request user information. Privacy-friendly countries have fewer data retention requirements and more restrictions on what companies can be forced to share.
Track Record
A VPN’s history of protecting user privacy is the strongest indicator of trustworthiness. Look for providers that have undergone independent security audits and have proven their no-logs policies in real-world situations. For example, when Turkish authorities seized ExpressVPN servers in 2017, they couldn’t find any user data because none was stored — confirming their no-logs policy works as claimed.
How to Check if Your VPN is Working
Verifying your VPN’s effectiveness ensures your data is actually being protected. Here’s a comprehensive process I use to confirm my VPN is working properly: If your VPN fails any of these tests, I recommend switching to a more reliable service or contacting your provider’s support for troubleshooting.
Best VPNs for Hiding Your Online Activity in 2025
Editor’s Note: We value our relationship with our readers, and we strive to earn your trust through transparency and integrity. We are in the same ownership group as some of the industry-leading products reviewed on this site: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, Private Internet Access, and Intego. That said, our detailed reviews follow a strict methodology that examines all relevant performance factors to help you arrive at your own informed conclusion.
Stay Safe by Knowing What a VPN Hides (And What It Can’t)
Understanding your VPN’s capabilities and limitations helps you make informed decisions about your online privacy. While a reliable VPN effectively hides your IP address, location, and real-time internet traffic from ISPs and other third parties, it’s not a complete solution. Ultimately, the most effective approach is to combine a quality VPN with smart privacy habits.
