Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some common questions our software products and services. If you still have a question after reading this page you may visit our Knowledgebase, our Forums or E-mail your question to .

Why Hide My IP?
 
When you connect to the internet, your computer is assigned an IP address, which is your unique identification number on the Internet. This number may contain information about where you are located, who you are, and what programs are running on your computer. Many websites and software applications use your IP address to track and profile your online activity. Using Hide My IP, you can conceal your identity online by showing these websites a "fake IP" located in a country of your choice, blocking hackers and prying eyes from knowing your true location or identity.

What exactly does Hide My IP do?
 
When Hide My IP runs, it sets your web browser proxy settings to show a fake IP from our IP database. You will then be able to browse the Internet with your favorite web browser while remaining totally anonymous. When you stop running Hide My IP, your web browser settings will revert back to normal (without the fake IP). Click to see "How Hide My IP Works"

How do I recover my lost license key or Order ID Number?
 
Please visit the License Key Retrieval page to retrieve your product keys and order information.

Do you ship out product CDs of your software?
 
Yes, the cost to ship you a copy of the products with your purchase is $8.95 USD to any state or countries.

Which web browsers does Hide My IP work with?
 
Internet Explorer, FireFox, Google Chrome, Netscape, Opera, Safari, Maxthon, MyIE, Avant Browser, and Lolifox.  Other programs are supported with our Premium Service.

Where may I download a previous version of Hide My IP or other product?
 
Please visit our Old Version Download Page to download previous versions of our software.

Will Hide My IP work with my router or Dial-Up, wireless, DSL, and Cable Modem Internet connections?
 
Yes, Hide My IP is compatible with all types of routers, firewalls, home networks, wireless networks, and any other kind of Internet connection. You will need to purchase one license key for each computer on your network that you wish to conceal your IP address on.

Does Hide My IP affect the speed of my Internet connection?
 
In some cases, yes.  Most of our IPs are located all over the world, causing your Internet traffic to bounce great distances before reaching your computer.  If you are using a fake IP located outside the country you live in, your browsing may be slower.  If you live in the United States and would like the fastest browsing, check the box "Require US-Based IP".  If you require more IPs from all over the world, check the box Allow Open Network IP Addresses.  This setting gets IPs from all over the world, but may slow your browser and may make sites like Google.com come up in a foreign language. Our Premium High-Speed Service allows you to surf on incredibly fast IPs located in the US, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, and Hong Kong for an extra monthly fee.

Can I install Hide My IP on both my laptop and desktop?
 
You need to purchase a license key for each computer you wish to run Hide My IP on.

Does Hide My IP work with other programs like, Skype, MSN/Yahoo Messenger, and Outlook?
 
Yes, Hide My IP 5.0 works with dozens of third party applications with the Premium Service.  If you do not see the program you would like to hide your IP with listed in supported programs, you may  request additional programs be added to the compatibility list.

A website I am trying to access is still blocking me, what can I do?

If you are trying to access a website that has banned you such as eBay, Amazon, a message board, or a gambling site that does not allow access to US visitors, please follow these steps to be sure you are properly hiding your identity:  (1) Clear your cookies for the website you wish to access.  (2) Use Hide My IP to find a new IP address and browse the website.  (3) If you have an account with the website, do not sign in, but instead make an account with a different name, street address, E-mail, credit card number, and other information that is not associated with your old account. If you are trying to access a gambling site from the US, do not provide any account information located in the US and always use a foreign IP from Hide My IP when logging into the website.

I want to gamble online. Can this software give me a Non-US IP?
 
Yes. Most of our IPs are located outside the US. Our Premium Service has fast Canada and UK IPs, which are also gambling-friendly countries.

My school or work firewall blocks sites like MySpace.com. Can Hide My IP help me?
 
Yes! Some schools, libraries, cyber cafés, and work places block access to many websites. Hide My IP allows you to "tunnel" right through the network firewall you are behind so you can access any website that you have been blocked from.

How do I remove Hide My IP from my computer?
 
Click Start, Programs, Hide My IP, then click Uninstall Hide My IP. You may also go to Start, Settings, Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs, and uninstall it from there.

How many different IP addresses can I get with Hide My IP?
 
We currently have three sets of IP addresses: Open Network, Standard, and Premium IP addresses.   We have around 250 Open Network IPs at any given moment, these IPs are updated every hour and may be slower than the other IPs.  Standard, and Premium IP addresses are owned and managed by us and are faster than Open Network IPs, with the highest speed reserved for Premium Service subscribers.  We currently have over 450 Standard and 950 Premium IPs.  We are always adding more Standard and Premium IPs every few weeks.

Does Hide My IP work with HTTPS and SSL connections?
 
Yes, however there are not as many fake IPs that support SSL connections as there are non-SSL IP addresses. To find a fake IP that works with SSL, just keep pressing "Change IP" until you are able to browse a website in SSL mode.

What is the difference between "Transparent Proxies" and "Elite Proxies"? What kind does Hide My IP use?
 
Transparent Proxies are not anonymous because they forward your real IP address to the website you are connecting to. Elite Proxies are totally anonymous; your real IP address nor any other information about your computer is forwarded to the destination website.  Hide My IP uses only totally anonymous Elite Proxies.

Can I use Hide My IP to block my IP address on sites like Craigslist, eBay, and Amazon?
 
Yes, your real IP address will be totally concealed on all websites including Craigslist, eBay, and Amazon.

Can I make Hide My IP only get a fake United States IP addresses?
 
Yes, this feature is available in versions 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 5.0 allowing you to force Hide My IP to select fake IP addresses based in the United States.

How often can the IP address be set to change automatically?
 
You may change your IP address automatically as frequently as one minute.

Hide My IP 1.9 is not hiding my IP in FireFox, how can I fix this?
 
In FireFox, navigate to: http://www.hide-my-ip.com/hideip.xpi and follow the instructions to install the extension.  A dialog may pop up asking you what program to open the extension with, select "Other" and then select "FireFox.exe" in your "Program Files\Mozilla Firefox" folder.  Then either reboot your computer or restart both FireFox and Hide My IP.  Also be sure a proxy is set in FireFox by going to the Tools, Options, "Connection Settings" window.  When Hide My IP is running, you must see an IP address in your LAN or Connection Settings.  If you do not, then it is likely that a third-party program such as a virus scanner or firewall is interfering with Hide My IP.

Why am I still banned from my favorite web site?
 
Download Cookie Crumble and clear all your cookies, then use Hide My IP to change your IP. If you used a login on this website, make a new one with completely new information (new credit card, bank account, street address information, etc...).

How can I check my IP address?
 
There are many websites that show your IP address such as www.ipf1.com, www.formyip.com, and www.ipchicken.com.

How do I cancel my Premium Service subscription?
 
You may cancel your subscription for free at anytime.  You may continue using the Premium Service until your billing period ends.  Visit the Premium Service Cancellation Page to cancel your subscription.

Where can I find the Premium High-Speed Service Terms of Service?
 
If you use the Hide My IP software or service, you must agree to our Premium High-Speed Service Terms of Service.  If you do not agree to this service agreement, you may not use the Hide My IP software or service.

Do you have any software for Mac systems?
 
Yes, we are pleased to offer Hide My IP for the Apple Mac OS X 10.5 and 10.6.  Please visit the Hide My IP for OS X page.