What to Know

• The free WebRTC Control addon is the best way to disable WebRTC in Firefox, Chrome, Edge, and other browsers.
• Firefox users have another option: switch themedia.peerconnection.enableflag tofalse.
• You protect your public IP address from leaks when you turn off WebRTC.

This article will teach you how to turn off WebRTC in Firefox, Chrome, Edge, and Opera.

How to Disable WebRTC in Any Browser

The WebRTC Control extension is the easiest way to disable WebRTC.It's available for Chrome, Opera, Firefox, and Edge.

1. Visit the WebRTC Control download page.

2. Select the icon for your browser.

   

3. Select theAddbutton in your browser to start the installation process.

4. Click through any installation prompts. Depending on your browser, there might be anAdd extensionorAddbutton, plus anOKbutton to finalize it.

5. The extension's icon displays in the upper-right corner of the browser. When the circle is blue, WebRTC leak protection is enabled. Select the extension to toggle the status.

   

   Right-click the extension and selectTest WebRTC Leakto visit WebBrowserTools to see if the extension is working.

The Other Way to Turn Off WebRTC in Firefox

Firefox also lets you turn off WebRTC within its settings. The extension explained above is the easier method, but if you don't want to install an add-on for whatever reason, you do have another option.

1. Enterabout:configinto the URL box at the top of Firefox.

2. If you seea Proceed with Caution message, selectAccept the Risk and Continue.

3. Typemedia.peerconnection.enableinto the search box at the top of the browser.

4. Double-click the entry from the list. The value will change to false, which indicates peer connections are disabled.

   

What Is a WebRTC Leak?

WebRTC lets web browsers create peer-to-peer connections for real-time communication without needing plugins. WebRTC may expose a device's local and public internet addresses, even if you obscure the location with a virtual private network (VPN). This is referred to as a WebRTC leak since it leaks private information. Once an advertiser or website host knows the public internet address of a device, they can identify the region, city, and internet service provider linked to that address.

Prevent WebRTC Leaks in Any Browser With a VPN

Some browsers, namely on mobile devices, don't allow you to disable WebRTC. To protect against WebRTC leaks, consider using a VPN. While a VPN won't disable WebRTC, it can mask your location.

For instance, if you're in Chicago but connect through a VPN in Los Angeles, WebRTC will report your public IP address as being in Los Angeles. Most VPN services protect your location when using WebRTC because the provider's IP address is visible instead of yours, but it's best to confirm with your provider.

Additionally, the WebRTC Network Limiter Chrome extension can work with a VPN to help maintain your privacy.

Check Your Browser for a WebRTC Leak

Open the browser you use and go to Browserleaks' WebRTC Leak Test. This page tests the browser for WebRTC leaks and displays various useful information:

• If you see Truenext to RTCPeerConnection and RTC DataChannel, the browser supports WebRTC.
• If numbers are displayed next to the Public IP Address section, that's your IP address.
• Next to WebRTC Leak Test is the leak status.No Leakis what you want to see.
• The Media Devices section may display information about the device's microphone and camera.
  

After you make any of the changes explained above, return to this page to verify the impact.