How to Disable WebRTC in Your Browser
Disable WebRTC to avoid leaks, stability, and performance issues using our step-by-step for Chrome, Firefox, Brave, Edge, Safari, UC Browser, and Avast Secure Browser, and learn how proxies help with privacy, anonymity, and network control.
14-day money-back option
115M+
ethically-sourced IPs
99.92%
success rate
<0.53s
average response time
3-day
free trial
99.99%
uptime
Trusted by:
What is WebRTC and why does it run in your browser?
WebRTC (Web Real-Time Communication) is a free, open-source protocol that lets browsers communicate with each other in real time without extra software. Apps like Google Meet, Discord, and Zoom rely heavily on it. All major browsers have it on by default.
Why can WebRTC expose your real IP address through a proxy?
WebRTC uses ICE (Interactive Connectivity Establishment) to connect devices directly. Because ICE works at the OS network level, it can reveal your real public IP through STUN servers, bypassing HTTP browser proxy. Detection systems cross-check both IPs, and a mismatch is an immediate red flag.
How can I tell if my browser is leaking my IP via WebRTC?
Check if your browser is leaking your IP because of WebRTC by following these 3 steps:
- See what your real IP is with an IP checker and note it down.
- Go to BrowserLeaks or IPLeak.
- Compare the IP these sites return to you against your real IP.
If they match, your browser is leaking via WebRTC. If the test shows a different IP or no IP, you’re protected.
Here’s what you’ll need
- The browser you want to configure
- For Chrome and Edge: access to the Chrome Web Store to get a free extension, or use Decodo's Chrome Proxy Extension
- A WebRTC leak test tool to verify your changes (BrowserLeaks or IPLeak)
- Optional, but recommended: a Decodo residential proxy account to route traffic once WebRTC is disabled
Step-by-step guide to disable WebRTC in your browser
How to disable WebRTC in Chrome
Chrome has no native WebRTC toggle. Google maintains it as a core feature for services like Google Meet. So, extensions are the only supported method.
There are 2 ways you can approach disabling WebRTC:
Option A – Limit WebRTC exposure (recommended)
- Open the Chrome Web Store and search for WebRTC Network Limiter (published by Google).
- Click Add to Chrome and confirm.
- The extension will now run automatically, restricting WebRTC to the default network path only.
Use Option A to limit exposure while keeping video calls functional
Option B – Block WebRTC entirely
- Search the Chrome Web Store for WebRTC Control.
- Click Add to Chrome. A toggle icon will appear in the toolbar.
- Click the icon to switch it off. WebRTC will now be blocked for all tabs.
Option B blocks WebRTC entirely, so video calls won’t work until you re-enable the toggle.
For full proxy configuration in Chrome, see the Chrome integration guide.
How to disable WebRTC in Firefox browser
Firefox is the only major browser with a native built-in WebRTC toggle.
- Open a new blank page, type about:config in the address bar, and press Enter.
- Click Accept the Risk and Continue
- Type media.peerconnection.enabled in the search field.
- Double-click the result to toggle the value from true to false.
- Verify with a WebRTC leak test tool. If it didn’t work, restart Firefox and check the leak tool again.
For advanced users: you can also set media.navigator.enabled to false to prevent websites from tracking you by listing your exact audio and video hardware signatures.
For full proxy configuration in Firefox, see our Firefox integration guide.
How to disable WebRTC in Brave browser
Brave offers advanced WebRTC policy controls. If you’re a Decodo proxy user, you can disable non-proxied UDP traffic, which blocks all WebRTC connections that don’t route through your proxy without disabling WebRTC itself.
- Navigate to brave://settings/privacy
- Scroll to WebRTC IP handling policy
- Select Disable non-proxied UDP
- Changes apply immediately, so verify with a leak test tool
Routing policy
Privacy impact (what it does)
Ideal use case
Expose all (default behavior)
Gathers every available network path, exposing local LAN and public WAN IPs.
Zero privacy requirements; standard consumer web browsing.
Mask local IPs (mDNS enabled)
Conceals local internal IPs behind cryptographic tokens, but still leaks your primary public IP.
Casual privacy improvement; standard for modern default browsers.
Proxy-only UDP (force proxy)
Restricts WebRTC to proxy-routed pathways, blocking any direct, non-proxied UDP traffic.
Dedicated proxy users, data scrapers, and multi-accounting suites.
Strict block (hard disable)
Completely guts the WebRTC API engine. No network candidates are gathered.
Maximum restriction; completely prevents IP leaks, but breaks live video and audio calls.
How to disable WebRTC in Microsoft Edge
Edge is Chromium-based with no full native disable. Two methods are available:
Option A – Native flag
- Navigate to edge://flags.
- Type WebRTC in the search to find Anonymize local IPs exposed by WebRTC.
- Set it to Enabled and click Restart.
Option B – Extension
- Install WebRTC Control from the Chrome Web Store.
- For broader proxy management in Edge, SwitchyOmega is a compatible option.
How to disable WebRTC in Safari
Safari’s WebRTC uses mDNS-based IP anonymization by default, which reduces (but doesn’t eliminate leak) risk.
- Go to Safari, then Settings, and select Advanced.
- Check Show features for web developers.
- Click Develop in the menu bar.
- Select WebRTC and uncheck Enable Legacy WebRTC API and/or Enable mDNS ICE candidates.
Keep in mind that Safari on iOS doesn’t expose your real public IP via WebRTC, so no action is needed on iPhone or iPad.
For full proxy configuration in Safari, see the Safari integration guide.
How to disable WebRTC in UC Browser
UC Browser doesn't have a built-in WebRTC toggle, but there are a few ways to handle it depending on your platform:
- On the Desktop version, install WebRTC Control from the Chrome Web Store because it supports Chrome extensions.
- On Android, there’s no extension support, so you’ll have to configure your proxy at the system network level.
How to disable WebRTC in Avast Secure Browser
Avast Secure Browser includes a native WebRTC leak prevention toggle inside its Privacy Guard settings.
- Click the shield icon in the top right corner to open the Privacy dashboard.
- Go to Advanced settings.
- Toggle WebRTC IP leak prevention to On.
- Verify with a WebRTC leak test tool.
Troubleshooting WebRTC disabling issues
WebRTC still leaks after applying the steps
The most common cause is an extension that’s installed, but not toggled on for the current session. Confirm the toggle is active, refresh the tab, then run the leak test again. For Firefox, verify the about:config value reads false.
Extension not available in my browser
Chrome extensions work in browsers that support the Chrome Web Store, so Chrome, Edge, Brave, and Opera. UC Browser on Android and Safari on iOS do not support them, so you’ll have to use system-level proxy configurations instead. You can also check out other proxy error codes.
Video calls stopped working after disabling WebRTC
This is expected when WebRTC is fully blocked. Switch to limit mode with WebRTC Network Limiter in Chrome, or select Disable non-proxied UDP in Brave rather than Disable WebRTC. Both reduce leak risk without breaking video call functionality.
Why use Decodo proxies with WebRTC disabled?
Disable WebRTC to stop your browser from leaking your IP and mask it with Decodo proxies.
Global IP Network
Browse as a genuine user device with 115M+ residential IPs from 195+ locations. Continent, country, city, ISP, and ASN-level targeting available.
Rotating and sticky sessions
Switch IPs per request with rotating sessions to stay undetected, or lock an IP up to 24 hours using sticky sessions for multi-step workflows.
Enterprise-grade reliability
Works with your browser, scraping tool, or anti-detect browser via HTTP(S) or SOCKS5, and stays up 99.99% of the time with 24/7 tech support on standby
Get affordable proxies for safe browsing and data collection
With each plan, you access:
115M+ ethically-sourced IPs
HTTP(S) & SOCKS5 support
<0.6s average response time
99.86% success rate
Unlimited threads & concurrent sessions
Country, state, city ASN & ZIP code targeting
Rotating and sticky sessions
#1 response time in the market
Free 24/7 tech support
14-day money-back
SSL Secure Payment
Your information is protected by 256-bit SSL
What do our users say about Decodo?
135K+ users rely on Decodo for their web data projects.
Attentive service
The professional expertise of the Decodo solution has significantly boosted our business growth while enhancing overall efficiency and effectiveness.
N
Novabeyond
Easy to get things done
Decodo provides great service with a simple setup and friendly support team.
R
RoiDynamic
A key to our work
Decodo enables us to develop and test applications in varied environments while supporting precise data collection for research and audience profiling.
C
Cybereg
Does disabling WebRTC make your browser fully private?
No. Disabling WebRTC removes one specific IP leak vector. It does not address DNS leaks, canvas or WebGL fingerprinting, HTTP header leaks, or IP-level detection by target sites. The complete setup pairs WebRTC disabling with a reliable proxy layer. See proxy anonymity levels for the full breakdown.
What disabling WebRTC actually fixes
Some figures are based on independent April 2026 benchmarks from Proxyway and each provider's published pricing. Last verified: May 2026.
Threat
Does disabling WebRTC solve it?
WebRTC IP leak
Yes
DNS leak
No, needs DNS leak protection
Canvas/WebGL fingerprinting
No, needs browser isolation
HTTP header IP leak
No, needs proxy routing
IP bans/rate limiting
No, needs rotating residential IPs
Geo-blocked content
No, needs location-targeted proxies
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to disable WebRTC in my browser?
Yes, and it won't affect your regular browsing either. The only trade-off is losing browser-based video calling on platforms like Google Meet, Discord, and Zoom – until you re-enable it. If you need both video calls and proxy protection, limited WebRTC mode covers that.
Does disabling WebRTC affect my proxy or VPN connection?
No. It is a browser-level change that doesn’t interfere with proxy or VPN connections. It actually prevents WebRTC from going around those connections, working in favor of your setup.
Why can't I disable WebRTC directly in Chrome?
Google maintains WebRTC as a core feature for its own products. Chrome doesn’t expose a native disable toggle, and only extensions or OS-level network policies can restrict it.
Does a proxy stop WebRTC leaks automatically?
No. Standard proxies route browser traffic, but do not intercept WebRTC's peer-to-peer ICE negotiation.
Does Brave block WebRTC by default?
By default, Brave applies baseline WebRTC restrictions through its built-in Shields. However, for bulletproof anonymity, you should force strict proxy routing. Go to brave://settings/privacy, then WebRTC IP handling policy, and select Disable non-proxied UDP. Pair this setting with Decodo proxies to eliminate IP leaks entirely.
How do I disable WebRTC on mobile?
Firefox for Android supports the about:config method (identical to desktop). Brave for Android has the policy setting at brave://settings/privacy. Chrome for Android and Safari for iOS don’t expose WebRTC controls. See the Android proxy setup guide for system-level configuration.
Protect Your Browser Sessions Today
Gain access to 115M+ residential proxies across 195+ locations to mask your IP when WebRTC is off.
14-day money-back option