What is WebRTC and How to Disable it

If you continue to use Web Real-Time Communication technology, other Internet users will be able to track your personal data, in particular, your IP address. If there is no need to use this network protocol, it is better to disable WebRTC. Below we will describe in detail how to disable WebRTC in 5 popular browsers: Chrome, Opera, Firefox, Safari and Yandex.Browser (for CIS).

Video: How to Disable the WebRTC Feature in Popular Browsers

Why Disable WebRTC?

WebRTC can leak your real IP address to websites and trackers, even if you use a VPN. This issue is called the WebRTC leak phenomenon.

Consequences of WebRTC leaks:

• It hurts your privacy because the leak exposes your ISP and geographic location. When your IP leaks, your VPN’s protection is useless. Your true IP becomes visible, revealing who you really are online.
• These leaks can let hackers, advertisers, or governments track you more easily. WebRTC leaks combined with browser fingerprinting techniques make it simple to deanonymize you. Attackers use this info in targeted attacks or surveillance.
• In real life, WebRTC leaks have exposed whistleblowers, activists, and journalists by revealing their location and identity. Because of this, it’s crucial to disable WebRTC or control it carefully for better privacy.
• Besides leaks, WebRTC has vulnerabilities that attackers can exploit to gain access to your system or data. Disabling WebRTC reduces these risks too.

Benefits of Disabling WebRTC

The greatest troubles Web Real Time Communication will deliver to those users who care about their anonymity and security when working on the Internet. Yes, this technology is beneficial in terms of the convenience of sending audio and video streams and transferring data from the browser directly to mobile devices. But at the same time, WebRTC reveals the user's real IP address, which casts doubt on personal privacy on the network.

It will be doubly unpleasant for those who use paid proxy servers. Without disabling WebRTC in the browser, the user's real IP address will be revealed even when using third-party tools to hide personal data.

How to Disable WebRTC in Google Chrome

Follow the instructions:

1. Open the Google Chrome browser.
2. In the upper right corner, find the browser menu – three vertical dots. Press it.
3. Move the cursor over the More Tools submenu.
4. Select the Extensions option.

   

   After opening the list with installed extensions, click on the main menu of this section - three horizontally located strips, which are located in the upper left corner.
5. Click on the Open Chrome Web Store button.
6. In the Search the store field, enter the name of the plugin, WebRTC Control, to quickly find the software you need.
7. Click first on the first highlighted extension, and then on the Install button.
8. Confirm your desire to install the plugin by clicking on the corresponding button.
9. After that, the automatic installation of the extension will start. It activates on its own, so you don't need to do anything else.

   

Adjust plugin enable / disable by clicking on its icon in the extensions panel. If it's colored, it works. When gray - disabled.

How to Disable WebRTC in Opera

To deactivate this technology in your browser, follow the instructions below.

6 steps to disable WebRTC in Opera:

1. Launch your browser.
2. Google Addons store for Opera and follow the appropriate link.

   

   In the add-on search engine, find the WebRTC Control program.
3. Click the green Add to Opera button to install the software to disable WebRTC.
4. The plugin will automatically launch, blocking WebRTC on your computer.
5. To check the plug-in activity, click on the Extensions icon, which is made in the form of a cube.

   

If the extension logo is displayed in color, then the software is working. Its colorless display will indicate that the plugin is disabled.

How to Disable WebRTC in Mozilla Firefox

To disable WebRTC technology in Firefox, follow the instructions:

1. Open your browser.
2. Enter the phrase about:config in the address bar.
3. Press Enter.

   

4. Confirm your intention to go to the browser settings editor by clicking the blue "Accept risk and continue" button.
5. Enter the value media.peerconnection.enabled in the search bar that appears.
6. Click on the icon on the right side to switch options.
7. Check for the appearance of the inscription False instead of True.

   

How to Disable WebRTC in Safari

To disable WebRTC technology in this browser, follow the instructions below:

1. Open Safari and click on the Safari menu item.
2. Go to Settings.

   

3. Go to the Advanced tab and put a check mark next to the item Show the Develop menu in the menu bar.
4. After that, a new section Develop will appear, click on it.
5. Move the cursor over the Experimental Features option.

   

6. Uncheck the Remove Legacy WebRTC API line.

Done. You have disabled this option in the Safari browser.

How to Disable WebRTC in Yandex.Browser

To solve this problem, you need to take a few simple steps:

1. Start Yandex Browser.
2. Search through a search engine for an online store of extensions for the Opera or Google Chrome browser - their products are both suitable for Yandex.Browser.
3. Enter the name of the software you need WebRTC control for into the plugin store search engine.
4. Click the button to install the extension.
5. Confirm the installation of the extension if a confirmation window appears.

The plugin will automatically start working when it is installed on your browser. If you need to disable it in the future, just click on its icon, which is located on the plugins panel.

Alternatives to Disabling WebRTC Completely

You don’t always have to disable WebRTC fully to improve privacy. Sometimes, limiting the IP exposure is enough while still keeping WebRTC’s useful features. To do this:

• Configure your browser to expose only your VPN’s IP address in WebRTC requests.
  • For example, in Chrome or Edge, set the WebRTC IP Handling Policy by entering chrome://flags.
  • Choose “Default public interface only” or “Disable non-proxied UDP” to block local IP leaks but keep external IPs usable.
• Separate browsing tasks using containers or profiles.
  • Use one browser profile with WebRTC enabled for trusted sites and another with WebRTC disabled for sensitive browsing.

New browser security updates and experimental patches aim to reduce WebRTC leaks without disabling the feature entirely. Keep an eye on these developments, as they may offer better balance soon.

Partial mitigation approaches keep WebRTC functionality but may still expose some IP info. Full disablement removes all leaks but can break WebRTC-dependent web apps like video calls. Choose based on your privacy needs and which features you rely on.

Now you know why to disable WebRTC, how to protect yourself alongside it, and the alternatives if you can’t disable it fully. This practical approach helps keep your online identity safe and your browsing secure.

Additional Privacy Tips to Disable WebRTC Leaks

You’ll get better privacy if you complement disabling WebRTC with these practical steps:

Use VPNs with built-in WebRTC leak protection. Look for VPNs that handle both DNS and WebRTC leaks well. Here are some trusted options:

• ExpressVPN
• NordVPN
• Surfshark
• CyberGhost

Test your setup regularly: Use online tools to check if your IP is leaking via WebRTC.

• browserleaks.com/webrtc
• ipleak.net
• whoer.net/webrtc

Choose a privacy-focused browser with WebRTC protections out-of-the-box.

• Brave Browser: It disables non-proxied UDP connections by default, reducing leaks.
• Tor Browser: It disables WebRTC entirely to block leaks completely.

Add privacy-focused browser extensions cautiously. Some help disable WebRTC, but may slow your browser or cause conflicts.

• uBlock Origin (enable WebRTC blocking filters)
• Privacy Badger (offers partial protection)
• WebRTC Control extension (full disablement toggle)

Follow these quick tips too:

1. Disable unused plugins and add-ons.
2. Avoid granting unnecessary permissions to websites.
3. Keep your browser and extensions updated.

Finally, keep testing after every browser or VPN update to ensure your WebRTC protections still work.

For serious privacy protection, consider Proxy-Seller’s fast and reliable proxy servers. They mask your real IP even if WebRTC leaks happen.

• Proxy-Seller offers residential, ISP, datacenter, IPv4, IPv6, and mobile proxies with flexible geolocation and anonymity levels.
• Their proxies support SOCKS5 and HTTP(S) with authentication and encryption to block IP exposure.

Combining Proxy-Seller proxies with disabling WebRTC adds a strong layer of defense against tracking and deanonymization.

Conclusion

Now you have a theoretical base for answering the question of how to disable WebRTC in a browser now. Follow the instructions provided above to solve this problem quickly and correctly.