WebRTC allows in-browser audio and video data exchange without the need to install extra plugins or applications, while your browser obtains access to your camera and microphone. With the help of WebRTC you can participate in video meetings, hold webinars, set up video-enabled contact centers, etc.
Sometimes, WebRTC connection is not required or its usage is prohibited by the company’s security policies (e.g. to prevent your browser from accessing your hardware). This article describes how to disable WebRTC in popular browsers.
Checking WebRTC
To check if WebRTC is enabled in your browser, proceed to https://browserleaks.com/webrtc webpage. If it is enabled, True value will be displayed in the WebRTC Support Detection section (RTCPeerConnection and RTCDataChannel). If it is disabled, False value will be displayed in both lines.
Now, what is the WebRTC leak?
A WebRTC leak is a security flaw that allows hackers to access your IP address and other personal information. This leak occurs when you visit a website via a browser that supports WebRTC (such as Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox). Thus, with your real IP address, hackers can track your location or attack your device.
How to know about a WebRTC leak?
There are a number of WebRTC leak checkers available online, such as WebRTC Leak Checker from Perfect Privacy. Just go to the site and click the “Test for WebRTC IP Leak” button.
How to block the WebRTC leak
- Use a VPN service – A VPN will encrypt all of your traffic, including your IP address, and route it through a server in another location. We recommend using a reputable VPN service such as ExpressVPN or NordVPN.
- Disable WebRTC in your browser – The best way to avoid leaks is to hide your real IP address by blocking the WebRTC request directly in your browser.
Learn how to do this in your browser below.
Desktop browsers
To disable WebRTC in Chrome, you need to install an extension. Open Google Apps in your browser’s menu and install the WebRTC Control extension. It will be activated once it is installed. You can enable/disable it by clicking on the icon in the browser menu.
Mozilla Firefox
To disable WebRTC in Firefox, you can use your browser settings editor.
- Enter
about:configin the address field
- Enter
media.peerconnection.enabledparameter in the search field. - Click twice on the line that appears. The status will change to false.
Microsoft Edge
Edge browser is based on the Chromium engine, so you can install extensions from the Chrome store. Proceed to Extensions page (edge://extensions/) and check “Allow extensions from other stores” box.
Afterward, you will be able to install the WebRTC Control extension as it was previously explained for Google Chrome.
Opera
To disable WebRTC in Opera, you need to install the WebRTC Control extension from Opera add-ons website addons.opera.com.
Safari on macOS
- To disable WebRTC, go to Preferences in the Safari browser.
- On the Advanced tab, mark the checkbox to show the Develop menu in the menu bar.
Check the Remove Legacy WebRTC API to disable WebRTC technology in Safari on macOS.
Mobile browsers
Google Chrome
Unfortunately, it is impossible to disable WebRTC in Google Chrome for mobile devices. Perhaps, it can be changed as soon as Google allows users to install extensions. In case you need a mobile browser on Android or iOS devices without WebRTC support, you can use other solutions, e.g. Firefox Mobile.
Mozilla Firefox
You can disable WebRTC in the mobile version of Firefox in the same way you do this for desktop version by visiting about:config
Safari on iOS
WebRTC can only be disabled in iOS 11 or older. Starting with iOS 12, Apple has removed the ability to disable this feature from Settings.
To disable WebRTC in iOS 11 or older:
- Go to Settings and look for Safari.
- Click Advanced → Experimental Features.
- Click Remove Legacy WebRTC API to disable WebRTC technology on iOS.
