Who can see what?
The table assumes the traffic is actually routed through a working VPN tunnel. Excluded apps, a disconnected tunnel, or device configuration can change the result.
| Observer | What can remain visible |
|---|---|
| The Wi‑Fi operator or ISP | A connection to the VPN endpoint, plus timing and traffic volume. |
| A website you visit | The VPN exit IP, what you submit, and browser or account identifiers. |
| A service you sign into | Your account identity and your activity within that service. |
| The VPN provider | The connection must pass through its infrastructure. What it retains depends on its design and policy. |
Changing your IP is not changing your identity
An IP address is one signal a service can use. Signing into a familiar account identifies you even if your network address changes. Cookies and other browser signals can also connect visits.
The public IP shown at the top of Teal’s website is the address visible to that website. If you are connected through a VPN, it may be the VPN exit. This single check does not prove that every app or every kind of traffic on your device is protected.
What Teal says in its privacy policy
Teal’s policy says it does not log browsing destinations, DNS queries, or traffic contents, and does not store your connection IP. It does keep information needed to operate your account, including sign-in identity, registered device information, and total data usage.
A no-browsing-logs policy is not the same as collecting no account information. Read the full policy for the categories, purposes, and deletion process. These are Teal’s published policy statements, not a claim of independent certification.
Keep the rest of your privacy habits
Keep your browser and operating system updated, review app permissions, and use strong account authentication. Be selective about the information you enter into websites.
Use a VPN for the protections it provides. If you need a different threat model—such as separating an identity from a browsing session—an IP change alone is not enough.
Keep reading
References
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