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Troubleshooting

Can My ISP See What I Watch and Browse?

Your ISP can see quite a lot — but not everything. Here's exactly what they can and can't see, and what you can do about it.

Updated 2026

  1. 1

    What your ISP can see

    Your ISP can see every domain you visit (e.g. netflix.com, bbc.co.uk), when you visited, how much data was transferred, and your public IP address.

  2. 2

    What your ISP can't see on HTTPS sites

    On sites using HTTPS, the ISP sees the domain but not the specific pages, videos, search terms or messages. The content is encrypted.

  3. 3

    What about streaming services?

    The ISP knows you're connecting to Netflix but not which show you're watching. The stream itself is encrypted.

  4. 4

    Does a VPN hide this from the ISP?

    Yes — a VPN encrypts all traffic before it reaches the ISP. They see only that you're connected to a VPN server, not the domains or content beyond it.

  5. 5

    Do ISPs store this data?

    In many countries, ISPs are legally required to store browsing metadata for 6–24 months. Check your country's data retention laws.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my ISP see my messages?
Only if they're unencrypted — SMS and some older messaging apps. End-to-end encrypted apps like WhatsApp, Signal and iMessage are private even from the ISP.
Can the ISP share my data?
ISPs can share data with law enforcement under a court order, and in some countries can sell anonymised browsing data to advertisers. A VPN prevents this.