Where to find your IP address on Windows and Mac

Your computer has an IP address right now — a string of numbers that identifies it on your network. You can find it in a few seconds using built-in tools on either operating system, without downloading anything or opening a command line if you don't want to.

On Windows, the quickest route is Settings. Open Settings, go to Network & Internet, then select Wi-Fi or Ethernet depending on how you're connected. Click the network name you're currently using, scroll down, and you'll see "IPv4 address" listed there — that's your IP address. On Mac, open System Settings, click Network on the left, select your connection type, and the IP address appears under "Status".

Both methods take about 30 seconds and show you the address your router assigned to your device on your home or office network. This is your local IP address — the one that matters when you're troubleshooting a printer, accessing a security camera, or connecting devices at home.

Key Takeaways

  • On Windows, go to Settings > Network & Internet, click your connection name, and look for "IPv4 address" in the details.
  • On Mac, open System Settings > Network, select your connection, and the IP address appears under "Status".
  • The address you find this way is your local IP — the one your router assigned, used for devices on your home network.
  • If you need your public IP (the one the internet sees), you'll need a different method, since your router hides that from your device settings.

Using Command Prompt or Terminal for more detail

If you're comfortable opening a command-line tool, you can see your IP address plus related network information in one command. On Windows, open Command Prompt (search for "cmd" in the Start menu), type ipconfig, and press Enter. Look for "IPv4 Address" in the output — that's your local IP.

On Mac, open Terminal (search for "Terminal" in Spotlight), type ifconfig, and press Enter. Look for "inet" followed by a number — that's your local IP address. The Terminal method also shows you your MAC address (a different identifier) and other network details if you need them for troubleshooting.

This method gives you the same information as the Settings route, but in a single window. Some people find it faster once they've done it once; others prefer the visual Settings approach. Either way works.

What the numbers mean

A local IP address looks like 192.168.1.100 or 10.0.0.50 — four groups of numbers separated by periods. The first two or three groups identify your network; the last group identifies your specific device. Your router assigns these addresses automatically using a system called DHCP, so the number can change if you restart your computer or router.

If you see an address starting with 169.254, your device didn't connect to the network properly — it assigned itself a temporary address instead. Restart your computer or reconnect to Wi-Fi to fix this.

The address you find in Settings or Terminal is only visible to other devices on your home or office network. The internet doesn't see this address — your router translates between your local IP and your public IP, which is the address websites see. That's why you need a different method to find your public IP.

Finding your public IP address

Your public IP is the address the internet sees when you visit a website or send data outside your home network. You can't find it in Windows Settings or Mac System Settings because your router handles that translation. Instead, you can visit a website that shows it to you.

Open any web browser and go to whatismyipaddress.com or ipinfo.io. The page will display your public IP address immediately — no account or download needed. These sites work because when you visit them, your router sends your public IP along with the request, and the website simply shows it back to you.

Your public IP changes periodically — usually when you restart your router or after a few days of being offline. Most home internet providers assign dynamic public IPs, meaning they're temporary. If you need a permanent public IP for something like hosting a server, that's a separate service your internet provider can offer, usually for a monthly fee.

When you need each type of IP address

Use your local IP when you're troubleshooting devices on your home network. If your printer isn't printing, you might type your printer's local IP into a web browser to access its settings. If you're setting up a security camera or smart home device, you'll use local IPs to connect them. If you're remote-accessing your home computer from work, you might need your home computer's local IP.

Use your public IP when you're checking what address websites see, troubleshooting connection issues with your internet provider, or setting up port forwarding to access your home network from outside. If someone tells you "your IP address is blocked," they're usually referring to your public IP. Your public IP is also what your internet provider uses to identify your account.

In most everyday situations — connecting a printer, setting up Wi-Fi on a new device, or troubleshooting a home network — you'll need your local IP. Public IP matters less often unless you're doing something that involves accessing your network from outside your home.

Checking if your IP address changed

If you've written down your computer's local IP and want to check whether it's still the same, go back to Settings or Terminal and look again. Local IPs usually stay the same for weeks or months, but they can change if you restart your router, if your DHCP lease expires, or if your device disconnects and reconnects to the network.

If you need a local IP to stay the same — for example, so you can always reach a printer at the same address — you can set a static IP on your device or reserve an address in your router's settings. That's a separate process, but it prevents the address from changing automatically.

For your public IP, checking it occasionally is useful if you're troubleshooting internet issues or if you need to know what address your internet provider has assigned you. Visit whatismyipaddress.com again to see the current public IP. If it's different from last time, your router has been assigned a new one — that's normal and usually not a problem.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is my IP address the same as my MAC address?

No — they're two different identifiers. Your IP address is assigned by your router and can change. Your MAC address is built into your network card and doesn't change. You'll see both if you run ipconfig (Windows) or ifconfig (Mac), but they serve different purposes.

Can someone find me using my IP address?

Your public IP can be traced to your internet provider and general location (usually your city or region), but not to your exact address. Your local IP is only visible to devices on your home network. If you're concerned about privacy online, that's a separate issue from your IP address — a VPN or other privacy tools address that differently.

Why does my IP address start with 192.168 instead of something else?

Certain IP ranges are reserved for home and office networks — 192.168.x.x, 10.x.x.x, and 172.16.x.x are the most common. Your router uses one of these ranges automatically. The specific range doesn't matter for home use; it's just how routers organize local networks.

What if I see multiple IP addresses when I run ipconfig or ifconfig?

You might see addresses for Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and virtual network adapters if you have them. Look for the one labeled "Wi-Fi" or "Ethernet" depending on how you're connected. Ignore entries for virtual adapters unless you specifically set them up.

Do I need to know my IP address to use the internet?

No — your computer and router handle IP addresses automatically. You only need to find your IP address if you're troubleshooting a specific problem, setting up a device on your network, or checking what address a website sees.