How to Find Your IP Address on a MacBook

Knowing your IP address is one of those things that seems obscure until you actually need it — and then you need it fast. Whether you're troubleshooting a network issue, setting up a VPN, configuring a printer, or just satisfying curiosity, finding your IP address on a MacBook is straightforward once you know where to look.

The trickier part? There's more than one IP address to find, and they mean different things.

The Two IP Addresses Every MacBook Has

Before diving into the steps, it helps to understand what you're actually looking for.

Local IP address (private IP): This is the address your router assigns to your MacBook on your home or office network. It typically looks like 192.168.x.x or 10.0.x.x. Other devices on the same network use this address to communicate with your Mac. It's only visible within your network.

Public IP address (external IP): This is the address the outside internet sees. It's assigned by your Internet Service Provider (ISP) and is shared across all devices on your network. When a website logs a visitor's IP, this is the one it records.

Most troubleshooting tasks — port forwarding, network file sharing, printer setup — require your local IP. Checking geo-restrictions or verifying a VPN is working usually requires your public IP. Knowing which one you need saves time.

Method 1: Find Your Local IP via System Settings 🖥️

This is the most reliable method and works on all modern macOS versions.

On macOS Ventura, Sonoma, or later:

1. Click the Apple menu (top-left corner)
2. Select System Settings
3. Click Network in the sidebar
4. Select your active connection — Wi-Fi or Ethernet
5. Click Details next to the connected network
6. Your IP address appears under the TCP/IP tab

On macOS Monterey or earlier:

1. Click the Apple menu
2. Go to System Preferences
3. Click Network
4. Select your active connection on the left
5. Your IP address is displayed directly on the right panel

The exact label you're looking for is "IP Address" — it will show a number in four parts separated by dots (e.g., 192.168.1.45).

Method 2: Find Your Local IP via Terminal

If you're comfortable with the command line, Terminal gives you the same information faster — and sometimes more detail.

1. Open Terminal (search with Spotlight: Cmd + Space, type "Terminal")
2. Type the following command and press Enter:

ipconfig getifaddr en0 

This returns your IP address for Wi-Fi (en0). If you're on a wired Ethernet connection, replace en0 with en1.

For a more complete picture of all network interfaces, use:

ifconfig | grep inet 

This outputs several lines. Look for inet followed by an address that starts with 192.168, 10., or 172.16–31 — those are your private addresses.

Method 3: Check via the Wi-Fi Menu Bar Icon

For a quicker glance without opening any settings:

1. Hold the Option key and click the Wi-Fi icon in the menu bar
2. A detailed dropdown appears showing your IP address, router address, and other network info

This works on most macOS versions and is genuinely one of the fastest methods when you just need a quick look.

Method 4: Find Your Public IP Address

Your public IP isn't visible inside macOS network settings — it lives at the router/ISP level. The easiest ways to find it:

• Open any browser and search: "what is my IP address" — Google displays it immediately at the top of results
• Visit a dedicated tool like ipecho.net/plain — the page loads showing only your public IP, nothing else
• Use Terminal:

curl ifconfig.me 

This command queries an external server and returns your public IP directly in the terminal window.

Variables That Affect Which IP You See

The IP address your MacBook shows isn't always the same, and a few factors determine what you'll find:

If you're using a VPN, the IP shown in macOS network settings may reflect the VPN tunnel address, not your true local network IP — which matters for certain configuration tasks.

Dynamic vs. Static: Why Your IP Might Change

By default, most home and office routers use DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) to assign IP addresses automatically. This means your MacBook's local IP can change when:

• You disconnect and reconnect to the network
• Your router restarts
• The DHCP lease expires (typically every 24 hours or longer)

If you need your MacBook to always have the same local IP — for port forwarding, remote access, or network-mapped drives — you'd either configure a static IP in macOS Network settings or set up a DHCP reservation in your router's admin panel. Both approaches have trade-offs depending on your network setup and technical comfort level. 🔧

When macOS Shows Multiple IP Addresses

In the Terminal output, you may see several addresses listed. This is normal and reflects:

• IPv4 addresses (the familiar four-number format)
• IPv6 addresses (longer alphanumeric strings — the newer addressing standard)
• Loopback address (127.0.0.1) — this is your Mac talking to itself and isn't a real network address
• Addresses for virtual interfaces (created by VPNs, virtualization software like Parallels, etc.)

Most everyday tasks reference IPv4, but some modern networks and services are moving toward IPv6 — so seeing both listed is expected behavior on a current MacBook. 🌐

The Detail That Changes Everything

The "right" IP address to use — and the method that makes most sense to check it — depends on exactly what you're trying to accomplish. Configuring a local network device, verifying a VPN connection, setting up remote desktop, troubleshooting a router issue, or just confirming connectivity all point to different addresses and different levels of detail. Your specific macOS version, whether you're on Wi-Fi or wired, and whether any network software is running in the background all shape what you'll actually see when you look.