How to Find the IP Address on a Mac

Whether you're troubleshooting a network issue, setting up file sharing, or configuring a router, knowing your Mac's IP address is a practical skill. The process is straightforward — but there are a few variations worth understanding, because the IP address you need depends on which IP address you're actually looking for.

What Is an IP Address, and Why Does It Matter?

An IP address (Internet Protocol address) is a numerical label assigned to your device on a network. It's how devices identify and communicate with each other.

On a Mac, you'll typically encounter two types:

• Local IP address (private): The address your router assigns to your Mac within your home or office network. This usually looks like 192.168.x.x or 10.0.x.x.
• Public IP address (external): The address your internet service provider assigns to your entire network. This is what websites see when you browse the web.

Most local troubleshooting tasks — printer connections, network drives, SSH access — require your local IP. Checking whether a VPN is masking your location requires your public IP. Knowing which one you need before you start saves time.

How to Find Your Local IP Address on a Mac

Method 1: System Settings (macOS Ventura and Later)

Apple redesigned its settings interface in macOS Ventura (13.0), so the path changed:

1. Click the Apple menu → System Settings
2. Select Network from the sidebar
3. Click your active connection — Wi-Fi or Ethernet
4. Your IP address appears directly in the connection details panel

For Wi-Fi, click the network name or Details button to see the full breakdown, including your IP address, subnet mask, and router address.

Method 2: System Preferences (macOS Monterey and Earlier)

On older macOS versions:

1. Click the Apple menu → System Preferences
2. Open Network
3. Select your active connection from the left panel (Wi-Fi or Ethernet)
4. Your local IP address is displayed on the right side of the window

Method 3: The Terminal (Fastest for Power Users) 🖥️

If you're comfortable with the command line, this is the quickest route:

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

ipconfig getifaddr en0 

This returns the IP address for Wi-Fi (en0). For Ethernet, use en1 instead:

ipconfig getifaddr en1 

Alternatively, for a full network overview:

ifconfig | grep "inet " 

This lists all active network interfaces and their assigned IP addresses. The entry associated with your active connection (not 127.0.0.1, which is the loopback address) is your local IP.

Method 4: Hover Over the Wi-Fi Menu Bar Icon

A lesser-known shortcut: hold the Option key and click the Wi-Fi icon in the menu bar. A dropdown appears showing detailed connection info, including your IP address, without opening any settings panel.

How to Find Your Public IP Address on a Mac

Your public IP isn't something macOS displays natively — it's assigned by your router and ISP, sitting upstream from your device.

The simplest methods:

• Browser search: Type what is my IP into Google, DuckDuckGo, or any search engine. The result appears at the top of the page.
• Terminal command: Run the following in Terminal:

curl ifconfig.me 

This queries an external service and returns your current public IP address.

Local vs. Public IP: A Quick Comparison

Why Your IP Address Might Look Different Than Expected 🔍

A few factors can produce unexpected results:

• Dynamic vs. static IP: Most home networks use DHCP, meaning your router assigns your Mac a new local IP address each time it connects. The address can change if you reconnect or restart your router. A static IP is manually set and doesn't change.
• VPN usage: If a VPN is active, your public IP will reflect the VPN server's address, not your home network's.
• Multiple network interfaces: Macs can be connected via Wi-Fi and Ethernet simultaneously, or have virtual network adapters from software like VirtualBox or Parallels — each gets its own IP.
• IPv4 vs. IPv6: Modern networks increasingly support IPv6, a newer addressing format that looks like 2001:db8::1. Your Mac may have both an IPv4 and IPv6 address active at the same time.

The Part That Varies by Setup

The method that works best for you depends on your macOS version, whether you prefer graphical interfaces or the command line, and whether you need the local or public address. Someone running a server on their Mac will care about IP stability and static assignment in a way that a typical home user won't. Someone using a VPN will see a public IP that doesn't reflect their physical location at all.

The steps above cover the most common scenarios — but which detail matters most comes down to what you're actually trying to do with that address.