How to Check Your IP Address in Windows

Knowing your IP address is one of those basic networking tasks that comes up more often than you'd expect — whether you're setting up a home network, troubleshooting a connection issue, configuring a printer, or allowing remote access to your machine. Windows gives you several ways to find it, and which method works best depends on how much detail you need and how comfortable you are with different tools.

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

An IP address (Internet Protocol address) is a numerical label assigned to every device on a network. It's how devices identify and communicate with each other. In a typical home or office setup, your Windows PC will actually have two relevant IP addresses:

• Private (local) IP address — assigned by your router, used within your local network (e.g., 192.168.1.105)
• Public IP address — assigned by your ISP, used to identify your network on the internet

Most troubleshooting tasks — like connecting to a local printer or setting up network sharing — require your private IP. Situations like configuring a remote server or checking your apparent location online involve your public IP.

These are meaningfully different pieces of information, so it's worth knowing which one you actually need before you start looking.

Method 1: Check Your IP Address Through Windows Settings 🖥️

This is the most straightforward approach for most users and requires no technical knowledge.

1. Open Settings (Windows key + I)
2. Go to Network & Internet
3. Click on Wi-Fi or Ethernet, depending on your connection type
4. Click on your active network name
5. Scroll down to the Properties section

You'll see your IPv4 address listed there, along with your subnet mask, default gateway, and DNS server addresses.

On Windows 11, the path is nearly identical, though the interface is slightly reorganized under Settings → Network & Internet → your connection type → Hardware properties.

Method 2: Use the Command Prompt with ipconfig

For users who want more detail — or need to check multiple network adapters at once — the Command Prompt is the fastest and most complete option.

1. Press Windows key + R, type cmd, and hit Enter
2. In the Command Prompt window, type: ipconfig
3. Press Enter

You'll see a list of all your network adapters. Look for your active adapter (typically labeled Ethernet adapter or Wireless LAN adapter Wi-Fi) and find the IPv4 Address line.

For even more detail — including your MAC address, DHCP server, and lease information — run:

ipconfig /all 

This is particularly useful when you need to distinguish between multiple network interfaces or when diagnosing DHCP-related issues.

Method 3: Check via the Control Panel (Classic View)

If you prefer the older Windows interface, this path still works in Windows 10 and 11:

1. Open Control Panel → Network and Sharing Center
2. Click on your active connection name (shown next to "Connections:")
3. Click Details in the status window

The Network Connection Details panel displays your IPv4 and IPv6 addresses, along with gateway, subnet, and DNS information.

Method 4: Use PowerShell

PowerShell offers another command-line option, particularly useful if you're scripting or need formatted output:

Get-NetIPAddress 

This returns all IP addresses assigned to all adapters. To filter for just IPv4 addresses on active adapters:

Get-NetIPAddress -AddressFamily IPv4 

PowerShell output is more structured than ipconfig and easier to parse programmatically — relevant if you're managing multiple machines or running automated diagnostics.

How to Find Your Public IP Address

None of the methods above will show your public IP — that information lives at the router level or beyond. To find your public IP on Windows, you have a few options:

• Open any web browser and search "what is my IP" — search engines and dedicated tools display it instantly
• Use PowerShell with a web request: Invoke-RestMethod ifconfig.me/ip

Your public IP is assigned by your ISP and may change periodically unless you have a static IP arrangement.

Understanding IPv4 vs. IPv6

Windows will often show both an IPv4 and an IPv6 address for the same adapter. Here's a quick comparison:

For most everyday tasks — printer setup, local file sharing, remote desktop within a network — IPv4 is what you'll reference. IPv6 matters more in enterprise environments and modern internet infrastructure.

Variables That Affect What You'll See

The IP address information visible on your machine depends on several factors:

• Connection type — wired Ethernet, Wi-Fi, VPN adapters, and virtual machine network interfaces each appear separately
• DHCP vs. static assignment — most home users get a DHCP-assigned address that can change; static IPs are manually configured and fixed
• Number of adapters — laptops with both Wi-Fi and Ethernet, plus any active VPN, will show multiple entries in ipconfig
• Network configuration — corporate networks may use different IP ranges and may restrict what's visible
• Windows version — the Settings UI differs between Windows 10 and 11, though Command Prompt methods work consistently across both

A user on a simple home network running one Wi-Fi connection will see a clean, easy-to-read result. A developer running virtual machines with multiple network adapters and an active VPN will see a much more complex list — and will likely need ipconfig /all or PowerShell filtering to identify the right address quickly. 🔍

The method that makes most sense for you depends on what you're troubleshooting, how many network interfaces your machine uses, and whether you need your local address, your public address, or both.