How to Check the IP Address of Your System

Every device connected to a network has an IP address — a numerical label that identifies it and allows it to communicate with other devices. Knowing how to find yours is one of the most practical networking skills you can have, whether you're troubleshooting a connection issue, setting up a home server, or configuring remote access.

The process varies depending on your operating system, the type of IP address you're looking for, and sometimes your level of technical comfort. Here's what you need to know.

What Is an IP Address, Exactly?

An IP address (Internet Protocol address) is a unique string of numbers assigned to your device on a network. There are two distinct types you'll encounter:

• Local (Private) IP Address — This is the address your router assigns to your device within your home or office network. It's only visible internally. Example format: 192.168.1.5 or 10.0.0.12
• Public (External) IP Address — This is the address the wider internet sees when your traffic leaves your network. It's assigned by your Internet Service Provider (ISP) and is shared across all devices on your network.

These are fundamentally different pieces of information, and the method you use to find one won't give you the other. 🌐

How to Find Your IP Address on Windows

Using the Settings App (Windows 10 / 11)

1. Open Settings → Network & Internet
2. Click Wi-Fi or Ethernet, depending on your connection
3. Select your active connection and scroll down to IPv4 address

Using Command Prompt

This is the fastest method for most users:

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

Look for your active adapter (Wi-Fi or Ethernet) and find the IPv4 Address line. You'll also see your subnet mask and default gateway here, which are useful for network diagnostics.

For a more detailed output, you can type ipconfig /all — this shows additional information including your MAC address, DHCP status, and DNS servers.

How to Find Your IP Address on macOS

Using System Settings / System Preferences

1. Open System Settings (macOS Ventura and later) or System Preferences (older versions)
2. Go to Network
3. Select your active connection (Wi-Fi or Ethernet) from the left panel
4. Your IP address is displayed directly on that screen

Using Terminal

1. Open Terminal (found in Applications → Utilities)
2. For Wi-Fi, type: ipconfig getifaddr en0
3. For Ethernet, type: ipconfig getifaddr en1

The terminal method returns a clean, direct output — just your IP address, nothing else.

How to Find Your IP Address on Linux

Using the Terminal

Linux users typically rely on the command line:

• Modern systems:ip addr show — Look for the inet entry under your active interface (often eth0, wlan0, or enp3s0)
• Older systems:ifconfig — This command may need to be installed separately on some minimal distributions

Your local IP appears after inet, followed by a slash and the subnet prefix length (e.g., 192.168.1.8/24).

How to Find Your IP Address on Mobile Devices 📱

iPhone / iPad (iOS / iPadOS)

1. Open Settings → Wi-Fi
2. Tap the ⓘ icon next to your connected network
3. Your IP address appears under the IPv4 Address section

Android

Steps vary slightly by manufacturer, but generally:

1. Open Settings → Wi-Fi (or Network & Internet)
2. Tap your connected network
3. Look for Advanced or Network details to see your IP address

How to Find Your Public IP Address

Your public IP isn't visible through system settings — it's assigned at the router level by your ISP. The simplest method works across all devices and operating systems:

Open any web browser and search:what is my IP address

Search engines like Google and Bing display your public IP directly in the results. Alternatively, services like ipinfo.io or icanhazip.com return your public IP in plain text.

IPv4 vs. IPv6 — Which One Matters?

You'll often see two IP addresses listed when checking your settings: an IPv4 address and an IPv6 address. Here's the key distinction:

For most everyday tasks — troubleshooting, port forwarding, remote access — your IPv4 address is the one you'll reference. IPv6 matters more in certain enterprise or developer contexts.

Factors That Affect Which Method Works for You

Not every method above will apply cleanly to your situation. A few variables determine what you'll actually encounter:

• Operating system version — Older Windows versions (7, 8) have different navigation paths in Control Panel rather than Settings
• Connection type — Wired Ethernet and wireless Wi-Fi adapters show up separately; checking the wrong one gives you the wrong address
• Dynamic vs. static IP — Most home devices use DHCP, meaning the router assigns an IP that can change. Servers and network devices are often given static IPs that don't change
• VPN usage — If a VPN is active, your displayed public IP will reflect the VPN server's address, not your ISP's
• Network configuration — Corporate or institutional networks sometimes use additional layers like NAT or proxy servers that affect what IP addresses are visible and how

Understanding which of these applies to your setup determines not just how to find your IP, but what the result actually means for whatever you're trying to accomplish.