How to Find Your IP Address on iPhone
Your iPhone has more than one IP address — and which one you need depends entirely on what you're trying to do. Whether you're troubleshooting a Wi-Fi issue, setting up port forwarding, or configuring a VPN, knowing where to look and what you're looking at makes a real difference.
What Is an IP Address, and Why Does Your iPhone Have More Than One?
An IP address (Internet Protocol address) is a numerical label assigned to any device connected to a network. It's how devices identify and communicate with each other — both on your local network and across the internet.
Your iPhone typically has two distinct IP addresses at any given time:
- Local (Private) IP address — assigned by your router, visible only within your home or office network (e.g.,
192.168.1.45) - Public IP address — assigned by your Internet Service Provider (ISP), this is what the outside internet sees when your traffic leaves your network
These are different numbers, serve different purposes, and are found in different places. Confusing the two is one of the most common sources of frustration when troubleshooting network issues.
How to Find Your Local IP Address on iPhone 📱
Your local IP address is the one your router assigned to your iPhone. This is what you need for tasks like setting up static IPs, configuring local network apps, or troubleshooting router connectivity.
Steps:
- Open the Settings app
- Tap Wi-Fi
- Tap the ⓘ (info) icon next to the network you're connected to
- Scroll down to the IPv4 Address section
- Your local IP address appears next to IP Address
You'll also see additional details here, including your subnet mask, router address (your gateway IP), and DNS servers. These are relevant if you're manually configuring network settings.
What About IPv6?
Most modern iPhones also display an IPv6 address — a longer alphanumeric string (e.g., 2001:0db8:85a3::8a2e:0370:7334). IPv6 is the newer IP addressing standard built to handle the massive scale of modern internet-connected devices. Many networks now run both IPv4 and IPv6 simultaneously, a setup called dual-stack.
For most everyday troubleshooting, the IPv4 address is what people are referring to. But if you're working in an environment that uses IPv6 routing or specific enterprise configurations, the IPv6 address matters.
How to Find Your Public IP Address on iPhone
Your public IP is assigned by your ISP and is shared across all devices on your network — your iPhone, laptop, smart TV, and everything else using the same router all share this single outward-facing address.
You won't find your public IP in iPhone Settings. To find it:
- Open Safari (or any browser)
- Search:
what is my IP address - Google and most other search engines will display it directly in the results
Alternatively, sites like ipinfo.io or whatismyipaddress.com will show your public IP along with additional metadata like your approximate location and ISP.
Dynamic vs. Static Public IPs
Most residential ISP accounts assign a dynamic IP — meaning it can change periodically, sometimes when you restart your router or after a set period. Static IPs are fixed and typically associated with business accounts or specific ISP plans. If you're running a home server or need consistent remote access, this distinction matters significantly.
Finding Your IP Address Without Wi-Fi (Cellular)
When your iPhone is on cellular data rather than Wi-Fi, the process changes. Your carrier assigns your device an IP address, but it's rarely accessible through Settings the same way.
To check it:
- Go to Settings → General → VPN & Device Management (or Settings → General → About on older iOS versions)
- Some carrier configurations expose this — many don't
In practice, the most reliable method on cellular is still a browser-based lookup, which will return the public IP your carrier has assigned (which may be a carrier-grade NAT address shared across many subscribers).
Key Variables That Affect Which IP Address You Need 🔍
| Scenario | IP Type Needed | Where to Find It |
|---|---|---|
| Troubleshooting Wi-Fi connectivity | Local (Private) IPv4 | Settings → Wi-Fi → ⓘ |
| Port forwarding on router | Local (Private) IPv4 | Settings → Wi-Fi → ⓘ |
| Sharing your location with a service | Public IP | Browser search |
| VPN or remote access setup | Both, depending on config | Settings + Browser |
| Network security audit | Both | Both sources |
| Configuring local server access | Local (Private) IPv4 | Settings → Wi-Fi → ⓘ |
DHCP vs. Manual IP Assignment
By default, your iPhone uses DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol), which means your router automatically assigns it a local IP address — and that address can change each time you reconnect.
If you need a consistent local IP (for example, so a router rule always applies to your phone), you can manually set a static local IP:
- Go to Settings → Wi-Fi → ⓘ on your network
- Tap Configure IP
- Select Manual
- Enter an IP address outside your router's DHCP range to avoid conflicts
This only affects your local address. Your public IP is always controlled by your ISP, not your device.
iOS Version Differences
The navigation path has shifted slightly across iOS versions. In iOS 16 and later, VPN and device management settings moved to their own section under General. Older versions of iOS may show slightly different menu labels, but the Wi-Fi → ⓘ path for local IP has remained consistent across recent iOS versions.
How straightforward or complex this process feels largely depends on your setup — whether you're on a simple home network, a managed corporate Wi-Fi, or juggling VPN configurations adds layers that change what you're looking at and what you actually need.