How to Find the IP Address of Your Computer

Every device connected to a network has an IP address — a numerical label that identifies it and allows it to send and receive data. Knowing how to find yours is a basic but genuinely useful skill, whether you're troubleshooting a connection, setting up remote access, configuring a router, or sharing files across a local network.

The process differs by operating system, and there's an important distinction worth understanding before you start looking.

Local IP Address vs. Public IP Address

These are two different things, and confusing them leads to a lot of dead ends.

• Local IP address (also called a private IP): This is the address your router assigns to your device within your home or office network. It typically looks like 192.168.x.x or 10.0.x.x. Only devices on the same network can see it.
• Public IP address: This is the address your internet service provider (ISP) assigns to your network. It's what the outside world sees when your computer connects to the internet. All devices on the same network share one public IP.

Which one you need depends entirely on what you're trying to do. Setting up a local printer or file share? You need the local IP. Allowing remote access from outside your home, or checking what websites see when you visit them? That's your public IP.

How to Find Your IP Address on Windows 🖥️

Using Settings (Windows 10 and 11)

1. Open Settings → Network & Internet
2. Click on Wi-Fi or Ethernet, depending on your connection type
3. Select your active network connection
4. Scroll down to find IPv4 address — that's your local IP

Using Command Prompt

1. Press Windows + R, type cmd, and hit Enter
2. Type ipconfig and press Enter
3. Look for IPv4 Address under your active adapter (Wi-Fi or Ethernet)

The ipconfig output also shows your subnet mask and default gateway (your router's IP), which are useful if you're doing any network configuration.

How to Find Your IP Address on macOS

Using System Settings

1. Open System Settings (or System Preferences on older versions) → Network
2. Select your active connection from the left panel
3. Your IP address appears directly on that screen

Using Terminal

1. Open Terminal (found in Applications → Utilities)
2. Type ipconfig getifaddr en0 for Wi-Fi, or ipconfig getifaddr en1 for Ethernet
3. The output is your local IP address

For a more detailed breakdown, the command ifconfig returns information for all network interfaces.

How to Find Your IP Address on Linux

Open a terminal and run:

ip addr show 

or the older command:

ifconfig 

Look for the entry under your active interface — typically eth0 for Ethernet or wlan0 for Wi-Fi. Your local IP appears next to inet.

How to Find Your IP Address on iPhone or Android 📱

iPhone (iOS)

1. Go to Settings → Wi-Fi
2. Tap the ℹ️ 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. Go to Settings → Network & Internet → Wi-Fi
2. Tap your connected network
3. Expand Advanced or tap the network details to see your IP address

How to Find Your Public IP Address

The simplest method on any device: open a browser and search "what is my IP" — search engines like Google will display it directly at the top of the results. Alternatively, sites like whatismyipaddress.com or ipinfo.io show your public IP along with location data derived from it.

Keep in mind that public IP addresses are often dynamic — meaning your ISP can change them periodically unless you've paid for a static IP.

IPv4 vs. IPv6: What You Might See

Most home networks still primarily use IPv4 addresses — the familiar four-number format like 192.168.1.5. But you may also see an IPv6 address, which looks something like fe80::1a2b:3c4d:5e6f:7g8h. IPv6 was developed to address the shortage of available IPv4 addresses and is increasingly common, especially on mobile networks and modern ISPs.

Many devices will have both an IPv4 and an IPv6 address active simultaneously.

What Affects Which IP You See

A few variables determine what your IP address looks like and how stable it is:

• DHCP vs. static assignment: Most home routers use DHCP to automatically assign local IPs, which can change if you reconnect. A static IP is manually configured and stays fixed.
• VPN usage: If you're running a VPN, your visible public IP will be the VPN server's address, not your ISP's.
• Network type: Corporate networks, mobile hotspots, and home routers each handle IP assignment differently.
• Multiple network adapters: Laptops with both Wi-Fi and Ethernet active may show different IPs for each interface.

The right IP to use — and how much any of this matters — depends on what you're actually trying to accomplish with it.