Where to Find Your IP Address on Your Computer

Every device connected to a network has an IP address — a numerical label that identifies it on that network. If you've ever needed to set up a printer, troubleshoot a connection, configure remote access, or check your network settings, knowing where to find this number is a fundamental skill. The slightly tricky part: there's more than one IP address to know about, and where you find them depends on your operating system and what you're actually trying to accomplish.

What Is an IP Address, and Why Are There Multiple?

An IP address (Internet Protocol address) is a string of numbers that tells networks where to send data. Think of it like a mailing address for your device.

Most computers have at least two relevant IP addresses:

• Local (private) IP address — assigned by your router, used within your home or office network. Typically looks like 192.168.x.x or 10.0.x.x.
• Public (external) IP address — assigned by your Internet Service Provider (ISP), used to identify your network on the broader internet. Every device on your home network shares this one address externally.

These are meaningfully different. If you're port forwarding, hosting a server, or someone needs to connect to you from outside your network, you need your public IP. If you're configuring devices that talk to each other locally — printers, NAS drives, smart home hubs — you need your local IP.

How to Find Your IP Address on Windows 🖥️

Method 1: Settings App (Windows 10/11)

1. Open Settings → Network & Internet
2. Click on Wi-Fi or Ethernet depending on your connection
3. Click on the network name or "Properties"
4. Scroll down to the IPv4 address field

Method 2: Command Prompt

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

The ipconfig command also shows your Default Gateway (your router's local IP) and Subnet Mask — useful for deeper network troubleshooting.

How to Find Your IP Address on macOS

Method 1: System Settings / System Preferences

1. Click the Apple menu → System Settings (macOS Ventura and later) or System Preferences (earlier versions)
2. Go to Network
3. Select your active connection (Wi-Fi or Ethernet)
4. Your IP address is displayed directly on this screen

Method 2: Terminal

1. Open Terminal (found in Applications → Utilities)
2. Type ifconfig | grep "inet " and press Enter
3. Look for the address that isn't 127.0.0.1 (that's your loopback address, not your real local IP)

How to Find Your IP Address on Linux

Open a terminal and use one of these commands:

• ip addr show — shows all network interfaces and their addresses
• hostname -I — returns your local IP address(es) quickly
• ifconfig — available on many distributions, similar output to macOS

Look for the inet value under your active interface — typically named something like eth0 (wired) or wlan0 (wireless).

Finding Your Public IP Address

None of the methods above show your public IP — they only reveal your local network address. To find your public IP from any operating system:

• Open a browser and search "what is my IP" — Google displays it directly at the top of results
• Visit a site like ipinfo.io or icanhazip.com
• In a terminal, run: curl ifconfig.me

Your public IP is assigned dynamically by most ISPs, meaning it can change periodically unless you've paid for a static IP.

IPv4 vs. IPv6: Which One Do You See?

You may notice two types of addresses on your system:

IPv4 is the traditional format and still the most commonly used for local configuration. IPv6 is the newer standard with a much larger address space, and most modern networks support both simultaneously. For most everyday tasks — printer setup, remote desktop, local server configuration — your IPv4 address is what you'll reference.

Variables That Affect What You'll See 🔍

Not every user will find the same number of addresses or the same type:

• Connection type — wired Ethernet and Wi-Fi are separate adapters, each with their own local IP
• VPN usage — if a VPN is active, your apparent public IP changes, and you may see virtual network adapters with their own addresses
• Multiple network interfaces — laptops with both Wi-Fi and Ethernet connected will show multiple local IPs
• Dynamic vs. static assignment — most home networks use DHCP, which automatically assigns local IPs that can change; static assignments are manually configured and stay fixed
• Operating system version — menu paths and command outputs vary between Windows 10, Windows 11, macOS Monterey, macOS Ventura, and different Linux distributions

When Local vs. Public IP Actually Matters

Most users only need their local IP when configuring something on their own network. Most users only need their public IP when setting up external access — like connecting to a home computer remotely or troubleshooting why a website-based service can't reach them.

The distinction seems simple until you're staring at three different IP addresses across two adapters and a VPN tunnel, which happens more often than you'd expect on modern work-from-home setups. Which address is actually relevant depends entirely on what you're trying to do and how your network is structured.