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. Whether you're troubleshooting a connection, setting up remote access, configuring a router, or just curious, knowing where to find your IP address is a fundamental networking skill. The answer depends on which operating system you're running, and whether you need your local (private) IP address or your public IP address — because those are two very different things.

Local IP Address vs. Public IP Address

Before you start clicking through settings menus, it's worth understanding what you're actually looking for.

• 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 starts with 192.168.x.x, 10.x.x.x, or 172.16.x.x. This address is only visible inside your network.
• 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 device communicates over the internet. All devices on the same network share this one public address.

Most troubleshooting tasks — like connecting two devices on the same Wi-Fi network, configuring a printer, or setting up a game server — require the local IP. Accessing your home network remotely or checking what websites see when you visit them requires the public IP.

How to Find Your IP Address on Windows 🖥️

There are a few ways to locate your local IP address on a Windows PC.

Using Settings (Windows 10 and 11)

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

Using the Command Prompt

This method works across most versions of Windows:

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

The ipconfig command also shows your subnet mask and default gateway (your router's local address), which are useful for network configuration tasks.

Using the Taskbar

For a quick peek without opening any menus, right-click the network icon in the system tray (bottom-right corner), select Open Network & Internet settings, then navigate to your connection details.

How to Find Your IP Address on macOS

Using System Settings / System Preferences

On macOS Ventura and later:

1. Click the Apple menu → System Settings
2. Select Network from the sidebar
3. Click your active connection (Wi-Fi or Ethernet)
4. Your IP address appears in the connection details

On older macOS versions:

1. Open System Preferences → Network
2. Select your active connection on the left
3. Your IP address is displayed on the right panel

Using Terminal

1. Open Terminal (search with Spotlight)
2. Type ifconfig | grep "inet " and press Enter
3. Look for the line associated with en0 (Wi-Fi) or en1 (Ethernet)

How to Find Your IP Address on Linux

Linux users can use the terminal command ip addr show or the older ifconfig (if installed). Look for the inet value under your active network interface, commonly labeled eth0, ens3, or wlan0 depending on your distribution and setup.

Some Linux desktop environments also expose this information through a Network Manager GUI in system settings, accessible via the network icon in the status bar.

Finding Your Public IP Address

Your public IP address isn't stored in your network settings — it's assigned by your ISP and visible only from the outside. The fastest way to find it on any operating system is to open a browser and search for "what is my IP." Most search engines display it directly in the results.

Alternatively, sites like ifconfig.me or similar IP-lookup services display your public IPv4 and IPv6 address instantly.

IPv4 vs. IPv6: What You Might See 🔍

Modern computers often have both an IPv4 and an IPv6 address. IPv4 addresses look like 192.168.1.45. IPv6 addresses are longer and use hexadecimal notation, like fe80::1a2b:3c4d:5e6f:7890. For most home networking tasks, IPv4 is what you need. IPv6 becomes relevant for more advanced configurations or when your ISP is transitioning to the newer standard.

Variables That Affect What You See

Finding your IP isn't always identical from one machine to the next. A few factors shape the experience:

• Operating system version: Menu locations shift between Windows 10 and 11, and between macOS versions
• Connection type: Wired (Ethernet) and wireless (Wi-Fi) connections are listed separately and may have different local IPs
• Network configuration: Corporate or institutional networks may use different IP ranges, VLANs, or assign static IPs rather than dynamic ones via DHCP
• VPN usage: If a VPN is active, your apparent public IP will reflect the VPN server's address, not your ISP's
• Multiple network adapters: Laptops with both Wi-Fi and Ethernet active, or machines running virtual machines, may show several IP addresses simultaneously

What looks like a simple settings lookup can surface multiple addresses, and knowing which one applies to your situation depends entirely on what you're trying to accomplish.