Your IP address is a number that identifies your device on a network

An IP address is a unique number assigned to your device — computer, phone, or tablet — whenever it connects to the internet or a local network. It works like a mailing address: it tells other devices and servers where to send information back to you. Every device on a network needs one to communicate.

You have two types of IP addresses. Your public IP address is what the wider internet sees — it's assigned by your internet service provider and identifies your home or office connection. Your private IP address is what devices use to talk to each other within your home or office network — it's assigned by your router and never leaves your local network.

Most of the time you don't need to know either one. But if you're troubleshooting a network problem, setting up a device on your home network, or checking your security, you may need to find it. The steps differ depending on what device you're using and which address you're looking for.

Key Takeaways

  • Your public IP address is what websites see and is assigned by your internet provider; your private IP address is used only within your home network and is assigned by your router.
  • On Windows, open Command Prompt and type ipconfig to see your private IP address, or visit a site like whatismyipaddress.com to see your public one.
  • On Mac, go to System Settings, click Network, select your connection, and look for the IP address listed there for your private address.
  • On iPhone or Android, go to Settings, find Wi-Fi or Network settings, tap your current connection, and the IP address appears in the connection details.
  • Your private IP address usually starts with 192.168, 10.0, or 172.16 and changes rarely; your public IP address can change when you restart your router.

Finding your private IP address on Windows

The fastest way on Windows is through Command Prompt. Right-click the Start button, select "Command Prompt" or "Windows PowerShell", and type ipconfig then press Enter. Look for the line labeled "IPv4 Address" under your active connection — that's your private IP address. It usually looks like 192.168.1.100 or similar.

If you prefer not to use Command Prompt, you can find it through Settings. Open Settings, go to Network & Internet, select your connection type (Wi-Fi or Ethernet), and click on the connection you're using. Scroll down to "IP settings" and you'll see your private IP address listed there.

Finding your private IP address on Mac

Open System Settings and click Network in the sidebar. Select your active connection — either Wi-Fi or Ethernet depending on how you're connected. Your private IP address appears in the connection details, usually labeled as "IP Address". On older Macs running earlier versions of macOS, this is in System Preferences instead of Settings, but the path is the same.

You can also use Terminal if you're comfortable with it. Open Terminal, type ifconfig, and look for the line starting with "inet" under your active connection. That's your private IP address.

Finding your private IP address on iPhone or Android

On iPhone, open Settings, tap Wi-Fi, and select the network you're connected to. Your private IP address appears in the connection details under "IP Address".

On Android, the path varies by manufacturer, but the general route is Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi, then tap the network you're connected to. Look for "IP address" in the connection details. Some Android phones put this under Advanced settings for that network.

Finding your public IP address

Your public IP address is what the outside internet sees when you connect. The simplest way to find it is to visit a website that shows it to you. Go to whatismyipaddress.com, myip.com, or similar sites in any web browser, and your public IP address displays immediately on the page.

You can also find it through your router's admin panel, though this is less common. Log into your router (usually by typing 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1 into a browser and entering your router's username and password), and look for a section labeled WAN, Internet, or Status. Your public IP address is listed there. This method is useful if you want to see your public address without leaving your network.

Why your IP address might change

Your private IP address usually stays the same for months or years, but it can change if you restart your router, if your device reconnects to the network, or if your router's settings are configured to reassign addresses regularly. Most home routers are set to keep private addresses stable, so this is rare.

Your public IP address changes more often. It shifts whenever you restart your router, and your internet provider may change it periodically without warning — sometimes weekly, sometimes monthly, depending on their system. If you need a stable public IP address for something like hosting a server or remote access, you can contact your internet provider about a static IP, though this usually costs extra.

What to do with your IP address once you find it

If you're troubleshooting a network problem, write down your private IP address and share it with whoever is helping you — they may need it to see what's happening on your network. If you're setting up a device to always use the same private IP address (called a static IP), you'll need this number to configure it in your router settings.

If you're checking your public IP address for security reasons — for example, to see if it matches what a website is logging — that's a normal thing to do. Your public IP is visible to every website you visit, but it doesn't reveal your name or address by itself. If you're concerned about what websites can see, that's a separate privacy question beyond just knowing your IP address.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is my IP address the same on Wi-Fi and Ethernet?

No. If your device is connected to both Wi-Fi and Ethernet at the same time, it has a separate private IP address for each connection. Your public IP address is the same regardless of which connection you're using, because it's assigned to your router, not to individual devices.

Can someone find my home address from my IP address?

Your public IP address can be traced to your internet provider and roughly to your city or region, but not to your street address. Your private IP address is only visible within your own network and tells you nothing about location. If you're worried about privacy, that's a different concern than just knowing your IP address.

Why does my IP address look different each time I check?

If your private IP address is changing, your router may be set to reassign addresses frequently, or your device may be reconnecting to the network. If your public IP address is changing, your internet provider is reassigning it — this is normal. If either is changing unexpectedly, restart your router and check again.

Do I need to hide my IP address?

Your private IP address is only visible on your own network, so there's nothing to hide there. Your public IP address is visible to websites, but it's not a security risk by itself. If you want to hide your public IP for privacy reasons, that's a separate choice involving a VPN or proxy, not related to finding your address.