How to Find Your Computer's IP Address (All Methods Explained)
Your IP address is one of the most fundamental pieces of network identity your computer has — and knowing how to find it is a surprisingly common need, whether you're configuring a router, troubleshooting a connection, setting up remote access, or following tech support instructions. The process differs depending on your operating system, and there are actually two types of IP address you might be looking for, which changes everything about where you look.
What Is an IP Address, Exactly?
An IP address (Internet Protocol address) is a numerical label assigned to any device connected to a network. It works like a postal address — it tells other devices where to send data so it reaches the right destination.
There are two distinct IP addresses associated with your computer at any given time:
- Private (local) IP address — the address assigned to your computer within your home or office network by your router. Something like
192.168.1.45. - Public (external) IP address — the address your entire network presents to the outside internet, assigned by your ISP. Every device on your home network shares this single address externally.
Which one you need depends entirely on what you're trying to do. Configuring devices on your local network? You want the private IP. Telling someone remotely how to reach you, or checking your apparent location? You want the public IP.
How to Find Your Private IP Address
On Windows
The fastest method is through Command Prompt:
- Press
Windows + R, typecmd, and hit Enter - Type
ipconfigand press Enter - Look for IPv4 Address under your active network adapter (Ethernet or Wi-Fi)
You'll see output like 192.168.0.12 — that's your local IP.
Alternatively, go to Settings → Network & Internet → Wi-Fi (or Ethernet) → Properties and scroll to find the IPv4 address listed there.
On macOS
Go to System Settings (or System Preferences on older versions) → Network, select your active connection from the sidebar, and your IP address is displayed directly on that panel.
For a faster route, open Terminal and type:
ipconfig getifaddr en0 Use en0 for Wi-Fi or en1 for Ethernet, depending on your connection.
On Linux
Open a terminal and run:
ip addr show or the older command:
ifconfig Your IP will appear next to inet under your active interface (often named eth0, wlan0, or enp3s0 depending on your distro and hardware).
On iPhone or iPad
Go to Settings → Wi-Fi, tap the ⓘ next to your connected network, and your IP address appears under the IPv4 Address section.
On Android
Go to Settings → Network & Internet → Wi-Fi, tap your connected network, and expand the Advanced section (or tap the network details). The IP address is listed there. The exact path varies slightly by manufacturer and Android version.
How to Find Your Public IP Address
This one is the same regardless of your operating system. The simplest method is opening a browser and searching:
"what is my IP"
Google displays it directly in the search results. Alternatively, visiting a site like whatismyipaddress.com or ipinfo.io will show your public IP along with approximate location data associated with it.
You can also retrieve it from the command line. On Windows or macOS, running curl ifconfig.me in a terminal returns your public IP as plain text.
IPv4 vs. IPv6 — Which One Are You Looking At? 🌐
Modern networks often assign both an IPv4 address (e.g., 192.168.1.5) and an IPv6 address (e.g., fe80::1a2b:3c4d:5e6f:7g8h). IPv6 was developed to handle the exhaustion of IPv4 addresses globally.
| Format | Example | Still Common? |
|---|---|---|
| IPv4 | 192.168.0.15 | Yes, dominant for local networks |
| IPv6 | 2001:0db8:85a3::8a2e | Growing, especially for public addresses |
For most everyday troubleshooting purposes, IPv4 is what tech guides and router interfaces expect. If you're setting up port forwarding, home servers, or network printing, you'll almost always be working with the IPv4 private address.
Why Your IP Address Changes — and When It Doesn't
Most home routers use DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) to assign local IP addresses automatically. This means your computer's private IP can change when you reconnect to the network, restart your router, or after a lease period expires.
If you need a device to always have the same local IP — for a home server, a networked printer, or remote desktop access — you can assign a static IP address, either within your operating system's network settings or through your router's DHCP reservation feature (sometimes called "address binding").
Your public IP is controlled by your ISP and also changes periodically for most residential connections unless you've specifically paid for a static public IP.
The Variables That Affect What You Find
Finding an IP address sounds simple, but a few factors shape what you see and what it means:
- Your OS and version — the menu paths and command outputs differ meaningfully across Windows 10, Windows 11, macOS Ventura, macOS Monterey, and various Linux distributions
- Wired vs. wireless — your laptop may have different IP addresses assigned to its Ethernet and Wi-Fi adapters simultaneously
- VPN usage — if a VPN is active, your public IP will reflect the VPN server's address, not your ISP's, and your routing behavior changes
- Network type — corporate or institutional networks often use different IP ranges and may have IT-managed addressing that limits what you can see or change
- IPv4/IPv6 dual-stack setups — some tools show both; knowing which one applies to your situation matters
Whether the IP address you find is actually the right one for your purpose — and whether it's stable enough to rely on — depends on how your specific network is configured and what you're ultimately trying to accomplish.