The quickest way to find your IP address on Mac

Open System Settings (or System Preferences on older Macs), click Wi-Fi or Network in the sidebar, then click Details or Advanced. Your IPv4 Address appears in the window — it looks like four numbers separated by periods, such as 192.168.1.105. If you're connected by ethernet cable instead of Wi-Fi, select Ethernet from the sidebar and follow the same steps.

You can also find it faster using the menu bar. Click the Wi-Fi icon in the top right corner of your screen, hold down the Option key, and click Open Wireless Diagnostics. The window that opens shows your IP address under Status. This method works only if you're on Wi-Fi.

Key Takeaways

  • Your IP address appears in System Settings under Wi-Fi or Network, in the Details or Advanced section.
  • You can also find it by Option-clicking the Wi-Fi icon in the menu bar and opening Wireless Diagnostics.
  • An IPv4 address is the standard format you'll see on most home networks, shown as four numbers like 192.168.1.105.
  • Your Mac may also have an IPv6 address, which is a longer format used on newer networks.

Finding your IP address through System Settings

The most reliable method is through System Settings. On newer Macs (Ventura and later), click the Apple menu in the top left, select System Settings, then click Wi-Fi in the sidebar. If you're already connected to a network, you'll see the network name listed. Click the information icon next to it or click Details, and your IPv4 address will appear on the screen.

On older Macs running Big Sur, Monterey, or earlier versions, the process is nearly identical but the menu is called System Preferences instead. Open it from the Apple menu, click Network, select your connection type (Wi-Fi or Ethernet) from the list on the left, and your IP address appears in the main panel. If you don't see it immediately, click Advanced in the lower right corner.

For ethernet connections, the steps are the same — just select Ethernet from the sidebar or network list instead of Wi-Fi. The IP address field will show your wired connection's address.

Using Terminal to find your IP address

If you prefer the command line, Terminal shows your IP address in seconds. Open Terminal (search for it using Spotlight by pressing Command+Space, typing "Terminal," and pressing Enter). Type this command and press Enter: ifconfig | grep "inet " | grep -v 127.0.0.1

The output will show your IP address next to "inet" — look for the one that starts with 192.168, 10., or 172.16 through 172.31, as these are the ranges used on home networks. Ignore any address that starts with 127.0.0.1, which is your computer's internal loopback address.

Terminal also shows you additional network information if you need it. Type ifconfig alone to see all network interfaces and their addresses, or type networksetup -getinfo Wi-Fi to see just your Wi-Fi details in a more readable format.

Understanding IPv4 versus IPv6 addresses

Your Mac may display two different IP addresses: an IPv4 address and an IPv6 address. The IPv4 address is the one you'll use most often — it's the four-number format like 192.168.1.105. This is the standard address format on nearly all home and office networks.

An IPv6 address is a newer format that looks completely different: a long string of letters and numbers separated by colons, such as fe80::1. Most home networks still use IPv4 primarily, though many now support both. If you only see an IPv6 address and no IPv4 address, your network may be IPv6-only, which is becoming more common but still relatively rare.

For most purposes — connecting to a printer, accessing a home server, or troubleshooting network problems — you'll need the IPv4 address. If you're unsure which one to use, ask the person or device you're trying to connect to, or check the documentation for that device.

Finding your public IP address

The address you find in System Settings is your local IP address — it's only used within your home or office network. Your public IP address is different; it's what websites and internet services see when you connect to them. To find your public IP address, open a web browser and visit a site like whatismyipaddress.com or ipchicken.com. The page will display your public IP address immediately.

You can also find your public IP address in Terminal by typing curl ifconfig.me and pressing Enter. The number that appears is your public IP address. This address is assigned by your internet service provider and changes periodically, usually when you restart your modem or router.

What to do if your IP address keeps changing

If you find that your local IP address changes every time you restart your Mac or reconnect to Wi-Fi, your router is using DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol), which automatically assigns addresses. This is normal and usually not a problem. However, if you need your Mac to have the same IP address every time — for example, to set up port forwarding or access it remotely — you can assign a static IP address.

To set a static IP address on your Mac, open System Settings, go to Wi-Fi or Network, click Details or Advanced, then look for a Configure IPv4 or DHCP dropdown. Change it to Manual and enter an IP address in the same range as your router (usually 192.168.1.x, where x is a number between 2 and 254). You'll also need to enter your router's address as the gateway and a DNS server address — 8.8.8.8 (Google's DNS) works on most networks.

Troubleshooting when you can't find your IP address

If System Settings shows "Not Connected" or no IP address appears, your Mac is not currently connected to a network. Check that Wi-Fi is turned on by clicking the Wi-Fi icon in the menu bar — it should show a filled signal icon, not a crossed-out one. If Wi-Fi is on but you're not connected to a network, click the Wi-Fi icon and select your network name, then enter your password if prompted.

If you're connected but still don't see an IP address, try disconnecting and reconnecting to the network. Click the Wi-Fi icon, select "Turn Wi-Fi Off," wait a few seconds, then click it again and select "Turn Wi-Fi On." Reconnect to your network. If the problem persists, restart your Mac and try again. If you're using ethernet and still see no address, check that the cable is firmly plugged into both your Mac and your router.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is my IP address the same as my MAC address?

No — they are completely different. Your IP address is a network address used to send data across the internet or your local network. Your MAC address is a hardware identifier unique to your network card. You can find your MAC address in the same System Settings window where you find your IP address — it's usually labeled "Wi-Fi Address" or "Ethernet Address" and looks like six pairs of letters and numbers, such as A1:B2:C3:D4:E5:F6.

Why do I need to know my IP address?

You need your IP address to troubleshoot network problems, set up port forwarding on your router, connect to your Mac remotely, or provide it to someone who needs to send you files over your local network. Most of the time you won't need it, but it's useful to know where to find it when you do.

Can someone use my IP address to hack me?

Your local IP address (the one in System Settings) is only visible to devices on your own network, so it's not a security risk by itself. Your public IP address is visible to websites, but it only identifies your internet connection, not your specific computer. However, never share your public IP address with strangers or post it online, as it could be used to attempt unauthorized access to your network.

What if I have multiple IP addresses?

If you're connected to both Wi-Fi and ethernet at the same time, your Mac will have a separate IP address for each connection. Check System Settings and look at both Wi-Fi and Ethernet to see all your addresses. Your Mac will use whichever connection is active or prioritized in your network settings.