Find your MAC address on Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android and Linux (and why it keeps changing)
Routers, parental controls and IT help desks sometimes ask for a device's MAC address. It is easy to find once you know its other names, and on modern phones there are two of them: the real one and a private one for each network.
MAC address vs IP address
An IP address is like a postal address: it depends on which network you are on and changes when you move. A MAC address is like the name printed on the adapter itself: it only matters on the local network, never travels past your router, and websites cannot see it. Each adapter has its own, so a laptop with Wi-Fi and Ethernet has two. Wirebook's What is a MAC address? explains it in everyday terms.
Where to find it
| Device | How |
|---|---|
| Windows | getmac /v lists every adapter. Or ipconfig /all → Physical Address. Or Settings → Network & internet → Wi-Fi → Hardware properties. |
| Mac | System Settings → Wi-Fi → Details… next to the network (bottom: Wi-Fi address). Terminal: ifconfig en0 | grep ether. |
| iPhone / iPad | Settings → Wi-Fi → (i) next to the network → Wi-Fi Address (that network's private address). The hardware one is in Settings → General → About → Wi-Fi Address. |
| Android | Settings → Network & internet → Wi-Fi → gear next to the network → MAC address (Samsung: tap View more). Hardware one: About phone → Status (or Hardware info). |
| Linux | ip link, the value after link/ether. |
| Chromebook | Settings → Network → Wi-Fi → the network → Network section. |
| Consoles, TVs, printers | Usually under Settings → Network → Connection status or a printed network report. |
| Any device, from the router | The router's Connected devices or DHCP client list shows each device's name, IP address and MAC address. See log in to your router. |
Why the address keeps changing: private Wi-Fi addresses
iPhone, iPad, Android 10+ and Windows can show each Wi-Fi network a different, made-up MAC address so that shops, cafés and stations cannot recognise the same phone from place to place. You can spot one: the second hex digit is 2, 6, A or E (the “locally administered” bit is set), as in a6:91:… or de:3f:…. Paste one into the number base converter to see the bits.
Normally that is a good thing. Turn it off for your own home network only when something depends on recognising the device:
- a DHCP reservation or port forward that keeps pointing at the old address,
- parental controls, bedtime schedules or a MAC allow-list on the router,
- a work or school network that registered the device.
| Device | Setting |
|---|---|
| iPhone / iPad | Settings → Wi-Fi → (i) → Private Wi-Fi Address: Off (or Fixed, which keeps one private address for that network). |
| Android | Wi-Fi → gear → Privacy (or MAC address type) → Use device MAC. |
| Windows 11 | Wi-Fi → the network's properties → Random hardware addresses: Off. |
Is it private? Is MAC filtering worth it?
A MAC address is not a secret. Anyone nearby can see it in the air, and it can be copied in seconds, so a router's MAC allow-list keeps out the curious but not anyone determined. A strong Wi-Fi password (WPA2 or WPA3) is the real lock. The first six hex digits identify the maker, which is how routers guess names like “Apple” or “Samsung” in the device list.
Related
Can a private Wi-Fi address cause drops? · DHCP and IP address conflicts · Port forwarding not working (double NAT, CGNAT) · Public vs private IP address · Log in to your router (192.168.1.1) · Common port numbers explained
Questions
How do I find my MAC address on Windows?
Run getmac /v or ipconfig /all in Command Prompt and read the Physical Address for your Wi-Fi or Ethernet adapter.
Why is my iPhone's Wi-Fi address different from the one in About?
iPhone uses a private Wi-Fi address for each network. Settings > Wi-Fi > (i) shows the one that network sees; About shows the hardware address.
Can websites see my MAC address?
No. It is only used on your local network and is replaced at the router; websites see your public IP address instead.
Should I turn off private Wi-Fi address?
Only for your own home network when a router reservation, parental control or allow-list needs to recognise the device. Keep it on for public Wi-Fi.
Is a MAC address the same as an IP address?
No. The MAC address names the network adapter on the local network; the IP address is where the device sits on a network and changes when you move.
Published .