How to Find Your IP Address on Windows, Mac, Android, iPhone and Linux

To find your public IP address on any internet-connected device, open your web browser and visit an online diagnostic tool like MyIPChecker. To find your internal private IP address, execute ipconfig in the Windows Command Prompt, navigate to Network Settings on macOS, run ip addr in a Linux terminal, or inspect your active Wi-Fi connection details within the Settings app on iOS and Android.

Every internet-connected device maintains two distinct IP addresses simultaneously: a public IP that identifies your network connection to external web servers across the global internet, and a private IP that identifies your specific smartphone, computer, or console within your local home or office Wi-Fi network. Knowing how to locate both addresses is an essential skill for network troubleshooting, port forwarding, remote desktop setup, and privacy auditing.

Public vs. Private IP: Knowing What You Are Looking For

Before checking your settings, determine which type of IP address your current task requires:

• You Need Your Public IP If: You are setting up an external game server, configuring remote firewall access whitelists, checking if your VPN tunnel is functioning, or verifying whether a website has blocked your internet connection. Your public IP is assigned by your ISP.
• You Need Your Private IP If: You are configuring local printer sharing, connecting to a local Network Attached Storage (NAS) device, setting up router port-forwarding rules, or accessing another computer on the same Wi-Fi network. Your private IP is assigned by your router.

To view your active public IPv4 and IPv6 addresses instantly, check our homepage utility: What Is My IP.

Summary Comparison: Quick Reference Table by Platform

Method 1: Finding Your IP Address on Windows (10 & 11)

Microsoft Windows provides multiple avenues to locate your network parameters. The command line approach is the fastest and most comprehensive:

Using Command Prompt (Fastest)

1. Press Windows Key + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialogue box.
2. Type cmd and press Enter to launch the Command Prompt window.
3. Type ipconfig and press Enter.
4. Scroll to your active network connection (e.g., Wireless LAN adapter Wi-Fi or Ethernet adapter).
5. Locate the line labeled IPv4 Address (typically appears as 192.168.1.X or 10.0.0.X). Your router's address is listed directly below under Default Gateway.

Using Windows GUI Settings

1. Click the Start Menu and select the Settings gear icon (or press Win + I).
2. Select Network & internet from the left-hand navigation sidebar.
3. Click on Wi-Fi or Ethernet depending on your active physical connection.
4. Click on your connected network name and scroll to the bottom of the page. You will see your IPv4 address, IPv6 address, and network adapter hardware MAC address.

Method 2: Finding Your IP Address on macOS

Apple macOS provides both a clean visual interface and convenient terminal commands:

Using the macOS Terminal

1. Press Command + Space to open Spotlight Search, type Terminal, and press Enter.
2. For Wi-Fi connections, run: ipconfig getifaddr en0. The terminal will immediately output your internal private IP address.
3. For wired Ethernet connections, run: ipconfig getifaddr en1.

Using macOS System Settings

1. Click the Apple logo in the upper-left corner of the screen and select System Settings.
2. Click Network in the sidebar.
3. Click on your active connection (green dot indicates active connection).
4. Click the Details... button adjacent to your connected Wi-Fi network. Your IP address and router gateway IP are displayed on the TCP/IP tab.

Method 3: Finding Your IP Address on Linux

Modern Linux distributions utilizing systemd-networkd or NetworkManager offer powerful command-line utilities:

1. Open your terminal emulator (Ctrl + Alt + T on Ubuntu).
2. Execute the modern iproute2 command: ip -br addr. This outputs a clean summary showing interface names (e.g., eth0, wlan0), status (UP), and assigned IP addresses with CIDR netmasks.
3. Alternatively, run the compact command: hostname -I to print all active IP addresses separated by spaces.

Method 4: Finding Your IP Address on Apple iPhone and iPad (iOS)

Locating your internal private IP on Apple mobile devices takes less than five seconds:

1. Open the Settings app from your home screen.
2. Tap Wi-Fi and verify that you are connected to your wireless network.
3. Tap the blue (i) info icon located directly to the right of your connected Wi-Fi network name.
4. Scroll down to the IPv4 Address section to view your assigned IP Address, Subnet Mask, and Router.

Method 5: Finding Your IP Address on Google Android

While Android menus vary slightly across manufacturers (Samsung One UI, Google Pixel, Xiaomi MIUI), the core procedure remains universal:

1. Open the Settings app on your Android smartphone or tablet.
2. Tap Network & internet (or Connections on Samsung Galaxy devices).
3. Tap Wi-Fi and tap the gear icon next to your connected network name.
4. Scroll down and tap Advanced (or look under Network details) to view your assigned IPv4 and IPv6 addresses.

Troubleshooting: What If Your IP Address Begins with 169.254?

If you inspect your network properties and discover an address beginning with 169.254.x.x, your device has encountered a network failure known as APIPA (Automatic Private IP Addressing).

When a device is set to obtain an IP automatically via DHCP but receives no response from the router within a reasonable timeout, the operating system assigns itself a temporary self-assigned address from the 169.254.0.0/16 link-local range. An APIPA address proves that your physical network card is functioning, but communication with your router's DHCP server has failed. To fix this, restart your router, check Ethernet cables, or verify your Wi-Fi password.

You can also check what browser telemetry and screen resolution metadata your device exposes using our User Agent Analyzer.

To learn more about how public and private addressing spaces interact, read our foundational tutorial on Public IP vs Private IP: What's the Difference?.