How to find your IP address on Windows and Mac
Your computer has a local address and your connection has a public one. Here is how to find both, plus how to tell which one you are being asked for.
How to find your IP address on Windows and Mac
Every computer has two addresses that matter. Your local IP address is the number your computer uses inside your own network. Your public IP address is the one your internet provider assigns to your whole connection, which is what websites see when you visit them.
Most of the time when someone asks for your IP address, they want the local one. Support teams asking you to check a printer, a shared drive, or a slow connection are almost always asking about the local address.
Find your local IP address
Two routes on Windows, two on a Mac. Any of them gives you the same number.
Windows command line
Open the Start menu, type cmd, then open Command Prompt.
Type ipconfig and press Enter, then find the line labeled IPv4 Address under your active adapter. It usually looks like 192.168.1.42.
Anything showing Media disconnected is not in use, so ignore it.
Windows Settings
Open Settings, go to Network and internet, then select Wi-Fi or Ethernet depending on how you are connected.
Click your network name, then scroll to the IPv4 address line.
This is the route to take if you would rather not touch a command line at all.
Mac
Open System Settings, select Network, then click your active Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection. The address appears under the connection status.
Clicking Details then the TCP/IP tab shows the full picture.
Faster shortcut: hold the Option key while clicking the Wi-Fi icon in the menu bar, which shows your address without opening settings.
Find your public IP address
Your public address is not stored on your computer, so no command will show it to you. It belongs to your internet connection rather than your device, which is why every device in your office shares the same public address.
The way to see it is to ask a website what address your request arrived from. The free IP address checker from Wolferdawg IT Consulting shows your public IPv4, your IPv6, your internet provider, then your approximate location, with no signup.
Which address does the person on the phone actually want
Ask which one, since guessing wrong wastes both of your time. As a rule, anything happening inside your building uses the local address. Reaching a printer, a network drive, a camera system, or another computer all use the local number.
Anything involving the outside world uses the public address. Allowing your office through a vendor's firewall, checking why a service blocked you, or matching a security alert to your location all use the public number.
Security alerts are the one that catches people out. When Microsoft 365 emails you about a sign-in from an unfamiliar address, comparing that address to your own public address tells you quickly whether it was you. If it does not match anything you recognize, treat it seriously rather than dismissing it. Wolferdawg IT Consulting reviews sign-in alerts like this as part of managed IT services and cybersecurity.
More IP and network help
Check your public address, find other devices on the network, or get a second opinion.
Finding your IP address common questions
Plain answers about local addresses, public addresses, then which one matters when.
How do I find my IP address on my computer?
On Windows, open Command Prompt, type ipconfig, then read the IPv4 Address line under your active adapter. On a Mac, open System Settings, select Network, then click your active Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection to see the address. Both of these show your local address, which is the number your computer uses inside your own network.
How do I find my IP address on a Mac quickly?
Hold the Option key while clicking the Wi-Fi icon in the menu bar. macOS shows your IP address, your router address, then your connection details straight away without opening System Settings. It is the fastest method on macOS by a wide margin.
What is the difference between my local IP and my public IP?
Your local IP address works only inside your own network, which is why it usually starts with 192.168 or 10. Your public IP address is assigned by your internet provider to your entire connection, so every device in your office shares it. Websites see the public address, never the local one.
Why does my computer show more than one IP address?
Computers list an address for every network adapter, so a laptop connected by Wi-Fi with an Ethernet cable also plugged in shows two. Virtual adapters from software like VPN clients or virtual machines add more. Use the address belonging to the connection you are actually using, then ignore anything marked as disconnected.
How can I see my public IP address?
Your public address is not stored on your computer, so no command on Windows or macOS will show it. You need a service that reports back the address your request came from. The free IP address checker from Wolferdawg IT Consulting shows your public IPv4, your IPv6, your internet provider, then your approximate location with no signup.
Does my IP address change?
Your local address can change whenever your router reassigns it, which is normal on most networks. Your public address depends on your internet provider, so most small business connections receive one that changes occasionally rather than staying fixed. A static public address is usually something you request and pay for, then it matters when a vendor needs to allow your office through their firewall.