Where to find your IP address on Windows

Your PC's IP address appears in the Settings app under Network settings. Open Settings, select Network & Internet, then choose Wi-Fi or Ethernet depending on how you connect. The IP address listed there is what your router assigned to your computer — it usually starts with 192.168 or 10.0 if you are on a home network.

If you prefer the command line, you can see it faster. Press Windows key + R, type cmd, and press Enter. In the black window that opens, type ipconfig and press Enter. Look for "IPv4 Address" in the results — that is your current IP address. This method shows you more detail, including your gateway (the router) and DNS servers, which is useful if you are troubleshooting connection problems.

Both methods show the same address. The Settings route is simpler if you just need the number. The command line is faster if you check it often or need the full network picture at once.

How to find your IP address on Mac

On Mac, open System Settings and click Network on the left side. Select your connection type — Wi-Fi or Ethernet — and your IP address appears on the right side of the window. It follows the same pattern as Windows addresses on a home network.

From the command line, open Terminal (find it in Applications > Utilities), type ifconfig, and press Enter. Scroll through the results until you see "inet" followed by a number — that is your IP address. The Terminal method shows you the same information as Windows command line, including gateway and DNS details.

Key Takeaways

  • On Windows, your IP address appears in Settings under Network & Internet, or you can type ipconfig in Command Prompt to see it when ready.
  • On Mac, System Settings > Network shows your IP address, or you can type ifconfig in Terminal for the same information plus network details.
  • Home network IP addresses usually begin with 192.168 or 10.0 and are assigned by your router.
  • The command line methods show additional network information like your gateway and DNS servers, which helps when troubleshooting connection issues.

Why you might need to know your IP address

Knowing your PC's IP address is useful when you are setting up devices on your network, troubleshooting why something is not connecting, or giving technical support to someone helping you remotely. If a device cannot reach your computer, the IP address tells you whether it is on the same network or a different one.

You also need it if you are assigning a static IP address to your computer — that is, telling your router to always give your PC the same address instead of changing it. This matters for devices like printers or security cameras that need to find your computer at a consistent location.

The difference between your local and public IP address

The address you see in Settings or ipconfig is your local IP address — it is only used inside your home network. Your router has a different address that the outside internet sees, called your public IP address. Websites and online services see your public address, not your local one.

You do not need your public IP address for most home network tasks. If you do need it — for example, to set up remote access to your computer — you can find it by searching "what is my IP" in any web browser. That search result shows your public address as your router sees it from the internet.

What to do if you see multiple IP addresses

If you run ipconfig or ifconfig, you might see several addresses listed. This is normal. Your computer might have both a Wi-Fi connection and an Ethernet connection, or it might show both IPv4 (the standard address format) and IPv6 (a newer format). Look for the one matching how you actually connect — if you are on Wi-Fi, find the address under your Wi-Fi adapter name.

If you see an address starting with 169.254, that means your computer is not connected to the network properly. Restart your router and your computer, then check again. The address should change to something starting with 192.168 or 10.0 once the connection works.

Checking your IP address on a mobile device

If you need the IP address of a phone or tablet on your network, the process is similar but the location differs. On an iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > Wi-Fi, tap the network name, and scroll down to see the IP address. On Android, go to Settings > About Phone > Status, and look for IP Address in the list.

Mobile devices use the same local IP address system as your PC. They connect to your router the same way, and the address format is identical. Knowing a phone's IP address is less common than knowing a computer's, but it helps if you are setting up network sharing or troubleshooting why a device cannot reach something on your network.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my IP address keep changing?

Your router assigns addresses temporarily by default, so your computer might get a different one each time it connects. If you need the same address every time, you can set a static IP in your router settings or in your computer's network settings. This keeps your PC at a fixed address on your network.

Is it safe to share my local IP address?

Your local IP address is only useful inside your home network, so sharing it with someone outside your home does not let them access anything. Your public IP address is visible to every website you visit, so that is safe to share too. Never share your router's admin password, which is different from either address.

Can I change my IP address?

You can ask your router to assign you a new local address by disconnecting and reconnecting to the network, or by restarting your computer. You cannot directly change your public IP address, but restarting your router sometimes causes your internet provider to assign a new one. Most people do not need to change either one.

What if I cannot find my IP address in Settings?

Make sure you are looking at the right connection type — Wi-Fi or Ethernet. If you see "Not Connected" or no address listed, your computer is not connected to the network. Check that you are connected to your router, restart your computer, and try again. The command line methods (ipconfig or ifconfig) usually work even when Settings looks empty.