The fastest way to find your IP address on a Mac

Open System Settings, click Network in the left sidebar, then select Wi-Fi or Ethernet depending on how you are connected. Your local IP address — the one that matters for your home network — appears next to "IP Address" on the right side of the screen. This is the address your router assigned to your Mac, and it is what other devices on your network use to find it.

If you need your public IP address instead (the one your internet service provider assigns to your whole home network), that does not appear in System Settings. You will need to visit a website like whatismyipaddress.com or straightforward search "what is my IP" in any browser. The page will display it when ready.

Most of the time you need the local address — the one in System Settings. The public address matters only if you are setting up remote access or troubleshooting something with your internet provider.

Key Takeaways

  • Your local IP address is in System Settings under Network, next to "IP Address" — this is what devices on your home network use to reach your Mac.
  • Your public IP address (assigned by your internet provider) does not appear in System Settings; check whatismyipaddress.com or search "what is my IP" in a browser instead.
  • Most home network tasks require your local address, not your public one.
  • Your local IP address changes only if your router reassigns it, which is rare unless you manually change your network settings.

Finding your address through System Settings (the standard way)

Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner and select System Settings. In the sidebar on the left, click Network. You will see a list of connection types — Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and others depending on what your Mac supports.

Click whichever one shows a green dot next to it (that means it is active). On the right side of the screen, you will see details about that connection. Your local IP address appears next to "IP Address" — it will look something like 192.168.1.105 or 10.0.0.50. Write it down if you need it, or take a screenshot.

If you are connected to Wi-Fi, you can also click Details to see more information about your connection, including your router's address (listed as "Router") and your DNS servers. For most purposes, the IP address itself is all you need.

Finding your address through Terminal (if System Settings is not working)

If System Settings is not responding or you prefer the command line, Terminal will show you the same information. Open Terminal (search for it in Spotlight by pressing Command + Space, typing "terminal", and pressing Enter). Copy and paste this command, then press Enter:

ifconfig | grep "inet " | grep -v 127.0.0.1

Terminal will display a list of network interfaces and their IP addresses. Look for the one labeled inet (not inet6) that does not start with 127. That is your local IP address. If you have both Wi-Fi and Ethernet connected, you will see both addresses — the active one is the one your Mac is currently using to reach the internet.

Terminal can feel intimidating if you have never used it, but this command is safe and only reads information; it does not change anything on your Mac.

Understanding what your local IP address means

Your local IP address is assigned by your router and is unique only within your home network. It tells other devices on your Wi-Fi or wired network where to send data meant for your Mac. If you print something, your printer uses this address to find your Mac. If you stream video from your phone to your Mac, your phone uses this address.

This address can change, but it usually does not. Most routers are set to give the same device the same local IP address every time it connects. If you restart your Mac or your router, the address typically stays the same. It changes only if your router runs out of addresses to assign (rare in a home network) or if you manually change your network settings.

Your public IP address, by contrast, is assigned by your internet service provider to your entire home network. Every device in your house shares the same public IP address when it talks to the outside internet. This is the address a website sees when you visit it, and it can change if your internet connection drops or if your provider reassigns it.

When you need your local IP address versus your public one

Use your local IP address when you are setting up something on your home network: connecting a printer, accessing a security camera, sharing files between your Mac and another device, or troubleshooting a connection problem with your router. You also need it if you want to access your Mac from another device on the same Wi-Fi network.

Use your public IP address when you are troubleshooting with your internet service provider, setting up remote access from outside your home, or checking whether your internet provider has changed your address. Most people never need their public IP address for anything.

If someone asks for "your IP address" and you are not sure which one they mean, ask them whether they need it for something on your home network or for something outside it. That will tell you which one to give them.

What to do if your IP address keeps changing

If your local IP address changes every time you restart your Mac or reconnect to Wi-Fi, your router is not set to give your Mac a stable address. This is usually not a problem for everyday use, but it can break things like port forwarding or remote access if you set them up.

To fix this, you can ask your router to always give your Mac the same address. This is called a static IP address or a DHCP reservation. Log into your router (usually by typing 192.168.1.1 or 10.0.0.1 into a browser, then entering your router's admin password). Look for a section called DHCP, Reservations, or Static IP. Find your Mac in the list of connected devices and tell the router to always assign it the same address.

If you are not comfortable logging into your router, you can also set a static address directly on your Mac through System Settings > Network > Details > TCP/IP, but this is more complicated and can cause problems if you move your Mac to a different network. The router method is simpler and safer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is my local IP address private and safe to share?

Your local IP address is only useful on your home network, so sharing it with someone outside your home does not expose anything. However, do not share it publicly online or with people you do not trust, because someone on your network could use it to target your Mac. Within your home or with your IT support person, it is fine to share.

Why do I see multiple IP addresses when I use Terminal?

Your Mac may have multiple network interfaces active at once — Wi-Fi, Ethernet, a VPN, or a virtual network. Each one gets its own IP address. The one your Mac is actually using to reach the internet is the one connected to your router, usually labeled en0 or en1 for Wi-Fi or Ethernet.

Can I change my IP address myself?

You can set a static address on your Mac through System Settings, but this is rarely necessary and can cause problems if you move to a different network. It is easier to let your router assign addresses automatically. If you need a different address for troubleshooting, restart your Mac or reconnect to Wi-Fi.

What if I cannot find the Network section in System Settings?

Make sure you are in System Settings, not System Preferences (older Macs use Preferences). If you are on an older Mac, click the Apple menu, select System Preferences, then click Network. The layout is slightly different but the information is in the same place.

Do I need my IP address to connect to Wi-Fi?

No. Your Mac gets an IP address automatically after you connect to Wi-Fi. You only need to know your IP address if you are setting up a device, troubleshooting a problem, or accessing your Mac from another device on the network.