Open Command Prompt and run ipconfig to see your IP address

The fastest way to find your IP address is to open Command Prompt on Windows and type a single command. Command Prompt is a text-based tool built into Windows that lets you talk directly to your computer. You do not need to install anything or use a website — the information is already on your machine.

On Windows 10 or 11, press the Windows key and type cmd. Click "Command Prompt" when it appears. A black window will open. Type ipconfig and press Enter. Your computer will display a list of network information, including your local IP address (the one your devices use inside your home) and other details about your connection.

On a Mac, the process is slightly different. Open the Terminal app (search for it in Spotlight by pressing Command + Space, then type "terminal"). Type ifconfig and press Enter. Look for the line that says "inet" under your active network connection — that is your local IP address.

Key Takeaways

  • Windows users open Command Prompt by pressing the Windows key, typing cmd, and pressing Enter, then type ipconfig to see their IP address.
  • Mac users open Terminal, type ifconfig, and look for the "inet" line to find their local IP address.
  • The ipconfig output shows your local IP address (used inside your home network) and your gateway address (your router).
  • Your local IP address usually starts with 192.168 or 10.0 and changes only when you restart your device or router.

Understanding what ipconfig actually shows you

When you run ipconfig, you see several pieces of information at once. The most important line is "IPv4 Address" — that is your local IP address, the one your devices use to talk to each other inside your home. It usually looks like 192.168.1.5 or 10.0.0.15. This is not the address the outside world sees; it is only used within your network.

You will also see "Default Gateway," which is your router's address on the network. This is usually 192.168.1.1 or 10.0.0.1. Your devices send data to the gateway when they want to reach the internet or other networks.

The "Subnet Mask" tells your device which other addresses are on the same local network. For most home networks, this is 255.255.255.0. You do not usually need to change this, but it is useful to know what it means if you are troubleshooting a connection problem.

Why you might need your IP address

Knowing your local IP address helps when you need to access your router's settings, connect a printer or smart home device, or troubleshoot why something is not connecting. If a device keeps losing connection, you can check whether its IP address is changing unexpectedly — a sign that your router's DHCP settings (which hand out addresses automatically) might need adjustment.

Your local IP address is also useful when you are setting up port forwarding, which lets traffic from the internet reach a specific device on your home network. You need to tell your router which local IP address to send that traffic to.

If you are trying to find your public IP address — the one the outside world sees when you browse the internet — Command Prompt will not show it. For that, you need to visit a website like whatismyipaddress.com or search "what is my IP" in a browser.

Finding a specific device's IP address

If you want to find the IP address of another device on your network (like a printer, phone, or smart TV), you can use the arp -a command in Command Prompt. This shows all devices currently connected to your network and their IP addresses. Type arp -a and press Enter to see the list.

Keep in mind that this list only shows devices that have recently communicated with your computer. If a device has been idle for a while, it might not appear. Also, some devices hide their addresses or use names instead of IP addresses, so you might not see everything on your network.

A more reliable way to find a specific device is to log into your router directly. Open a browser and type your gateway address (usually 192.168.1.1) into the address bar. You will need your router's username and password — these are often printed on the router itself or in the manual. Once logged in, look for a section called "Connected Devices" or "DHCP Clients" to see everything on your network.

What to do if ipconfig does not show what you expect

If you run ipconfig and see an address that starts with 169.254 (like 169.254.1.5), your device is not connected to the network properly. This is a self-assigned address that Windows uses when it cannot reach a DHCP server — usually your router. Check that your ethernet cable is plugged in or that you are connected to the right Wi-Fi network.

If you see multiple network adapters listed (Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Virtual adapters), look for the one that is actually in use. The active connection will have an IPv4 address listed. If you are using Wi-Fi, look under the Wi-Fi adapter. If you are using a cable, look under Ethernet.

If ipconfig shows no IPv4 address at all, or if it shows 0.0.0.0, your network adapter is not working. Try unplugging your ethernet cable and plugging it back in, or disconnecting and reconnecting to your Wi-Fi network. If that does not work, restart your computer and try again.

Using ipconfig to troubleshoot network problems

Command Prompt has other commands that work alongside ipconfig to help you understand what is happening on your network. ipconfig /all shows much more detail, including your MAC address (a unique identifier for your network adapter) and DNS server addresses. This is useful if you are working with technical support or trying to understand why a device is not connecting.

ipconfig /release tells your router to take back your current IP address, and ipconfig /renew asks for a new one. If your device keeps losing connection or getting stuck, running these two commands in order (release first, then renew) often fixes the problem. You may need to run Command Prompt as an administrator for these to work — right-click on Command Prompt and select "Run as administrator."

ipconfig /flushdns clears your computer's DNS cache, which is a list of website addresses your computer has recently looked up. If a website is not loading or is showing an old version, flushing the DNS cache sometimes helps. Again, you need administrator access to run this command.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is my local IP address the same as my public IP address?

No. Your local IP address (what ipconfig shows) is only used inside your home network. Your public IP address is what websites see when you visit them. To find your public IP, search "what is my IP" in a browser or visit a site like whatismyipaddress.com. Your router translates between the two.

Will my IP address change if I restart my computer?

Usually not. Most home routers are set to give the same device the same local IP address each time it connects. However, if your router is turned off for a long time or if you change your network settings, you might get a different address. If you need a device to always have the same address, you can set a static IP in your router's settings.

Can I change my IP address using Command Prompt?

You can use Command Prompt to release and renew your IP address (ipconfig /release, then ipconfig /renew), which may give you a different one. To set a permanent static address, you need to change your network settings in Windows itself or in your router. Command Prompt alone cannot do this.

Why do I see multiple IP addresses when I run ipconfig?

You likely have multiple network adapters — for example, both Ethernet and Wi-Fi. Each one can have its own IP address. Only the one you are actively using matters. If you are connected by Wi-Fi, use the address under the Wi-Fi adapter. If you are using a cable, use the Ethernet address.

Do I need to be an administrator to run ipconfig?

No. Running ipconfig itself does not require administrator access. However, some related commands like ipconfig /release, ipconfig /renew, and ipconfig /flushdns do require you to run Command Prompt as an administrator. Right-click Command Prompt and select "Run as administrator" if you need to use those commands.