The quickest way to find your IP address on Mac

Open System Settings, click Network in the sidebar, select your connection (Wi-Fi or Ethernet), and your IP address appears next to "IP Address" on the right side of the window. That's the address your home network uses to identify your Mac. If you're on Wi-Fi, you'll see it under the Wi-Fi section; if you're plugged in with Ethernet, look under Ethernet instead.

The address you see here is your local IP address — the one your router assigns to your Mac so other devices on your home network can find it. This is different from your public IP address, which is what websites see when you browse. For most home network purposes, the local address is what matters.

Key Takeaways

  • Your Mac's local IP address appears in System Settings under Network, next to "IP Address" on the right panel.
  • The address you see there is assigned by your router and only works on your home network, not across the internet.
  • You can also find it by opening Terminal and typing ifconfig, then looking for "inet" under your active connection.
  • If you see 169.254.x.x instead of 192.168.x.x or 10.x.x.x, your Mac is not properly connected to your router.

Finding your IP address through System Settings

System Settings is the easiest route for most people. Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner, select System Settings, then click Network in the left sidebar. You'll see a list of connection types — Wi-Fi, Ethernet, VPN, and others. Click whichever one you're actually using right now.

On the right side of the window, you'll see details about that connection. Look for the line that says "IP Address" followed by four numbers separated by dots, like 192.168.1.105. That's your local IP address. Below it you'll also see your subnet mask and router address if you need them for troubleshooting.

If you're using Wi-Fi, make sure you're connected to a network first — the Wi-Fi section will show "Not Connected" if you're not. If you're using Ethernet, plug in the cable before you open System Settings, or the Ethernet section won't appear at all.

Using Terminal to find your IP address

If you prefer the command line, open Terminal (search for it in Spotlight by pressing Command-Space, type "Terminal", and press Enter). Type ifconfig and press Enter. You'll see a wall of text showing every network interface on your Mac.

Look for the section labeled with your connection type — en0 for Ethernet or en1 and en5 for Wi-Fi, depending on your Mac model. Under that section, find the line that starts with "inet" (not "inet6"). The number after "inet" is your local IP address. Ignore the lines that start with "inet6" — those are IPv6 addresses, which work differently.

Terminal shows you more information than System Settings does, including your MAC address (a different identifier from your IP address) and your subnet mask. For most people, System Settings is simpler, but Terminal is faster if you need to check your IP address repeatedly.

What the numbers in your IP address mean

Your local IP address is four numbers between 0 and 255, separated by dots. Most home routers assign addresses that start with 192.168 or 10. The first two or three numbers stay the same for every device on your network — those identify your home network itself. The last number or two change for each device — that's what makes your Mac unique on your network.

If your address starts with 169.254, your Mac is not properly connected to your router. This is a fallback address that Mac assigns when it can't reach the router. Restart your Mac and your router, check that your Wi-Fi password is correct, or try plugging in an Ethernet cable to see if the connection works better.

Why you might need to know your IP address

You need your local IP address when you're setting up a device on your home network — a printer, a security camera, or a network drive. You type the address into your web browser to access that device's settings page. You also need it if you're troubleshooting a connection problem and your internet provider or a tech support person asks for it.

You do not need your local IP address to browse the web or use email. Your router handles the translation between your local address and your public address automatically. If someone asks for your "IP address" without explaining why, ask them whether they mean your local address (the one on your home network) or your public address (the one websites see).

The difference between local and public IP addresses

Your local IP address is what your router assigns to your Mac. It only works on your home network. Other devices in your house can reach your Mac using this address, but the internet cannot. This is by design — it's part of how your router protects your home network.

Your public IP address is assigned by your internet provider to your router. Websites see this address when you visit them, not your local address. If you want to know your public IP address, you can search "what is my IP" in any web browser and the first result will show it. You don't need to dig into your Mac's settings to find it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my IP address change sometimes?

Your router assigns local IP addresses from a pool, and it may reassign them when your Mac reconnects or when the router restarts. Most routers let you set a "static" IP address for specific devices so the address stays the same. This is useful for printers or cameras, but not necessary for your Mac unless you're accessing it from another device on your network regularly.

Is my local IP address private and safe?

Your local IP address is only visible to other devices on your home network, not to the internet. It's safe in the sense that strangers cannot see it. However, anyone on your Wi-Fi network can see it, so if you're on a public Wi-Fi network at a coffee shop, other people there could theoretically see your local address. This is rarely a security problem in practice.

What if I don't see an IP address in System Settings?

If the IP Address line is blank or missing, your Mac is not connected to your network. Check that Wi-Fi is turned on and you're connected to your router's network name. If you're using Ethernet, make sure the cable is plugged in. Restart your Mac and your router, then check again.

Can I change my local IP address?

You can ask your router to assign a different address, but for most people there's no reason to. If you need a specific address for a device like a printer, you can set a static IP in your router's settings, but this requires logging into the router itself — usually through a web browser at an address like 192.168.1.1.