What a MAC address is and why you need it

A MAC address is a unique identifier assigned to your laptop's network card — the hardware that connects you to WiFi or ethernet. It looks like six pairs of numbers and letters separated by colons, such as 00:1A:2B:3C:4D:5E. Your router uses MAC addresses to recognize which devices are on your network, and you need yours to set up MAC filtering, which blocks unknown devices from connecting even if they know your WiFi password.

Every network card has its own MAC address, so if your laptop has both WiFi and ethernet, each one has a different address. When you set up network security, you are usually filtering the WiFi address unless you specifically want to restrict wired connections.

Finding your MAC address takes two to three minutes and requires no special software. The steps differ slightly between Windows and macOS, but both are straightforward once you know where to look.

Key Takeaways

  • Your MAC address is a unique identifier for your laptop's network card, displayed as six pairs of characters separated by colons.
  • On Windows, open Settings, go to Network & Internet, then Advanced Network Settings, and look for the Physical Address next to your active connection.
  • On macOS, open System Settings, click Network, select your WiFi connection, and click Details to find the MAC Address field.
  • Write down or screenshot your MAC address before you configure your router, because you will need it during the filtering setup.
  • If your laptop has both WiFi and ethernet, each connection has its own MAC address — find the one for whichever connection your router uses.

Finding your MAC address on Windows 10 and 11

Open the Settings app by pressing the Windows key and typing Settings, then press Enter. Click Network & Internet on the left side of the window. In the main panel, scroll down and click Advanced Network Settings.

You will see a list of your network connections. Find the one you use — usually labeled WiFi or Ethernet — and click it. A details panel will open. Scroll down until you see Physical Address. The string of characters next to it is your MAC address. Copy it exactly as shown, including the hyphens.

If you have both WiFi and ethernet connections listed, check which one is currently active by looking for a green checkmark or "Connected" label. That is the address you need for your router. If you plan to use ethernet instead, click that connection and note its Physical Address instead.

Finding your MAC address on macOS

Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner and select System Settings (or System Preferences on older versions). Click Network in the left sidebar. Select your WiFi network from the list on the left — it will show "Connected" next to the name you are using.

Click the Details button in the bottom-right corner of the window. A new panel will open. Look for the field labeled MAC Address. The address appears as six pairs of characters separated by colons. Write it down or take a screenshot before closing the window.

If you use ethernet instead of WiFi, click the ethernet connection in the Network list and repeat the same steps. The MAC address for ethernet will be different from your WiFi address.

What to do with your MAC address once you have it

Before you configure MAC filtering on your router, write down or screenshot your MAC address and keep it somewhere you can find it quickly. You will need to enter it into your router's settings, and having it copied correctly prevents typos that could lock you out of your own network.

Log into your router's admin panel — usually by typing your router's IP address (often 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1) into a web browser. Look for a section labeled MAC Filtering, Device Filtering, or Access Control. The exact name varies by router brand. Add your laptop's MAC address to the allowed list, then enable the filter. Your laptop will now be recognized and allowed to connect even if someone else tries to use your WiFi password.

If you ever replace your network card or use a different laptop on the same network, you will need to find that device's MAC address and add it to the filter as well. Devices not on the allowed list will not be able to connect, even if they have the correct password.

Troubleshooting if you cannot find your MAC address

If you follow the steps above and do not see a MAC address field, check that you are looking at the right connection. On Windows, make sure you clicked on the actual network connection (WiFi or Ethernet) and not just the Network & Internet category. On macOS, confirm that you clicked Details and not just selected the network name.

If the address field appears blank or shows all zeros, your network card may not be recognized by the system. Restart your laptop and try again. If the problem persists, your network hardware may need a driver update on Windows — go to Device Manager, find Network Adapters, right-click your WiFi or ethernet adapter, and select Update Driver.

On macOS, if the MAC address still does not appear after a restart, open Terminal (search for it in Spotlight), type ifconfig, and press Enter. Look for the line that says ether followed by your MAC address. This is a backup way to find it if the graphical interface is not showing it.

MAC filtering versus other security methods

MAC filtering adds a layer of security by preventing devices you have not explicitly approved from connecting to your network. However, it is not a complete security solution on its own. Someone with technical knowledge can spoof a MAC address — that is, make their device pretend to have a MAC address on your allowed list — so you should always use MAC filtering together with a strong WiFi password.

The most find setup combines a long, random WiFi password, MAC filtering to block unknown devices, and WPA3 encryption (or WPA2 if WPA3 is not available). MAC filtering alone stops casual attempts to use your network, but the password is what stops determined attackers. Use both.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can someone else see my MAC address?

Yes, anyone on your network or monitoring your network traffic can see your MAC address. This is why MAC filtering should be paired with a strong password — the MAC address is not secret. It is just a way to control which devices you have already approved can connect.

Will my MAC address change if I restart my laptop?

No, your MAC address is burned into your network card hardware and does not change when you restart. It will only change if you replace the network card itself or if you are using a virtual network adapter, which can be configured to use a different address.

Do I need to find the MAC address for WiFi or ethernet?

Find the MAC address for whichever connection type your router uses. If you connect via WiFi, use the WiFi MAC address. If you use an ethernet cable, use the ethernet MAC address. If you use both at different times, you may want to add both addresses to your router's filter so either connection works.

What if I have multiple WiFi networks on my router?

Your laptop has one MAC address per network card, regardless of how many WiFi networks your router broadcasts. When you connect to any of those networks, your laptop uses the same MAC address. You only need to add it once to your router's filter, and it will work for all the networks that router provides.

Can I change my MAC address?

On Windows and macOS, you can change your MAC address through advanced network settings or terminal commands, but this is not recommended for home network security. Changing it can cause connection problems and does not improve security if your password is already strong. Leave your MAC address as it is unless you have a specific technical reason to change it.