Where to find your Mac's IP address

Your Mac's IP address is a number that identifies your computer on your home network — something like 192.168.1.5. You need it when you're setting up network security, connecting devices, or troubleshooting why something isn't working. The fastest way is through System Settings, which takes about 30 seconds.

You have three reliable methods: the graphical settings menu, the Network Utility app, or the Terminal command line. Each one shows you the same information, but some are faster depending on what you're doing. If you're setting up a home network or checking device connections, the Settings route is clearest. If you're troubleshooting or need to check multiple devices quickly, Terminal is fastest.

Key Takeaways

  • Open System Settings, click Network on the left, select your connection, and your IP address appears next to "IPv4 Address" — this works on any Mac running macOS Ventura or newer.
  • On older Macs, go to System Preferences instead of System Settings, then Network, and the IP address is listed the same way.
  • Network Utility (in Applications > Utilities) shows your IP address under the Info tab without opening System Settings.
  • Terminal command ifconfig | grep "inet " displays all your IP addresses at once, useful if you're managing multiple network connections.
  • Your IP address may change if your router reassigns it, so check it again if devices stop connecting after a few weeks.

Finding your IP address in System Settings (macOS Ventura and newer)

Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner, then select System Settings. On the left sidebar, click Network. You'll see your active connection — usually Wi-Fi or Ethernet — highlighted in blue. Click it once to open the details panel on the right.

Look for the line that says "IPv4 Address" followed by a number like 192.168.1.5 or 10.0.0.3. That number is your IP address. Write it down or take a screenshot if you need it for setup or troubleshooting. The "Router" line below it shows your gateway address, which is useful if you need to access your router's settings page.

Finding your IP address in System Preferences (macOS Monterey and older)

If your Mac is running an older version of macOS, the menu is called System Preferences instead of System Settings. Click the Apple menu, select System Preferences, then click Network. Your active connection appears on the left side — select it if it's not already highlighted.

The IP address appears in the main panel under "IPv4 Address." The layout is slightly different from newer versions, but the information is in the same place. If you're not sure which macOS version you have, click the Apple menu and select "About This Mac" — the version number appears at the top of the window.

Using Network Utility to check your IP address

Network Utility is a built-in Mac app that shows network information without opening System Settings. Open Finder, click Applications in the sidebar, then open the Utilities folder. Double-click Network Utility to launch it.

Click the Info tab at the top. The window shows several network interfaces — your active connection is the one with an IP address listed. Look for the line that says "inet" followed by your IP address. If you have both Wi-Fi and Ethernet connected, you'll see both addresses here, which is useful if you're troubleshooting a connection problem.

Finding your IP address with Terminal

Terminal is the command-line tool on every Mac. Open Finder, go to Applications > Utilities, and double-click Terminal. A black window opens where you can type commands.

Type this command exactly: ifconfig | grep "inet " and press Enter. The output shows all your IP addresses. Look for lines that start with "inet" — these are your IPv4 addresses. The one that starts with 192.168 or 10.0 is your local network address (the one you need for home network setup). Lines starting with 127.0 are internal system addresses and not useful for network troubleshooting.

If you want to see only your Wi-Fi address, type ifconfig en0 instead. For Ethernet, type ifconfig en1. Terminal is faster once you're comfortable with it, especially if you need to check your IP address repeatedly.

Understanding static vs. dynamic IP addresses

Your router assigns your Mac an IP address automatically — this is called a dynamic IP address. It usually stays the same for weeks or months, but it can change if your router restarts or if you disconnect and reconnect to the network. If you're setting up port forwarding or remote access, a changing IP address causes problems.

To prevent this, you can assign your Mac a static IP address in your router's settings. Log into your router (usually by typing 192.168.1.1 in a web browser), find the DHCP or IP Reservation section, and tell it to always give your Mac the same address. This keeps your network setup stable. Some routers call this "IP reservation" or "DHCP reservation" instead of "static IP."

What to do if your IP address keeps changing

If you check your IP address and it's different from last time, your router is reassigning it. This happens normally — routers do this by design. It only becomes a problem if you've set up port forwarding, remote access, or device-specific firewall rules that depend on a fixed address.

The solution is to set a static IP address in your router, not on your Mac. Go into your router's admin panel (the address is usually printed on the router itself or in the manual), find the DHCP or IP Reservation section, and reserve an address for your Mac. You'll need your Mac's MAC address, which you can find in System Settings > Network > Wi-Fi > Details > Hardware Address. Once reserved, your Mac will always get the same IP address.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I see multiple IP addresses when I check?

Your Mac may have both a Wi-Fi address and an Ethernet address if both are connected. It also has a loopback address (127.0.0.1) for internal system use. For home network setup, use the address that starts with 192.168 or 10.0 — that's your actual network address. The others are either backup connections or system-only addresses.

Is my IP address the same as my MAC address?

No — they're completely different. Your IP address (like 192.168.1.5) is assigned by your router and can change. Your MAC address is a permanent hardware identifier built into your network card. You need the IP address for network troubleshooting and setup; you need the MAC address if you're setting up static IP reservation in your router.

Can someone see my IP address and hack me?

Your local IP address (192.168.x.x or 10.0.x.x) only works inside your home network — it's not visible to the internet. Your router has a different public IP address that the internet sees. Local IP addresses are safe to share with family members or support technicians helping you set up devices. Your router's firewall protects you from outside attacks regardless of your local IP address.

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

If the IP address line is blank or missing, your Mac isn't connected to the network properly. Try disconnecting and reconnecting to Wi-Fi, or unplug and replug your Ethernet cable. Wait 10 seconds for the connection to establish, then check again. If it still doesn't appear, restart your Mac and check once more. If the problem persists, your router may need to be restarted.