What an IP address is and why you need to find yours

Your IP address is a number that identifies your device on your network — like a mailing address for your computer. When you're setting up a home network or troubleshooting a connection problem, you often need to know what that number is. On a Mac, there are several straightforward ways to find it without opening Terminal or diving into technical menus.

The IP address you see depends on which network you're connected to. If you're on Wi-Fi, you'll get one address. If you plug in an Ethernet cable, you'll get a different one. Both are normal — your Mac just has a different address on each network.

Key Takeaways

  • Your IP address appears in System Settings under Network, which is the fastest way to find it on any recent Mac.
  • The address you see starts with 192.168 or 10.0 if you're on a home network, and these are private addresses that only work inside your home.
  • If you're connected to Wi-Fi, check the Wi-Fi settings; if you're using Ethernet, check the Ethernet settings — they show different addresses.
  • You may need your IP address to log into your router, set up port forwarding, or troubleshoot why a device isn't connecting.

Finding your IP address in System Settings

Open System Settings (or System Preferences on older Macs) and click Network in the sidebar. You'll see a list of connections — Wi-Fi, Ethernet, Bluetooth, and others. Click whichever one you're currently using.

On the right side of the window, you'll see a section labeled IPv4 Address. The number shown there — something like 192.168.1.105 — is your IP address on that network. If you don't see an IPv4 Address field, your Mac hasn't connected to that network yet, or the connection is having trouble.

This method works on macOS Ventura, Sonoma, and earlier versions. The layout is the same across all recent Macs.

Understanding what the numbers mean

Home network addresses almost always start with 192.168 or 10.0. These are private IP addresses — they only work inside your home network and can't be reached from the internet. Every home network uses them, so your neighbor's network also has devices with addresses like 192.168.1.1.

The last number in your address (the part after the final dot) is what changes from device to device. Your Mac might be 192.168.1.105, your phone 192.168.1.42, and your printer 192.168.1.50. Your router itself is usually 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.1.254.

If your address starts with something else — like 172.16 or a number in the 100s — you're on a different kind of network, but the same principle applies: it's a private address that only works on that specific network.

Finding your IP address using Wi-Fi menu

If you're on Wi-Fi, there's a faster route. Click the Wi-Fi icon in the menu bar at the top of your screen, then hold down the Option key and click the Wi-Fi network you're connected to. A small window appears showing your IP address, along with your router's address and other network details.

This method is quicker than opening System Settings if you just need the number fast. It shows the same information — your current IP address on that Wi-Fi network — but in one click instead of navigating through menus.

What to do if you don't see an IP address

If the IPv4 Address field is empty or shows "Not Connected," your Mac isn't properly connected to the network. First, check that you're actually connected — look at the Wi-Fi icon in the menu bar or the Ethernet cable in the port. If the connection looks active but you still see no address, try disconnecting and reconnecting.

For Wi-Fi: click the Wi-Fi icon, select your network, and enter your password again. For Ethernet: unplug the cable for 10 seconds, then plug it back in. Wait 30 seconds for your Mac to get a new address. If the field is still empty after that, your router may not be assigning addresses correctly — restart your router by unplugging it for 30 seconds.

When you need your IP address and what to do with it

You typically need your IP address in a few situations. If you're setting up port forwarding on your router to let outside traffic reach a specific device, you need to tell the router which device to send that traffic to — and you do that with the IP address. If a device on your network isn't responding, you might ping its IP address to see if it's reachable. If you're troubleshooting a connection problem, tech support might ask for your IP address to understand where the problem is.

In most cases, you don't need to memorize it. Write it down or take a screenshot when you need it, then look it up again the next time. Your Mac gets a new address each time you restart or reconnect to the network, so the number changes — it's not permanent like a phone number.

The difference between your Mac's IP address and your internet IP address

The address you see in System Settings (192.168.x.x) is your local IP address — it only works inside your home network. Your internet IP address is different. That's the address your router uses to talk to the outside world, and it's assigned by your internet provider.

If someone outside your home wants to reach a device on your network, they use your internet IP address, not your local one. Your router then translates that to your device's local address. This is why you can't just give someone your local IP address and expect them to connect to your Mac from across the internet — the address doesn't route outside your home.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my IP address keep changing?

Your router assigns addresses dynamically — it gives your Mac a new one each time you restart or reconnect to the network. This is normal and expected. If you need a device to always have the same address (like a printer or a computer you're port-forwarding to), you can set a static IP address in your router's settings, but that's a separate step.

Is it safe to share my IP address?

Your local IP address (192.168.x.x) is only useful inside your home network, so sharing it doesn't expose you to outside risk. Your internet IP address is visible to every website you visit, so it's not secret either. Neither one is sensitive information in the way a password is.

Can I change my IP address?

Your Mac's local address is assigned by your router, so you can't change it directly on the Mac itself. You can change it through your router's settings by assigning a static address, or you can disconnect and reconnect to get a new dynamic address. Most of the time, there's no reason to change it.

What if I'm on a public Wi-Fi network?

On public Wi-Fi, you'll still see a local IP address in System Settings — something like 192.168.x.x — but it's only valid on that specific network. Once you leave the coffee shop or airport, that address is useless. Your internet IP address (the one the outside world sees) is the same whether you're on public Wi-Fi or your home network.