Okay, let's talk about finding your IP address on a Mac. I remember the first time I needed to do this – I was setting up a home printer and completely blanked on where to look. If you're here, you probably hit that same wall. Maybe your IT guy asked for it, or you're configuring smart home gadgets, or troubleshooting why your Mac won't connect to Netflix. Whatever brought you, you're in the right place.
Finding your IP address on a Mac isn't rocket science, but Apple does hide it in different spots depending on your macOS version. Ventura moved things around again, which honestly drives me a bit nuts. But hey, we'll cover every method from point-and-click to Terminal tricks. I prefer the Terminal way myself – it's faster once you know the commands.
Internal vs External: Know Which IP You Actually Need
Before we dive in, let's clear up some confusion. There are two types of IP addresses you might need:
| Type | What It Does | Where It's Used | How It Looks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internal IP (Private) | Your Mac's ID on local network | Connecting devices at home/office | Usually 192.168.x.x or 10.x.x.x |
| External IP (Public) | Your network's ID on the internet | Remote access, gaming servers | Assigned by your ISP (e.g., 72.135.229.205) |
Most people searching how to find ip address on mac actually need their internal IP. That's what lets your Xbox find your Mac for media sharing or helps you SSH into your machine. Your public IP? That's what websites see when you visit them. I'll show both.
Seriously though – never post your public IP online. Some script kiddies scanned mine once after I accidentally shared it in a forum. Had to reboot my router to get a new one. Not fun.
Method 1: System Preferences (The Visual Way)
If you hate command lines, this one's for you. But heads up – Apple keeps changing the menu names. Here's how it works across versions:
For macOS Ventura & Later
Apple really shuffled things in Ventura. Took me 10 minutes to find network settings when I upgraded:
- Click the Apple logo at top left
- Choose System Settings (used to be System Preferences)
- Select Network in the sidebar
- Pick your active connection (Wi-Fi/Ethernet)
- Click Details next to your network status
- Find your IP under TCP/IP → IPv4 Address
For macOS Monterey & Older
Simpler times when Apple didn't rename everything:
- Open System Preferences from Dock or Apple menu
- Click Network
- Select your connection type
- Your IP appears right below "Status: Connected"
- For more details, click Advanced → TCP/IP tab
Just spotted something weird on my wife's MacBook Air running Monterey – her IP showed as "Self-Assigned" when Wi-Fi was acting up. Means the router wasn't giving it a proper IP. Rebooting the router fixed it.
Method 2: Terminal Commands (Power User Shortcut)
This is how I check my IP 90% of the time. Faster than clicking through menus once you know the commands:
Internal IP Address
ifconfig | grep "inet " | grep -v 127.0.0.1
This spits out all active connections. Look for inet followed by numbers like 192.168.1.25. The grep -v 127.0.0.1 part filters out the loopback address.
Public IP Address
curl ifconfig.me
This contacts an external server that echoes back your public IP. Works even when Safari won't load pages.
If ifconfig gives you too much junk, try this cleaner alternative:
ipconfig getifaddr en0 # For Wi-Fi
ipconfig getifaddr en1 # For Ethernet
Replace en0/en1 with your actual interface. Find interfaces with networksetup -listallhardwareports
Method 3: Through System Information
Hidden gem most people miss. Gives technical details beyond just the IP:
- Click Apple logo → About This Mac
- Click System Report
- Under Hardware section, select Network
- Expand Wi-Fi or Ethernet in left pane
- Your IP appears under IPv4 Addresses
What's cool here is seeing IPv6 addresses too. Though honestly, I've never needed IPv6 for anything outside corporate networks.
Special Cases: Wi-Fi vs Ethernet
Your IP changes depending on connection type. Here's what to expect:
| Connection Type | Typical IP Range | Where It Appears | Real-World Speed Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi | 192.168.1.x | System Settings → Wi-Fi | Higher latency, possible interference |
| Ethernet | 192.168.1.x or 10.x.x.x | System Settings → Ethernet | Lower latency, more stable for gaming |
| USB Tethering | 172.20.10.x (iPhone) | System Settings → USB | Depends on cellular signal strength |
When I switched from Wi-Fi to Ethernet for video editing, my transfer speeds jumped from 35MB/s to 112MB/s. IP stayed in same range though.
Why Would You Need This Anyway?
Besides tech support requests, here are real situations where I've needed my Mac's IP:
- Home Server Setup: When I turned my old Mac mini into a Plex server, I needed its IP to access it from other devices
- Printing Nightmares That HP printer refused to show up until I manually added it via IP
- Gaming Hosting Minecraft server for my nephew required port forwarding using my public IP
- Remote Work IT department whitelisted my home IP for VPN access
- Network Security Checking which devices were hogging bandwidth on my router
Fixing "No IP Address" Problems
Sometimes your Mac shows "Self-Assigned IP" or nothing at all. Here's what actually works:
- Renew DHCP Lease: In Network settings → TCP/IP → Renew DHCP Lease
- Reboot Everything Seriously. Mac → Router → Modem. Fixes 70% of issues
- Check for IP Conflicts Two devices with same IP breaks everything
- Manual IP Setup: Pick an unused IP like 192.168.1.99 (avoid .1-.10 and .254)
That last one saved me during a Zoom call disaster. My ISP's DHCP server crashed and manual IP kept me online.
FAQs: Things People Actually Ask
Why does my IP keep changing?
Most home networks use DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol). Your router hands out IPs from a pool. When devices disconnect, IPs get recycled. Annoying when you're trying to find your Mac's IP repeatedly for port forwarding. Solution? Set a static IP reservation in router settings.
Is there a quick menu to see my IP?
Not built-in, but you can install free apps like iStat Menus that show IP in menu bar. Personally, I just use the Terminal alias: alias myip='ipconfig getifaddr en0'
Are these Terminal commands safe?
ifconfig and curl are built-in tools. Just avoid pasting weird commands you find online. That "free RAM optimizer" script I tried once? Crashed my network stack.
What about VPNs?
Big gotcha here. If you're using a VPN, your internal IP stays the same but public IP changes to the VPN server's address. NordVPN shows mine as Netherlands even though I'm in Chicago.
Can I find IP from another device?
Yep. On your router admin page (usually 192.168.1.1) look for "Connected Devices" or "DHCP Clients." Lists all IPs on your network. TP-Link routers show hostnames making it easy to spot your Mac.
Does this work for MacBook Pro/Air/iMac?
All Macs use the same networking stack. Whether you're on an M3 MacBook Pro or a 2015 iMac, these methods work. Only difference is older macOS might have slightly different menu labels.
Pro Tips You Won't Find Elsewhere
- Wi-Fi Quick Check: Hold Option key while clicking Wi-Fi icon in menu bar. Shows IP under "IP address"
- Terminal Shortcut: Add alias ip?='curl ifconfig.me; echo' to your .zshrc for public IP in 2 seconds
- IP History: Terminals don't log IPs by default. Use netstat -n | grep ESTABLISHED to see current connections
- Find All Network Devices: Try arp -a to see IPs of every device on your local network
That last one helped me find a Raspberry Pi I lost track of last year. Turns out it was still running in a closet with IP 192.168.1.42!
Comparison: Which Method Should You Use?
| Method | Speed | Technical Detail | Works Offline? | My Preference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| System Settings | Slow (5-7 clicks) | Basic IP only | Yes | When lazy |
| Terminal (ifconfig) | Fast (1 command) | All interfaces + MAC addresses | Yes | Daily driver |
| System Information | Very slow | Hardware-level data | Yes | Rare debugging |
| Public IP Websites | Medium | Public IP only | No | When needed |
Truthfully? I think Apple makes this harder than it should be. On Windows it's just ipconfig in CMD. But hey, at least we don't have to edit config files like in Linux.
When Things Go Wrong: Troubleshooting
Can't find your IP address on Mac? Try these nuclear options:
- Reset Network Stack: Terminal → sudo ifconfig en0 down then sudo ifconfig en0 up
- Delete Preferences: Go to /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/ and delete:
- com.apple.airport.preferences.plist
- NetworkInterfaces.plist
- preferences.plist
- Create New Network Location: System Settings → Network → Location → Edit Locations → +
Parting Thoughts
Finding your IP address on Mac feels like one of those things that should be simple but ends up requiring Google searches every time. Between macOS updates changing menus and different methods for internal vs public IPs, it's no wonder people get stuck. My advice? Bookmark this page or save those Terminal commands in Notes. Next time you need to locate your Mac IP address quickly, you'll be ready.
Honestly, I wish Apple would just show the local IP in the Wi-Fi menu without needing the Option key trick. Maybe in macOS 15? We can dream.