How to Find Your IP Address on Any Device
A technical guide on how to locate your local private IP address on Windows, macOS, Linux, and how to identify your public IP.
Key Takeaways
- •Finding your public IP requires an external web tool to echo it back to you.
- •Finding your local IP can be done via command line (ipconfig/ifconfig).
- •Local IPs are necessary for configuring local routers and printers.
Finding Your Public IP
Because your public IP is assigned to your router, your computer itself doesn't actually know its public IP. To find it, you must use an external tool (like the one provided on this site). Your browser sends a request to the server, and the server simply echoes back the IP address it received the request from.
Finding Local IP on Windows
To find the private IP assigned to your specific computer by your router on Windows:
- Open the Command Prompt (cmd).
- Type
ipconfigand press Enter. - Look for the line that says IPv4 Address under your active network adapter (usually starts with 192.168.x.x).
Finding Local IP on macOS and Linux
On Unix-based systems like macOS and Linux, the process is similar but uses a different command:
- Open the Terminal.
- Type
ifconfig(orip addron modern Linux) and press Enter. - Locate your active interface (e.g., en0 or eth0) and look for the inet address.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my IP start with 169.254?
An IP starting with 169.254.x.x (APIPA) means your device failed to obtain a valid IP address from the DHCP server (your router) and assigned itself a fallback address. You will not have internet access in this state.
