How to Find Your Public and Local IP Address on Windows or Mac

Jun. 1, 2021

An IP address is a unique identifier assigned to devices connected to the Internet or a local network within your organization. Now, we generally don’t need to deal with IP addresses as we can type in Apple.com, thanks to DNS. But, there may be times when you need to access your computer’s IP address, say for gaming or other administrative purposes. If that’s what you are looking for, there are several ways you can find the IP address on Windows and Mac. Let’s take a look at all of the available methods.

Windows, in particular, offers a whole bunch of ways to find your local (internal) IP address, including using the command prompt and the PowerShell. We will detail all the methods in this article. We will also tell you about third-party websites that help you find the IP address of your connected devices. So without further delay, let’s see how you can find the IP address on your Windows 10 and Mac computer.

Before you learn about how to find your IP address (Internet Protocol Address), it’s imperative to know that there aretwo different types of IP addressesfor any connected device. One is thePublic IP(could be either Static or Dynamic) assigned by your ISP (Internet Service Provider), and it is the same for all devices using that connection. The other isLocal IP, which varies from one device to another.

Unlike Public IP, it is your router that defines the Local IP. It assigns a different network identifier to each device on the network, such as your computers, phones, tablets, etc. While your Public IP is visible to every website you visit (unless you are using a VPN or proxy), your local IP is more private because it cannot be seen outside of your private (home or office) network.

Generally, ‘IP Address’ refers to the external (public) IP, but we will show you how to find your Public IP address as well as your Local IP address on your Windows 10 and Mac computer. There are only one or two ways to find the former, while Windows offers multiple ways to check the latter.

There are many websites online that can show you your public IP address. You can visit these sites using astandard web browserand check your external IP. Do note that those with a Dynamic IP address will see their IP change every time they switch off their router. For folks with Static IP, your address will remain the same no matter how many times you restart your router.

Note:This method works irrespective of the device or OS and is applicable for both Mac and Windows 10 computers, as well as Android and iOS devices.

There are multiple ways to find your local IP address on Windows 10. You can either do it using built-in GUI options or via the command prompt. Here are the easiest ways to find your local IP address on Windows 10:

Note:You can also get to the network properties window by clicking on the Wi-Fi symbol on the Taskbar and selecting “Properties” for the network you are connected to.

If you are unsure about what IPv4 and IPv6 mean, check out ourdetailed article on IPv4 and IPv6, where we tell you what they mean and how they differ from one another.

Note:You can also use onlyipconfigwithout the/allqualifier. Also, if you don’t know how to access the Command Prompt, use thekeyboard shortcutWin key + R, and type in “cmd”, and press enter. The Command Prompt windows will open on your PC.

Note:You can also use the commandgipto find your local IP address using Windows PowerShell.

To find your public IP address on Mac, navigate to the IP-checker websites linked earlier in this article. As we mentioned already, they work perfectly for all desktop and mobile platforms. To find the local IP address on your Mac, use the following method:

Easily Find the Internet Protocol (IP) Address of Your Computer

So now that you know how to check your IP address on Windows and Mac using third-party websites, the command prompt, the PowerShell, and a variety of other methods, go ahead and find out the public and private IP addresses for your computer. Meanwhile, if you are worried about exposing your public IP address to every website you visit on the Internet, check out thebest VPN services for Windowsandyour Android TV. Also, check out how you canchange your DNS settings on WindowsandAndroidto prevent your ISP from snooping on your online activities.

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