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.

  • Public IP Address vs Local IP Address
  • Find Public IP Address Using Third-party Websites on Mac and Windows
  • Find Local IP Address on Windows 10
  • Find Local IP Address on Mac

Public (or External) IP Address vs Local (or Private) IP Address

Before you learn about how to find your IP address (Internet Protocol Address), it’s imperative to know that there are two different types of IP addresses for any connected device. One is the Public 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 is Local IP, which varies from one device to another.

Find Public IP Address Using Third-party Websites

There are many websites online that can show you your public IP address. You can visit these sites using a standard web browser and 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.

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:

  • First off, right-click on the Wi-Fi icon [1] at the bottom-right corner of your Windows desktop and hit “Open Network and Internet Settings” [2].

  • Now click on “Properties” to see more details about the wireless network you are currently connected to.

  • If your PC is connected directly to your modem via an Ethernet cable, you will see an Ethernet icon instead of the Wi-Fi icon on your Taskbar. Click on that and select the network you are connected to at the top.

  • Next, on the “Network and Internet Settings” window, click on your network’s name.

  • To find your IP address using the Command Prompt on Windows 10, copy+paste the following command into the Command Prompt window and hit Enter: ipconfig /all

Method 4: Using Network and Sharing Center

  • Another easy way to find your IP address on Windows is by opening the “Network and Sharing Center” from the Control Panel. By the way, you can open the Control Panel simply by searching for it using the Windows Search bar.

  • You can also check your IP address from Windows System Information. To get to the SysInfo window, open the Run box (Windows key + R), type in ‘msinfo32‘ (without quotes), and hit ‘OK‘ or Enter.

  • Now in the left pane of the SysInfo window, expand “Components -> Network” by clicking on the “+” signs next to them. Now select “Adapter” under Network. Finally, in the right pane, find the adapter for your current connection. Scroll down, and you will see your Local IPv4 and IPv6 addresses listed together.

  • To find your local IP address using Windows PowerShell, copy+paste the following command: Get-NetIPConfiguration into the PowerShell window (open simply by searching for it in the Windows Search bar). Then press Enter. You will now see the Local IPv4 and IPv6 addresses for your Windows computer.

  • Start the Windows Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc) and go to the “Performance” tab. Now on the left sidebar, select “Wi-Fi” or “Ethernet” depending on how you are connected to the internet. You will now see both your IPv4 and IPv6 addresses at the bottom of the right pane.

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:

  • Click on the Apple icon at the top-left corner of your screen and select “System Preferences” from the drop-down menu.

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 the best VPN services for Windows and your Android TV. Also, check out how you can change your DNS settings on Windows and Android to prevent your ISP from snooping on your online activities.