An IP address is a unique identifier assigned to devices connected to a network. If you’re reading this, you already know what IP address is for. Let me remind you in detail. IP address is essential for many reasons, including troubleshooting network issues, setting up connections, and accessing network resources.
What you’ll learn from this article? Well, I will get you through how to find your IP address on your device, such as Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS. Follow step-by-step instructions to locate your IP address easily.
What’s Different Between Public IP and Private IP?

Public IP and Private IP are two types of IP addresses that are used in networking. While both serve the same purpose of identifying devices on a network, there are several key differences between them.
Public IP address
A Public IP address is a unique address that is assigned by an Internet Service Provider (ISP) to a device that is connected to the internet. This IP address is visible to the entire internet and can be used to communicate with other devices on the internet. Public IP addresses are usually used by servers, websites, and other devices that need to be accessible from anywhere on the internet.
Private IP address
On other hand, a Private IP address is a non-unique address that is assigned by a local network to a device. This IP address is used to identify devices on the local network and cannot be used to communicate with devices outside of the network. Private IP addresses are usually used by such devices computers, smartphones, and tablets that are connected to a local network such as a home or office network.
One key difference between Public and Private IP addresses is the way they are assigned. Public IP addresses are assigned by an ISP, while Private IP addresses are assigned by a local network administrator. This means that Public IP addresses are globally unique, while Private IP addresses are only unique within the local network.
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How to Find Your IP Address on iPhone
If you are using an iOS device, there are different ways to find your IP address.
Here are two methods:
Finding Through Settings App:
- Open the Settings app on your iOS device.
- Tap on “Wi-Fi“.
- Tap on the name of the network you are connected to.
- Your IP address will be listed next to “IP Address“.
Using Google Search
- Open Safari on your iPhone. (Be sure your iPhone is connected to the Internet)
- Write “What is My IP” on the search bar and click on search.
- Google will show your IP address.
How to Find Your IP Address on Android
If you use an Android device, there are different ways to find your IP address.
Here are two methods:
Through Settings App:
- Open the Settings app on your Android device.
- Depending on your device, tap on “Wi-Fi” or “Network & Internet“.
- Tap on the name of the network you are connected to.
- Your IP address will be listed under “IP address“.
Search on Google:
- Open Google Chrome on your Android device. (Make sure your Android device connected to the Internet)
- Write “What is My IP” in the Google search.
- Google will show your IP address in a second.
How to Find Your IP Address on Windows 11, 10, and 7
There are several ways to find your IP address on a Windows computer.
Here are four methods:
Search on Google:
- Open the browser on your Windows PC. (Make sure your device Connected to Internet)
- Search “What is My IP” on Google. (If Google is not your default search engine then first go to Google.com and search.
- Instantly Google will show your IP address in the search results.
Find Through Command Prompt:
- Open the Command Prompt by pressing the Windows key + R and typing cmd.
- In the Command Prompt, type ipconfig and press Enter.
- Your IP address will be displayed under “IPv4 Address” or “Wireless LAN adapter Wi-Fi” (depending on your connection).
Using Control Panel:
- Open the Control Panel.
- Click on “Network and Internet” and then “Network and Sharing Center“.
- Click on your active network connection.
- Click on “Details“.
- Your IP address will be listed under “IPv4 Address” or “IPv6 Address”.
Using Windows Settings:
Click on the Windows Start button and select “Settings“.
Click on “Network & Internet” and then select “Wi-Fi” or “Ethernet” depending on your connection.
Click on “Properties“.
Your IP address will be listed under “IPv4 address” or “IPv6 address“.
How to Find Your IP Address on Mac
If you are a MacBook user, you can find your IP address through Google Search, System Preferences or the Terminal.
Here are the steps for each method:
Search on Google:
- Open the browser you use on your Macbook
- Search “What is My IP” on Google. (If Google is not your default search engine then first go to Google.com and search.
- Instantly Google will show your IP address in the search results.
Find with System Preferences:
- Click on the Apple menu in the top left corner of your screen.
- Click on “System Preferences“.
- Click on “Network“.
- Select your active network connection from the left-hand menu.
- Click on “Details“
- Your IP address will be displayed next to “IP Address“.
Using Terminal:
- Open the Terminal app from the Utilities folder in the Applications folder.
- Type “ipconfig getifaddr en0” (without the quotes) and press Enter.
- Your IP address will be displayed in the Terminal window.
How to Find Your IP Address on Linux
If you are using a Linux operating system, you can find your IP address using either the Google Search, Terminal or the Network Settings.
Here are the steps for each method:
Using Terminal:
- Open the Terminal application.
- Type “ifconfig” (without the quotes) and press Enter.
- Your IP address will be displayed next to “inet addr” under your active network connection.
Using Network Settings:
- Click on the network icon in the top right corner of your screen.
- Click on “Settings“.
- Click on the gear icon next to your active network connection.
- Click on “IPv4” or “IPv6” tab.
- Your IP address will be listed under “Addresses“.
Search on Google:
- Open the browser on your computer
- Search “What is My IP” on Google. (If Google is not your default search engine then first go to Google.com and search.
- Instantly Google will show your IP address in the search results.
Common IP Address Troubleshooting, and How to Fix
Sometimes, you may encounter issues while trying to find your IP address.
Here are some common troubleshooting tips:
Unable to find IP address:
- Check if you are connected to a network.
- Make sure your network connection is active.
- Try restarting your device or your router.
IP address keeps changing:
- Some networks use dynamic IP addresses that can change over time.
- If you need a static IP address, contact your network administrator.
- You can also try setting up a static IP address on your device.
IP address is not valid:
- Make sure you have typed the IP address correctly.
- Check if the IP address is in the correct format (IPv4 or IPv6).
- If you are still having issues, contact your network administrator.
Find Thoughts
In the end, I want to say it’s important to know how to find your IP address on your device, and the methods I described above should help you achieve this. Moreover, having a basic understanding of IP addresses can help you diagnose networking issues and maintain better security. And, it is always recommended to keep your network settings up to date and use the latest security measures to protect your IP address from potential security threats.