How to find your IP address on a computer

There are two answers to "what is my IP address", and the right one depends on what you are trying to do. If you want to know what the internet sees — for support calls, VPN checks or geo-tests — you want the public address. If you are configuring a router, a printer or a local server, you want the local address. This page covers both on every desktop platform.

The fastest method: one website, every system

Open the PublicIPChecker home page. It shows your public IPv4 and IPv6 address, ISP, approximate location and a VPN/proxy verdict in the time it takes the page to paint — a few kilobytes, no install, nothing to type. It works identically on Windows, macOS, Linux, Chrome OS and any phone. For a second device or a colleague's machine, paste the address into the IP lookup tool.

Windows 10 and 11

Graphical: Settings → Network & internet → Wi-Fi (or Ethernet) → click the connected network → IPv4 address is listed under Properties. On Windows 11 this panel sometimes hides the address one level deeper, so the terminal is quicker.

Command line: press Win+R, type cmd, and run:

ipconfig

# Public IP in the same window:
curl https://api.ipify.org

Read IPv4 Address (local, e.g. 192.168.1.24) and Default Gateway (the router — see finding your router IP). ipconfig /all adds the MAC address, DHCP server and lease times.

macOS

Graphical: System Settings → Network → Wi-Fi/Ethernet → Details… → TCP/IP. The IP Address shown there is the local one; Router is the gateway.

Terminal:

ipconfig getifaddr en0        # local IP on Wi-Fi
route -n get default          # gateway
curl https://api.ipify.org    # public IP

Apple silicon Macs use the same BSD tools, so the commands are unchanged. Note that VPN apps on macOS often add a utun interface — if a check shows an unexpected address, that tunnel is why: see is my VPN working.

Linux and Chrome OS

Linux, modern:

ip -4 addr show scope global   # local IPv4 with interface names
ip route get 1.1.1.1           # which source address the system will use
curl -4 https://api.ipify.org  # public IPv4
curl -6 https://api64.ipify.org # public IPv6 (if enabled)

On the older net-tools stack, ifconfig and route -n still work. With NetworkManager, nmcli -g IP4.ADDRESS device show prints just the value, which is handy in scripts; more one-liners are in checking your IP from the command line.

Chrome OS: Settings → Network → Wi-Fi → the connected network → IP address (local only; use the website for the public address). The Crosh shell (Ctrl+Alt+T, then network_diag) can show more.

Local vs public: which one you need

Task	Use
Checking whether a VPN is on, or what a website sees	Public IP (the checker)
Port forwarding, firewall rules, router login	Local IP + gateway (router guide)
Connecting to a printer, NAS or dev server	Local IP
Reporting abuse, requesting a block-list removal	Public IP
Static DHCP reservation so the address stops moving	Local IP + MAC address (MAC vs IP)

Frequently asked questions

Why does my computer show an IP starting with 192.168?

That is the private address your router assigned inside your home network. It is not visible on the internet; the router translates it to the single public address your ISP gave you.

Does my IP address change when I restart my computer?

Usually not — the router hands out the same local lease again, and the public address is a property of the connection, not the machine. Rebooting the router is what often triggers a new public IP.

How do I copy my IP address on Windows?

Run ipconfig, highlight the value with the mouse, right-click to copy (or press Enter after selecting). In newer Windows Terminal builds, Ctrl+Shift+C copies the selection.

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Keep reading

• How to find your router's IP address
• How to find out who owns an IP address
• How to find a website's IP address
• How to trace an IP address
• What can someone do with my IP address?
• MAC address vs IP address
• How to fix an IP address conflict
• Is an IP address personal data?
• Check your IP address from the command line
• What is a local IP address?
• How to change your IP address
• How to hide your IP address
• Browse all IP guides
• Check my public IP address