Every device connected to a network uses identifiers that help it communicate with other devices. One of these identifiers is the MAC address, also known as the Media Access Control address or Physical Address.
You may need to find the MAC address of your Windows PC when configuring a router, troubleshooting a network connection, setting up MAC filtering, identifying a device on your network, or registering a computer on a school or workplace network.
Fortunately, Windows provides several easy ways to check it. The quickest method is to open Command Prompt, type getmac, and press Enter. Windows will display the physical addresses associated with your network adapters.
However, your computer can have more than one MAC address. For example, the Wi-Fi and Ethernet adapters normally have separate addresses.
In this guide, we’ll show you how to find the MAC address on Windows 11 and Windows 10 using Settings, Command Prompt, PowerShell, Control Panel, and other methods.
What Is a MAC Address?
A MAC address (Media Access Control address) is an identifier associated with a network interface.
Windows commonly displays it as the Physical Address.
A MAC address usually consists of 12 hexadecimal characters divided into six pairs. For example:
00-1A-2B-3C-4D-5E
You may also see MAC addresses written with colons:
00:1A:2B:3C:4D:5E
Each network interface can have its own MAC address. Therefore, a laptop with both Wi-Fi and Ethernet may show different MAC addresses for each connection.
Virtual network adapters installed by VPNs, virtualization software, or other applications can result in even more addresses appearing on your PC.
1. Find MAC Address Using Command Prompt
One of the fastest ways to find your MAC address in Windows 11 or Windows 10 is with the built-in getmac command.
Here’s how:
- Press Windows + R to open Run.
- Type
cmd. - Press Enter to open Command Prompt.
- Enter the following command:
getmac
- Press Enter.
Look under Physical Address.
You may see multiple addresses if your computer has multiple physical or virtual network adapters.
For additional information, run:
getmac /v
The /v option displays more detailed information and can make it easier to determine which MAC address belongs to a particular network adapter.
2. Find MAC Address Using Windows Settings
If you don’t want to use commands, Windows Settings provides an easy graphical method.
On Windows 11
- Press Windows + I to open Settings.
- Select Network & internet.
- Choose Wi-Fi if you’re using a wireless connection.
- Open the properties for the connected network or the relevant hardware properties.
- Scroll through the network information.
- Look for Physical address (MAC).
The value displayed next to it is the MAC address currently associated with that Wi-Fi interface/connection.
Find Ethernet MAC Address
If your PC is connected through an Ethernet cable:
- Open Settings.
- Go to Network & internet.
- Select Ethernet.
- Open the connection properties.
- Look for Physical address (MAC).
This is your Ethernet adapter’s MAC address.
View Multiple Network Adapters
Windows 11 also provides a convenient page containing information about multiple network adapters.
Go to:
Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings > Hardware and connection properties
Look for the appropriate Wi-Fi or Ethernet adapter and check its Physical address (MAC).
3. Find MAC Address Using ipconfig
Another reliable method is the ipconfig /all command.
This method is particularly useful when troubleshooting because it displays the MAC address alongside other networking information, such as IPv4 addresses, DHCP status, DNS servers, and default gateways.
- Press Windows + R.
- Type
cmd. - Press Enter.
- Type:
ipconfig /all
- Press Enter.
You’ll see information for the network adapters installed on your computer.
Find the adapter you’re currently using.
For Wi-Fi, look for something similar to:
Wireless LAN adapter Wi-Fi
For a wired connection, look for:
Ethernet adapter Ethernet
Under the appropriate adapter, locate:
Physical Address
The value beside Physical Address is the MAC address for that adapter.
4. Find MAC Address Using PowerShell
PowerShell provides another quick way to view the MAC addresses of your network adapters.
- Right-click the Start button.
- Open Terminal or PowerShell.
- Enter:
Get-NetAdapter
- Press Enter.
PowerShell displays information including the adapter name, interface description, status, link speed, and MAC address.
For a cleaner result, you can use:
Get-NetAdapter | Select-Object Name, MacAddress
The output makes it easy to distinguish addresses belonging to adapters such as Wi-Fi and Ethernet.
5. Find MAC Address Using Control Panel
The traditional Control Panel method is still useful, particularly on Windows 10.
- Open Control Panel.
- Select Network and Internet.
- Open Network and Sharing Center.
- Click Change adapter settings.
- Double-click the network adapter you want to check.
- Click Details.
- Find Physical Address.
The Physical Address shown here is the MAC address of that network adapter.
6. Find MAC Address Using System Information
Windows System Information can also display details about your network hardware.
- Press Windows + R.
- Type:
msinfo32
- Press Enter.
- Expand Components.
- Expand Network.
- Select Adapter.
You’ll see detailed information about the network adapters detected by Windows.
Find the adapter you’re interested in and look for its MAC Address entry.
Because this page may contain physical and virtual adapters, make sure you’re looking at the correct Wi-Fi or Ethernet adapter.
How to Find Wi-Fi MAC Address on Windows
If you specifically need the MAC address of your wireless adapter, don’t simply copy the first address displayed by getmac or ipconfig.
Your PC may have several adapters.
One easy method is:
Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi
Open the relevant Wi-Fi properties and locate Physical address (MAC).
Alternatively, run:
ipconfig /all
Then locate Wireless LAN adapter Wi-Fi and find its Physical Address.
How to Find Ethernet MAC Address on Windows
For an Ethernet connection, go to:
Settings > Network & internet > Ethernet
Open the Ethernet properties and locate Physical address (MAC).
You can also use:
ipconfig /all
Find Ethernet adapter Ethernet and check the Physical Address shown underneath it.
Why Does My PC Have Multiple MAC Addresses?
Don’t be concerned if Windows displays several MAC addresses.
Your computer may contain several network interfaces, including:
- Wi-Fi adapter
- Ethernet adapter
- Bluetooth network interface
- VPN adapter
- Virtual machine network adapter
- USB network adapter
- Other virtual network interfaces
Each network interface can have its own address.
If someone asks for your MAC address—for example, when registering your laptop on a network—make sure you provide the MAC address for the adapter you will actually use.
If you’re connecting over Wi-Fi, provide the Wi-Fi MAC address rather than the Ethernet address.
MAC Address vs IP Address
A MAC address and an IP address are both associated with networking, but they serve different purposes.
| MAC Address | IP Address |
|---|---|
| Associated with a network interface | Used to identify/address a device or interface on an IP network |
| Also called a Physical Address in Windows | Usually displayed as an IPv4 or IPv6 address |
Example: 00-1A-2B-3C-4D-5E |
Example: 192.168.1.10 |
| Primarily used for local network communication at the data-link layer | Used to route traffic across IP networks |
| Usually represented as hexadecimal pairs | IPv4 is commonly represented as four decimal numbers |
An IP address can change when you connect to a different network or when DHCP assigns a new address.
A MAC address is more closely associated with the network interface, although modern operating systems and network adapters can also use randomized, private, or software-configured MAC addresses.
Why Does My Wi-Fi MAC Address Keep Changing?
You may notice that the MAC address seen by a Wi-Fi network doesn’t always match the hardware address you expected.
This can happen because Windows supports random hardware addresses on compatible Wi-Fi hardware.
MAC randomization is designed to improve privacy by making it harder for Wi-Fi networks to use a permanent hardware identifier to track a device across different networks.
Depending on your Windows version, network adapter, driver, and settings, random hardware addresses may be available globally or for individual Wi-Fi networks.
Therefore, if you’re configuring MAC filtering or registering a device on a network, check the MAC address that the relevant connection is actually using.
Is Physical Address the Same as MAC Address?
Yes. In many Windows networking tools, Physical Address refers to the MAC address associated with a network adapter.
For example, when you run:
ipconfig /all
you’ll typically find a line similar to:
Physical Address . . . . . . : 00-1A-2B-3C-4D-5E
That is the adapter’s MAC address.
Can You Change a MAC Address in Windows?
In some cases, yes.
Certain network adapter drivers allow Windows to use a manually configured MAC address.
You may find this option by opening:
Device Manager > Network adapters > Your Network Adapter > Properties > Advanced
Depending on the driver, the option may be called:
Network Address
or something similar.
However, not every network adapter supports this feature.
It’s also important to understand the difference between changing the address Windows presents to the network and permanently changing the hardware’s factory-programmed address. In many cases, you’re only overriding the address used by the operating system or driver.
Which MAC Address Should I Use?
The correct MAC address depends on how your PC connects to the network.
If you’re using Wi-Fi, use the MAC address associated with the Wi-Fi adapter.
If you’re using a wired connection, use the Ethernet MAC address.
If you’re registering a device on a restricted Wi-Fi network, also check whether Windows is using a random hardware address for that network. Otherwise, the address you register may be different from the one the network sees.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I quickly find my MAC address on Windows?
Open Command Prompt, type getmac, and press Enter. The MAC addresses associated with your network adapters will appear under Physical Address.
How do I find the MAC address on Windows 11?
Open Settings > Network & internet, select your Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection, and look for Physical address (MAC) in its properties. You can also use getmac, ipconfig /all, or PowerShell.
Is the Physical Address my MAC address?
Yes. Windows commonly uses the term Physical Address when displaying a network adapter’s MAC address.
Why do I see several MAC addresses?
Your computer can have separate network interfaces for Wi-Fi, Ethernet, Bluetooth networking, VPN software, virtual machines, and other networking tools. These interfaces can have different MAC addresses.
Can a MAC address change?
The hardware-associated address is generally intended to identify a network interface, but the MAC address presented to a network can change. Windows and other modern operating systems can use randomized/private addresses, and some network drivers allow software-defined MAC addresses.
Conclusion
Finding the MAC address on Windows 11 or Windows 10 only takes a few seconds.
For the fastest method, open Command Prompt, enter getmac, and check the Physical Address. If you need more information about the adapter, use getmac /v or ipconfig /all.
You can also find your MAC address without commands through Settings, Control Panel, or System Information, while PowerShell is useful when you want a clean list of network adapters and their addresses.
Most importantly, make sure you’re copying the address for the correct network interface. Your Wi-Fi and Ethernet adapters usually have different MAC addresses, and Windows may also use a randomized MAC address for Wi-Fi connections in some configurations.