by In this tutorial, I will go through the steps of finding the Mac address on a Windows computer.
A Mac address, sometimes called a network address, is a unique identifier assigned to a network device that uses a NIC (Network Interface Controller). For example, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth devices will each have a unique Mac Address.
The format for a Mac address is xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx and will contain digits (0-9), and lower-case and upper-case characters ranging from a-f. This address is unique to the network controller you are using, so Wi-Fi and Ethernet will have their individual addresses.
A Mac address is often used in networking for security purposes, as it is excellent for identifying a device on a network. You can assign a static IP to a Mac address so the device will always keep the same IP even through a network reboot. Typically, Mac addresses do not change, but you can force a change by editing a few settings.
This tutorial is for the latest version of the Windows operating system, Windows 11. These steps will likely still work on older versions of Windows, but some things may have changed slightly. We recommend upgrading to the latest version of Windows as soon as possible.
We also have a guide on finding the Mac address on MacOS devices, which I recommend looking at if you will need to also administrate Mac computers.
Using the Desktop Interface
The desktop interface is the easiest way to find your Mac address if you are uncomfortable using the text-based command line in the terminal application.
The steps below will take you through everything you need to know to find the Mac address.
1. Click on the start icon and click on settings. Alternatively, press the Windows key and search settings or control panel on an older version of Windows.
2. Locate and click on Network & Internet. Then, click on properties for the network that you want more information on.
If you are using control panel, you will need to go to network and internet, then to network status and tasks.
Next, click on the network you want to know the Mac address for.
3. On the next screen, you can scroll down and view all the network information for your chosen network. For example, the Mac address will be next to the field that says Physical Address (MAC).
If you are using control panel, you must click on details to view all the network information. The Mac address will be next to Physical Address.
Using the Terminal (CMD)
Using the terminal is easy and only requires a few steps to get the Mac address for your network connection. Follow the steps below to get the address.
1. Open up the terminal or CMD application on your Windows computer by pressing the Windows key and entering Terminal or CMD.
2. Enter ipconfig /all into the prompt.
ipconfig /all3. This command will print a fair bit of information depending on how many network devices you have on your computer.
Locate the active network, which will typically have the most information underneath. Within this information, look for Physical Address.
Below is an example of my network information.
Conclusion
I hope you can now easily navigate the Windows operating system and find the Mac address for your network devices. Once you have the address, you can assign a static IP and other network-related tasks.
If you want to learn more about Windows and its settings, applications, and features, check out our growing range of Windows tutorials. They will help you master the ins and outs of the operating system.
If you face any issues or have any ideas to share, feel free to leave a comment below.
