What Is My MAC Address - How to Find It
Find your device's MAC address with our step-by-step guides for every operating system. Understand what MAC addresses are and why they're important.
How to Find Your MAC Address
Windows:
Open Command Prompt and type: ipconfig /all
macOS:
Open Terminal and type: ifconfig
Linux:
Open Terminal and type: ip addr or ifconfig
Frequently Asked Questions
A MAC (Media Access Control) address is a unique hardware identifier assigned to network interfaces. It's a 48-bit address shown in hexadecimal (e.g., 00:1A:2B:3C:4D:5E).
Yes, though hardware MAC addresses are burned-in, most operating systems allow spoofing (changing) the MAC address in software. This is sometimes called MAC cloning.
The first 24 bits (OUI - Organizationally Unique Identifier) identify the manufacturer. MAC lookup reveals the device manufacturer (Apple, Dell, Cisco, etc.) but not the specific owner or location.
Theoretically yes - IEEE assigns unique OUIs to manufacturers who then ensure their devices have unique MACs. In practice, duplicate MACs can occur due to manufacturing errors or spoofing.
No, websites cannot see your MAC address over the internet. MAC addresses only travel within local networks (LAN). Only your router and local network devices can see it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a MAC address?
A MAC (Media Access Control) address is a unique hardware identifier assigned to network interfaces. It's a 48-bit address shown in hexadecimal (e.g., 00:1A:2B:3C:4D:5E).
Can MAC addresses be changed?
Yes, though hardware MAC addresses are burned-in, most operating systems allow spoofing (changing) the MAC address in software. This is sometimes called MAC cloning.
What can I learn from a MAC address lookup?
The first 24 bits (OUI - Organizationally Unique Identifier) identify the manufacturer. MAC lookup reveals the device manufacturer (Apple, Dell, Cisco, etc.) but not the specific owner or location.
Are MAC addresses unique globally?
Theoretically yes - IEEE assigns unique OUIs to manufacturers who then ensure their devices have unique MACs. In practice, duplicate MACs can occur due to manufacturing errors or spoofing.
Can websites see my MAC address?
No, websites cannot see your MAC address over the internet. MAC addresses only travel within local networks (LAN). Only your router and local network devices can see it.
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How this tool works: This tool runs in your browser and on our server in real time. Depending on the tool, results are computed directly from the input you provide or retrieved from live, authoritative data sources at the moment you run a lookup. We do not sell your data, and your lookups are kept private — any history shown here is stored only on your device.