How to Find and Change Your MAC Address in 2026

To find and change your MAC address, inspect your network interface details, then use a supported desktop adapter override or the per-network private address controls available on Android and iOS. For IT professionals managing device configurations and network security, the key distinction is whether an operating system supports a custom address or only system-generated randomization. The steps and comparison table below separate those methods, identify driver and device limitations, and explain how to restore the previous configuration if a change disrupts DHCP reservations or network access.

Introduction to MAC Addresses

A MAC address, short for Media Access Control address, is a unique identifier assigned to a network interface, such as a Wi-Fi or Ethernet adapter.

Identify the network interface, not just the device, before recording or changing a MAC address. A computer with Ethernet and Wi-Fi has separate interfaces; selecting the wrong adapter can leave your inventory record disconnected from the connection you are troubleshooting.

For configuration work, capture these details together:

• Interface: Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or the specific adapter name.
• Displayed address: Windows may label it “Physical Address”; Apple device settings use labels such as “Wi-Fi Address.”
• Connection context: Record which network and interface were active when you collected the address.

Keep the original address in your change record so later verification compares the same adapter.

Why Change Your MAC Address?

Changing a MAC address helps IT teams validate device-registration rules, troubleshoot MAC-based network restrictions, and reduce persistent identification on local Wi-Fi networks. Treat a MAC change as an authorized configuration change, not permission to evade access controls.

On a network you administer, an approved replacement address can help determine whether a connectivity failure follows the device’s registered identity. Coordinate the test with the network owner: an address change may invalidate a DHCP reservation, trigger admission controls, or disconnect a device whose original address is allowlisted.

For privacy, prefer the operating system’s built-in private-address feature where supported. Changing the local identifier does not change your public IP address or remove account-based tracking.

Before testing, record the original address and affected registration entries. Restore both after troubleshooting so asset records and network policy remain aligned.

Finding and Changing MAC Address on Windows

Windows displays MAC addresses with ipconfig /all; changing an address requires a driver-supported override or supported Wi-Fi randomization. A missing override setting usually indicates a driver limitation, not a permissions problem.

1. Find and record the address. Open Command Prompt, run ipconfig /all, and locate Physical Address under the intended Ethernet or Wi-Fi adapter—not a VPN or virtual adapter.
2. Open the adapter settings. With administrator privileges, open Device Manager → Network adapters → your adapter → Properties → Advanced.
3. Apply the override. Select Network Address or Locally Administered Address, if available. Enter an approved, unique, locally administered hexadecimal address without separators; click OK.
4. Verify connectivity. Reconnect and rerun ipconfig /all. Coordinate DHCP reservations and network admission policies before changing managed devices.
5. Revert if needed. Select Not Present in the same property and reconnect.

Finding and Changing MAC Address on macOS

macOS displays MAC addresses in Network settings or Terminal; changing the active address requires administrator privileges and adapter support. Record the original address before attempting a change.

1. Identify the interface. Open System Settings → Network, select Wi-Fi or Ethernet, and inspect Details → Hardware (navigation reference). In Terminal, map interfaces with:

   networksetup -listallhardwareports
   

   
   en0 is an interface name, not a MAC address.
2. Save and change. Replace en0 with your interface. Disconnect Wi-Fi without powering off the adapter; substitute an approved, locally administered address:

   IFACE=en0
   ORIGINAL=$(ifconfig "$IFACE" | awk '/ether/{print $2}')
   sudo ifconfig "$IFACE" ether "$NEW_MAC"
   

3. Verify and revert. Reconnect, then check:

   ifconfig "$IFACE" | grep ether
   sudo ifconfig "$IFACE" ether "$ORIGINAL"
   

   
   Some Mac adapters reject changes. Changing addresses can enhance privacy and security by reducing local tracking, but cannot replace authentication.

Finding and Changing MAC Address on Android

Android displays its Wi-Fi MAC address in Settings; supported devices also offer per-network MAC randomization. Some devices may not support MAC address changes, and randomization does not let you assign an arbitrary address.

1. Find the active address. Open Settings → Wi-Fi or Network & internet → Internet, then tap the connected network’s gear icon. Record its MAC address and privacy setting; menu labels vary by manufacturer.
2. Check older devices. Look under Wi-Fi → menu → Advanced, where older Android interfaces display the Wi-Fi MAC address.
3. Change the supported setting. In network details, select Privacy or MAC address type, then choose Randomized MAC or Device MAC, if available.
4. Verify and revert. Reconnect and confirm the address in access-point logs. Update authorized device registrations if needed. Restore the previous privacy setting if DHCP reservations or network admission fail.

Finding and Changing MAC Address on iOS

iOS displays the device’s Wi-Fi MAC address in Settings and supports per-network private addresses, not arbitrary MAC entry. Record the address used for the specific network—not just the device address.

1. Find the device address. Open Settings → General → About → Wi-Fi Address. Use this value when documenting the device’s hardware address.
2. Find the network-specific address. Open Settings → Wi-Fi, tap the information button beside the network, and record its Wi-Fi Address and current Private Wi-Fi Address setting.
3. Change the privacy setting. Supported releases offer Off, Fixed, or Rotating; older releases show a toggle. Fixed keeps a private address stable for that network. iOS does not accept a custom value.
4. Validate and revert. Reconnect and check DHCP/NAC records. Restore the previous setting if connectivity fails. Managed profiles may restrict changes.

Comparison of Methods Across Operating Systems

MAC address changes on Windows and macOS depend on adapter support; Android and iOS generally expose per-network privacy settings rather than arbitrary address editing. Choose the method by interface capability, not operating system alone.

Before changing managed devices, record the active address and check DHCP reservations and network-registration dependencies.

Related reading

• ethical-guidelines-for-using-proxies-legally in 2026
• Security Advantages of Using Datacenter Proxies

FAQ

What is a MAC address used for?

A MAC address identifies a network interface for local delivery of Ethernet or Wi-Fi traffic; switches use it to decide where to forward frames. Administrators also use MAC addresses for DHCP reservations and device registration, so changing an address can break an existing IP assignment or enrollment record. Register the address actually used on the managed network, which may differ from the hardware address when Wi-Fi privacy settings are enabled.

How do I change my MAC address on Windows?

For an adapter that supports overrides, open Device Manager → Network adapters → your adapter → Properties → Advanced, select Network Address or Locally Administered Address, and enter your organization-approved replacement. If neither property appears, the installed driver does not expose this method; avoid assuming a registry edit will make an unsupported adapter accept it. Reconnect the adapter and run getmac /v to verify the active address; to revert, select Not Present or clear the override, then reconnect again.

Can changing a MAC address improve security?

Wi-Fi MAC randomization can reduce correlation based on a persistent hardware identifier across networks, but it does not encrypt traffic or prevent identification through logins and other identifiers. On managed networks, changing the address can disrupt DHCP reservations, device inventory, and MAC-based admission rules. Treat MAC randomization as a privacy feature, not an authentication control; use certificate-based network authentication for stronger device verification.

Is it legal to change your MAC address?

Changing a MAC address is not inherently unlawful in many jurisdictions, but legality depends on your location, authorization, and how the change is used. An approved configuration test on equipment you administer differs from impersonating another device to obtain unauthorized network access. Check organizational policy and network terms before making the change, and record the original address and authorization in the change ticket.

How do I find my MAC address on Android?

For network registration, open Settings → Wi-Fi or Internet → the connected network’s details and look for the MAC address and privacy setting; menu names vary by manufacturer. If a randomized address is enabled, that network-specific address is the one administrators should match against access-point or DHCP records. For the hardware address, check Settings → About phone → Status or the equivalent device-information screen, rather than assuming it matches the address used on the current Wi-Fi connection.