Your network adapter has a unique hardware identifier known as a MAC address, which cannot be changed or modified. If you need to find your device’s MAC address, this guide offers step-by-step instructions for locating it on Windows 10 or Windows 11, for both laptops and desktop computers. The methods provided include using the Command Prompt as well as alternative options.
The methods outlined below for finding the MAC address of a computer can be applied to most major desktop and laptop PCs, including brands such as Acer, Dell, Lenovo, Asus, Toshiba, Microsoft Surface, and HP.
Also see: How to Check IP Address in Windows 11
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What is a MAC Address?
A common misconception is that the MAC address represents the unique ID of your laptop or desktop computer. This is only partly correct because the MAC address is the unique hardware ID of your network device, such as your Ethernet LAN or WiFi adapter. If you have both a wired and wireless network adapter, each of them has its own unique MAC address.
Depending on which adapter you’re using, only the MAC address of the adapter that you are currently using will indirectly represent your computer.
Find MAC address on Windows 10 or 11 without Command Prompt
While using the Command Prompt is an option to find your MAC address, it may sometimes display incorrect information. We recommend using the following steps through the Settings app to find your MAC address on Windows 10 or Windows 11:
- Press the Win+i keys to open the Settings app.
- Select Network & Internet.
- On the right pane, click on Change adapter options.
- This will open the Network Connections window, where all your network adapters will be listed.
- Select the network adapter which you are currently using to connect to the internet.
- Right-click it and then select Status.
- In the Status window, click on the Details button.
- The Physical Address property will be the MAC address of the adapter.
If you have multiple network adapters on your PC, such as WiFi and Ethernet cable, make sure you select the right one that connects you to the internet.
This method also works on Windows 10 and Windows 11 tablet or mobile phone.
Related issue: Windows cannot access network drive or shared folder on Windows 10/11
Find MAC address on Windows 11 or 10 with CMD
If you prefer using the Command Prompt to find your MAC address, follow the steps below:
- Go to the Start menu or Cortana and search for Command Prompt or CMD.
- Right-click on Command Prompt from the search result and select Run as administrator.
- In the Command Prompt, type the following command and press Enter:
ipconfig /all
This command will show you all your network configurations and information. From the list of adapters, find the one you are currently using to connect to the internet. For example, if you are finding the MAC address of your laptop WiFi adapter, it should show up as something like Wireless LAN adapter or WiFi adapter. Then, look at the Physical Address; this will be the MAC address of the adapter.
If you are trying to filter, blacklist, whitelist, or identify your computers and devices on your router, finding the MAC addresses of your laptops or devices on Windows 10 or Windows 11 should be the first thing to do. Once you have your MAC addresses, you should be able to determine which device is which on the router’s list of connected devices, and then proceed with what you want to do about it.
Why can’t you change the MAC address of your computer?
As mentioned earlier, the MAC address is a unique identifier assigned to your network device by its manufacturer. It is a hardware-level address that is locked into the device’s network interface controller (NIC) and it usually cannot be changed in any way.
However, there are some tools out there that are able to “force change” the MAC address of a network device. These tools don’t really change the actual MAC address, but they only tell Windows and software you run on it the temporary MAC address you want to change it to. Even so, please note that doing so may often be against the terms of service of many networks and services. Also, changing the MAC address of your computer or any other device can cause connectivity issues or even make the device unusable or unable to connect to the internet or local network.
