How to Find Your iPhone's MAC (Wi-Fi) Address
Short answer: go to Settings > General > About and look at Wi-Fi Address. That is your iPhone's hardware (MAC) address. The address your iPhone uses on a particular network may be different, and is shown under Settings > Wi-Fi > (i).
What a MAC address is
A MAC address is a hardware identifier for a network connection. It is written as six pairs of letters and numbers, such as 3C:22:FB:12:AB:90. It is not the same as an IP address. Your router uses the MAC address to tell devices on your Wi-Fi apart. The IP address is what gets assigned to the device.
How to find it
Your iPhone's hardware Wi-Fi address
- Open Settings > General > About.
- Scroll to Wi-Fi Address.
- On most versions you can touch and hold the value to copy it.
The address used on a specific network
- Open Settings > Wi-Fi and tap the (i) next to the network.
- Look at the Wi-Fi Address line below the Private Wi-Fi Address switch.
Why there can be two different addresses
By default, iOS uses a random Private Wi-Fi Address on each network, so networks cannot easily track your iPhone from place to place. That means the address in the network's (i) screen can differ from the hardware address in About. Read what the Private Wi-Fi Address does for the details.
| Where | What you see |
|---|---|
| Settings > General > About | Your iPhone's hardware Wi-Fi address |
| Settings > Wi-Fi > (i), Private Wi-Fi Address on | A random address used only on that network |
| Settings > Wi-Fi > (i), Private Wi-Fi Address off | The same hardware address as in About |
Which one does my router need?
Use the address your iPhone actually presents to that router.
- If Private Wi-Fi Address is on for that network, use the address shown on that network's (i) screen.
- If you turn it off, use the hardware address from About.
If the private address changes later, for example after you forget the network, a rule built on the old one stops matching. Turning the private address off for that network avoids that.
When you need it
- A MAC allow list on your router. The router only lets listed devices join.
- A fixed IP address for your iPhone (a DHCP reservation) that the router assigns by MAC address. See how to change or fix your IP address.
- Registering your iPhone on a school, workplace or hotel network.
- Working out which device is which in your router's list of connected devices.
Common questions
Does cellular have a MAC address?
No. This applies to Wi-Fi. Cellular connections use different identifiers.
Is it safe to share my MAC address?
It only works on the local network, so it cannot be used to find you on the internet. Still, only enter it where it is needed.
Is the MAC address the same as the IP address?
No. See public vs private IP addresses for the difference between the two kinds of IP address.
Do iPads work the same way?
Yes. On an iPad the same screens are in Settings > General > About and Settings > Wi-Fi.