MAC (Media Access Control) Address Randomization is an anti-tracking privacy feature baked deeply into modern Android operating systems. When enabled, the device generates a temporary, cryptographically randomized MAC address for each unique Wi-Fi network it connects to, preventing network operators, commercial analytics platforms, and malicious actors from tracking the device’s physical location across multiple physical locations based on a static hardware identifier. While highly beneficial for consumer privacy on public hotspots, MAC Randomization breaks traditional enterprise infrastructure. In secure corporate environments, university campuses, or zero-trust tactical networks, network access control (NAC) systems (like Cisco ISE or Aruba ClearPass) rely on statically assigned, hardware-burned MAC addresses for device authentication, static IP DHCP lease assignment, and strict VLAN steering. A randomized MAC address causes the device to be treated as an unknown, untrusted endpoint and summarily dropped from the network.
This guide explains how to completely disable ‘MAC Address Randomization’ system-wide on Android, forcing the device to expose its true, burned-in physical hardware address to the local network infrastructure.
Disable MAC Randomization per SSID via Network Details
Unlike global UI toggles for aesthetic features, MAC Randomization is deeply tied to the Wi-Fi supplicant configuration per SSID. To enforce a strict hardware MAC exposure, you must explicitly configure the network profile.
- Unlock the provisioned Android device and open the Settings app.
- Navigate to the Network & internet menu (or Connections > Wi-Fi on Samsung devices).
- Tap on Wi-Fi to view the list of available and saved networks.
- Ensure you are connected to (or have saved) the enterprise network in question. Tap the Gear icon (Settings) next to the specific SSID.
- Scroll down and tap to expand the Advanced section (if hidden).
- Locate the field labeled Privacy or MAC address type. By default, this is set to “Use randomized MAC (default)”.
- Tap the field and explicitly select Use device MAC. (By explicitly configuring this setting, you instruct the Android wpa_supplicant to bypass the randomization algorithms and broadcast the physical hardware address burned into the Wi-Fi SoC during all DHCP discovery and ARP broadcasts).
Verify the Configuration Lockdown
Changes to the MAC address broadcast require the Wi-Fi radio to drop the current connection and re-associate with the access point.
To verify the restriction is active, the Android device will briefly disconnect and reconnect to the specified network. Once reconnected, navigate back into the Wi-Fi settings for that specific SSID. Look for the “MAC address” field displayed in the network details. It should now perfectly match the true physical “Device MAC address” listed in the phone’s Settings > About phone > Status information menu. The Android device is now operating under a strict, statically identifiable configuration, ensuring compatibility with enterprise NAC infrastructure and static DHCP assignments.