Every piece of networking hardware on earth—from your smartphone’s Wi-Fi antenna to your desktop PC’s Ethernet port—is assigned a permanent, unique serial number at the factory. This 12-character alphanumeric code is called a Media Access Control (MAC) Address. Unlike an IP address, which changes depending on what network you connect to, your MAC address is physically burned into the silicone and never changes.
You usually need to find your MAC address if you are setting up a highly secure corporate network, configuring router-level parental controls, or setting up a static IP address for a home server. Windows 11 provides two distinct ways to find this code: a visual menu, and a rapid command-line query.
Method 1: The Modern Settings Menu (The Visual Way)
This is the easiest method for most users, as it allows you to clearly see the separate addresses for your Wi-Fi and Ethernet adapters.
- Click the Start Button (the Windows logo) and click the gear icon to open Settings.
- Look at the left-hand navigation menu and click on Network & internet.
- You must now click on the specific type of connection you are trying to identify.
- If you are using Wi-Fi, click Wi-Fi, and then click Hardware properties.
- If you are plugged into a router with a cable, click Ethernet.
- Scroll down to the bottom of the properties page.
- Look for a line labeled Physical address (MAC).
The code next to it is your MAC address. It will look like a string of two-digit pairs separated by hyphens (e.g., A1-B2-C3-D4-E5-F6).
Crucial Note: If your computer has both Wi-Fi and an Ethernet port, it physically possesses two completely different MAC addresses. Ensure you are providing the correct address to your network administrator.
Method 2: The Command Prompt (The Fastest Way)
If you are an IT professional setting up a fleet of computers, you do not have time to click through four layers of menus. You can instantly query the entire network stack using the command line.
- Click the Start Button.
- Type the letters cmd into the search bar.
- Press Enter to open the Command Prompt (the black text window).
- Type this command exactly:
getmac /v
- Press Enter.
The getmac command specifically queries the system for MAC addresses. The /v flag stands for “verbose,” which forces the terminal to print the human-readable names of the adapters next to the codes.
The terminal will print a clean table. Look under the “Connection Name” column to find “Wi-Fi” or “Ethernet,” and then look directly across to the “Physical Address” column to find your 12-character code.
The “ipconfig” Alternative
If you also need to know your current IP address at the same time, you can use the more comprehensive network configuration command.
- Open the Command Prompt.
- Type this command:
ipconfig /all - Press Enter.
This will dump a massive wall of text onto your screen detailing every single metric of your network configuration. You must scroll up, find the specific adapter you want (e.g., “Wireless LAN adapter Wi-Fi”), and look for the line labeled Physical Address.