A MAC address is a unique identifier assigned to your laptop’s network adapter. It helps identify your device on a network and can be useful for troubleshooting connectivity issues or configuring security settings. Finding the MAC address on a laptop is a straightforward process on both Windows and macOS systems.
This guide explains how to locate the MAC address on your laptop step by step.
Finding the MAC Address on Windows Laptops
Click the Start menu and type cmd in the search bar. Press Enter to open the Command Prompt.
In the Command Prompt window type ipconfig /all and press Enter.
Look for your active network adapter under Wireless LAN adapter Wi-Fi or Ethernet adapter Ethernet.
Find the Physical Address line. This is your MAC address, displayed as six pairs of letters and numbers separated by hyphens.
Alternatively open Settings from the Start menu.
Go to Network & Internet > Status and click View hardware and connection properties.
Scroll to find the Physical address (MAC) listed for your network connection.
Finding the MAC Address on macOS Laptops
Click the Apple menu and select System Preferences.
Click Network then select your active connection such as Wi-Fi or Ethernet from the left panel.
Click the Advanced button in the bottom right corner.
Go to the Hardware or Wi-Fi tab where the MAC address is displayed as the MAC Address or Wi-Fi Address.
Using Terminal on macOS
Open Terminal from the Utilities folder or search using Spotlight.
Type ifconfig en0 for Wi-Fi or ifconfig en1 for Ethernet and press Enter.
Look for the ether entry which shows the MAC address.
Why Knowing Your MAC Address is Useful
MAC addresses are used for network security settings such as filtering devices allowed to connect.
They help diagnose network problems and ensure your device is recognised correctly.
MAC addresses are also needed when configuring routers or VPNs.
Conclusion
Finding the MAC address on your laptop is simple using system tools on Windows or macOS. Whether through command line, settings menus or network preferences you can quickly locate this important identifier. Knowing your MAC address helps manage network access and troubleshoot connectivity issues.