Knowing your PC's IP address comes up often — when troubleshooting network issues, setting up a printer, configuring Remote Desktop, or checking what's happening on your network. Windows offers several ways to do it: a quick command in the terminal, a PowerShell cmdlet, or the Settings app if you prefer a GUI. This guide covers local vs global IP, all the main methods, and how to set a static IP address.
Table of Contents
- IP Address Basics
- Finding Your IP Address with Command Prompt
- Finding Your IP Address with PowerShell
- Finding Your IP Address via Settings
- Finding Your Public (Global) IP Address
- Setting a Static IP Address
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Summary
IP Address Basics
An IP address is a unique number assigned to each device on a network so other devices know how to reach it.
Local IP vs Global IP
Your home or office network uses two types of IP addresses:
- Local IP (Private IP): Assigned to each device within your local network. Common ranges: 192.168.x.x, 10.x.x.x, 172.16.x.x–172.31.x.x
- Global IP (Public IP): The address your router shows to the internet, assigned by your ISP
When your PC connects to a website, the router translates the local IP to the global one. For tasks within your local network — file sharing, printers, local Remote Desktop — you need the local IP. For accessing your home from outside — Remote Desktop from the office, hosting a server — you need the global IP.
IPv4 and IPv6
There are two versions of IP addresses:
- IPv4: 32-bit, written as four numbers separated by dots — e.g., 192.168.1.1. Still the most common
- IPv6: 128-bit, written in hexadecimal — e.g., fe80::1. Increasingly common on modern networks
For most home networking tasks, IPv4 is all you need. If both are in use, both will appear in the output.
Finding Your IP Address with Command Prompt
The fastest and most reliable method.
The ipconfig Command
- Type cmd in the Start menu search
- Click Command Prompt to open it
- Run the following command:
ipconfig
- Look for the line that says IPv4 Address — that's your local IP
If multiple network adapters are listed (Ethernet, Wi-Fi, virtual adapters from VMs or VPNs), look for the one that's actively connected. An adapter with no IP shown, or one labeled "Media disconnected," is not in use.
Getting Full Details
For subnet mask, default gateway, DNS servers, and MAC address, add the /all flag:
ipconfig /all
The MAC address (listed as Physical Address) is useful for router-level filtering or diagnosing Wi-Fi authentication issues.
Finding Your IP Address with PowerShell
PowerShell is better suited for scripting or when you want cleaner output.
- Open PowerShell
- Run:
Get-NetIPAddress -AddressFamily IPv4
To narrow results to a specific adapter, such as Wi-Fi:
(Get-NetIPAddress -AddressFamily IPv4 | Where-Object {$_.InterfaceAlias -like "Wi-Fi*"}).IPAddress
This returns just the IP address of the Wi-Fi adapter — easy to pipe into scripts or log files.
Finding Your IP Address via Settings
Prefer not to use the terminal? The Settings app shows the same information.
Windows 11:
- Open Settings
- Go to Network & Internet
- Click Wi-Fi or Ethernet
- Click the connected network name to open its properties
- Scroll down to find IPv4 address and IPv6 address
Windows 10:
- Open Settings → Network & Internet
- Click Status
- Click Properties
- Scroll down to find IPv4 address
The GUI is easier to read if you're not comfortable with the terminal, but Command Prompt is faster when you need to check multiple adapters at once.
Finding Your Public (Global) IP Address
For Remote Desktop from outside your home, hosting a server, or checking what IP your ISP assigned you, you need the global IP — the one the internet sees.
- Open a browser and search for "what is my IP" in any search engine
- Or visit a site like whatismyip.com or icanhazip.com
- The address shown is your router's public IP
Most home internet connections use a dynamic IP that can change when the router reboots or after your ISP's lease period ends. If you need a stable address for remote access:
- Ask your ISP about a static IP add-on (usually a few dollars a month)
- Or use a Dynamic DNS (DDNS) service like No-IP or MyDNS, which maps a hostname to your current dynamic IP and updates automatically
Setting a Static IP Address
When you need a device to always have the same local IP — a home server, a NAS, a network printer — configure a static IP.
- Open Settings → Network & Internet → Wi-Fi or Ethernet
- Click the connected network name
- Click Edit next to IP assignment
- Switch from Automatic (DHCP) to Manual
- Turn on IPv4 and enter:
- IP address: Choose one within your router's subnet, e.g., 192.168.1.100
- Subnet mask: Usually 255.255.255.0 (or prefix length 24)
- Gateway: Your router's IP, typically 192.168.1.1
- DNS: Use 8.8.8.8 (Google) or 1.1.1.1 (Cloudflare), or your router's IP
- Click Save
Make sure the address you choose is outside the router's DHCP range to avoid conflicts. A cleaner approach is to set a DHCP reservation on the router side — the router always assigns the same IP to a specific device based on its MAC address, so you don't have to touch the device's network settings at all.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Should I use my local IP or global IP?
A. Use local IP for anything within your home network — connecting to a printer, shared drives, or a local server. Use global IP to access your home from outside or to host a service on the internet.
Q. ipconfig shows multiple IP addresses — which one is mine?
A. Multiple addresses appear when you have virtual network adapters from VPNs, Hyper-V, or WSL2. Run ipconfig /all to see adapter names and connection status, and pick the one matching your active physical connection.
Q. My IP address shows as 169.254.x.x
A. This is an APIPA address — Windows assigns it automatically when it can't reach a DHCP server (usually the router). Try restarting the router, then run ipconfig /release followed by ipconfig /renew in Command Prompt to request a new address.
Q. My global IP keeps changing — what should I do?
A. Use a DDNS service, which is free for basic use and maps a hostname to your current IP automatically. Or contact your ISP about a static IP add-on if you need something more reliable.
Q. Is it safe to share my IP address?
A. Your local IP is only meaningful inside your home network — sharing it with someone outside is harmless. Your global IP can be used to reach your router from the internet, so don't share it publicly. If you do share it (e.g., for a game session), consider changing it afterward by restarting your router.
Summary
The quickest way to find your IP address on Windows is Command Prompt with ipconfig — look for IPv4 Address in the output. For full details including MAC address and DNS, use ipconfig /all. In PowerShell, Get-NetIPAddress gives the same information in a more script-friendly format. For a GUI walkthrough, go to Settings → Network & Internet. Remember that your local IP (192.168.x.x) is for devices on your home network, while your global IP is what the internet sees — check it via a search or a service like whatismyip.com.
