How to Find Your IP Address on Windows 11 and Windows 10

Knowing how to find your IP address on Windows can help you troubleshoot network problems, configure devices, and understand how your computer connects to a network. Windows 11 and Windows 10 provide several simple ways to check your local IP address.

This guide explains how to find your IP address through Windows Settings, Command Prompt, and PowerShell. It also explains how to check your public IP address.

Local IP Address vs. Public IP Address

Before checking your address, it helps to understand the difference between these two types:

  • Local IP address: Identifies your computer within your home, school, or office network. Common examples include addresses beginning with 192.168 or 10.
  • Public IP address: The address associated with your internet connection as seen by external services. Your internet provider or network setup determines how this address is assigned.

If you need to see the public address visible to websites, you can use the IPScope public IP lookup tool.

Method 1: Find Your IP Address in Windows Settings

This method works on Windows 11 and Windows 10, although the Settings layout may differ slightly.

  1. Open the Start menu.
  2. Select Settings.
  3. Open Network & internet.
  4. Select Wi-Fi if you are connected wirelessly, or Ethernet if you use a wired connection.
  5. Open your connected network or its properties.
  6. Look for the IPv4 address or IPv6 address entry.

The displayed address is assigned to your device on that network. If both IPv4 and IPv6 are listed, your computer may be using both protocols.

Method 2: Find Your IP Address Using Command Prompt

Command Prompt provides a quick way to display network configuration details.

  1. Press Windows + R on your keyboard.
  2. Type cmd and press Enter.
  3. In the Command Prompt window, enter:
ipconfig

Press Enter. Find the network adapter you are currently using, such as Wireless LAN adapter Wi-Fi or Ethernet adapter Ethernet.

Look for IPv4 Address or IPv6 Address. Ignore disconnected adapters unless you specifically need their configuration details.

Method 3: Use PowerShell

PowerShell can also display the IP addresses assigned to your Windows computer.

  1. Open the Start menu.
  2. Search for PowerShell or Windows Terminal.
  3. Open the application.
  4. Enter the following command:
Get-NetIPAddress

The output includes IP addresses and information about the network interfaces using them. To focus on IPv4 addresses, you can use:

Get-NetIPAddress -AddressFamily IPv4

Review the interface and address information to identify the connection you are using.

How to Check Your Public IP Address

The commands above usually show addresses assigned to your computer on its local network. They do not necessarily show the public IP address seen by websites.

To check your public IP address:

  1. Open a web browser.
  2. Visit the IPScope website.
  3. Look for the public IP address displayed by the lookup tool.

If you use a VPN or proxy, the public address shown by an external lookup service may belong to that service rather than your ordinary internet connection.

Common Problems and Troubleshooting

Several IP addresses appear

Your computer may have multiple network adapters, including Wi-Fi, Ethernet, VPN, virtual machine, or Bluetooth adapters. Check the adapter corresponding to your active connection.

The IP address starts with 192.168, 10, or 172.16–172.31

These ranges are commonly used for private IPv4 networks. Such an address is normal on many home and office networks and is not the same as your public IP address.

Your IP address changes

Many networks use dynamic IP addressing, which means an address can change when a device reconnects or when a network lease is renewed. A change does not automatically indicate a problem.

You see an IPv6 address instead of IPv4

Some networks support IPv6, the newer version of the Internet Protocol. A device can have both IPv4 and IPv6 addresses at the same time.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the fastest way to find my IP address on Windows?

Open Command Prompt and run ipconfig. Find the active network adapter and read its IPv4 or IPv6 address.

Does ipconfig show my public IP address?

Usually not. It typically displays addresses assigned to your computer's network interfaces. Use an external IP lookup service to see the public address visible to that service.

Is my local IP address the same as my router's IP address?

No. Your computer and router generally have different local IP addresses. The router commonly acts as the gateway between your local network and the internet.

Can my IP address reveal my exact home address?

An IP lookup may estimate a general geographic area, but it normally cannot reliably identify an exact home address. Results depend on the data source and network configuration.

Conclusion

You can find your Windows IP address through Settings, Command Prompt, or PowerShell. Use ipconfig for a quick check, and remember that your local IP address is different from the public address visible to websites.

For more networking explanations and practical lookup tools, visit IPScope.

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