Steps to Locate Your MAC Address in Windows 11
Honestly, tracking down your MAC address in Windows 11 isn’t as simple as clicking a button or opening a specific file. It’s a bit tucked away, but once you get the hang of it, it’s pretty straightforward. I came across this when troubleshooting some network hiccups and needed to find my device’s unique MAC address — that string of characters that acts like a digital fingerprint for your network adapter.
Typically, most people don’t think about their MAC address unless they’re setting up MAC filtering on their router or dealing with specialised network configurations. But it’s good to have on hand, especially if your router or firewall uses MAC addresses to recognise devices. Plus, some security software or enterprise setups rely on it. Knowing how to find it saved me a fair few headaches.
Accessing Network Settings
This is where I initially got stuck. The quickest way I found is to press Windows key + I, which opens the Settings menu directly — no digging through menus required. From there, look for the Network & internet section. Sometimes it’s called just that, or under a subheading like Wireless & network. Most recent Windows 11 updates keep it pretty consistent — at least in my experience. Just click around within that section.
Viewing Advanced Network Details
Once inside Network & internet, scroll down and find “Advanced network settings”. It might not be immediately obvious — it could be tucked under a Related settings dropdown or labelled as More options. If things seem a bit confusing, look out for links like Hardware and connection properties. That’s usually where Windows neatly lists all network interface details, including MAC addresses.
Important: if your device has multiple network adapters — like Wi-Fi and Ethernet — make sure to select the correct one. Since it lists all adapters, you could accidentally copy the wrong MAC address if you’re not careful. Take a moment to verify you’re looking at the right connection.
Finding the MAC Address
Once you’re in Hardware and connection properties, scroll down. You’ll see a lot of info — IP address, subnet mask, default gateway, and so on. The MAC address, labelled as Physical address (MAC) in Windows, is usually near the bottom of that list. It appears as Physical address (MAC). Format-wise, it looks like six pairs of characters separated by colons or hyphens — for example, 00:1A:2B:3C:4D:5E. Don’t worry — it’s always a string of six pairs.
Sometimes, Microsoft’s UI is a bit sneaky about hiding it, so it helps to do a quick scan. If you want to copy it, just highlight the address with your mouse and press Ctrl + C. That’s the MAC address you’ll need for network setup or troubleshooting.
Why Your MAC Address Matters & Next Steps
This isn’t just tech geek stuff — it can come in handy pretty often. For instance, many networks use MAC filtering, where only devices with approved MAC addresses can connect. If you’re reconfiguring your router or troubleshooting why a device won’t connect, having that MAC address ready is a real help.
And if things get tricky, command-line tools are your mates. Open Command Prompt or PowerShell and run commands like getmac /v /fo list, which will list all MAC addresses on your system. Or, use ipconfig /all for a broader view — the MACs will appear as Physical Address. That way, you can double-check without digging through menus.
To wrap it up: In Windows 11, find your MAC address by pressing Windows key + I to open Settings, navigate to Network & internet, then click on Advanced network settings. Inside that, select Hardware and connection properties, and scroll down to see the Physical address (MAC). It can be a bit of a treasure hunt, especially after updates, but it’s worth knowing how to locate it easily. Hope this helps save you the hours I spent figuring it out — especially late at night!