You can change IP address on Mac settings in several ways: renew the DHCP lease, assign a manual IP, restart your router, switch networks, or connect through a VPN. Every Mac has at least two IP addresses at any given moment: a private IP used inside your local network and a public IP that websites see. Which method works depends on which one you actually need to change, and this guide covers both, in the order most people need them.
Before You Change It: Know Which IP Address You Mean
A Mac’s IP address is either a private IP, assigned by a router for use inside a local network, or a public IP, assigned by an internet service provider (ISP) and visible to external websites. The method that changes one does not automatically change the other. Confirming which one you need to change first prevents wasted steps.
Public IP vs Private IP
| Attribute | Private IP | Public IP |
| Assigned by | Router (via DHCP) | Internet Service Provider (ISP) |
| Visible to | Devices on the same local network | Websites and services on the internet |
| Changed by | Network settings, router, DHCP renewal | Router restart, VPN, ISP, network switch |
| Typical format | e.g. 192.168.x.x, 10.x.x.x | Assigned externally by the ISP |
| Common use case | File sharing, printers, local network routing | Browsing, streaming, external connections |
IPv4 vs IPv6
IPv4 and IPv6 are two internet addressing protocols a Mac can use at the same time, and a Mac’s IPv4 address and IPv6 address are assigned and change independently of each other. IPv4 uses a shorter numeric format (e.g. 192.168.1.5), while IPv6 uses a longer alphanumeric format designed to support more total addresses. A network, router, or ISP may support one, the other, or both simultaneously.
How to Check Your Current IP Address on Mac
A Mac’s current IP address can be checked in two places: System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS versions) for the private IP, and a browser or Terminal command for the public IP. Checking both before making changes gives a baseline to confirm afterward whether anything actually changed.
Find Your Private IP in macOS
The private IP in macOS is listed under System Settings, then Network, then the active connection, then Details, then TCP/IP.
- Open System Settings (System Preferences on macOS Monterey and earlier).
- Click Network, then select the active connection (Wi-Fi or Ethernet).
- Click Details (or Advanced on older versions), then TCP/IP.
- The private IPv4 address is listed under “IPv4 Address”; IPv6 addresses appear under the IPv6 section if enabled.
The same information is available in Terminal with ipconfig getifaddr en0 (for Wi-Fi on most modern Macs) or networksetup -getinfo Wi-Fi.
Find the Public IP Seen by Websites
The public IP is not shown in System Settings; it must be checked through a service that reports the address it sees from outside the local network. A browser search for “what is my IP” or a Terminal command such as curl ifconfig.me returns the current public IP. This is the address a website, streaming service, or remote server sees when the Mac connects to it.
Tip: Check both the private and public IP before making any change. Without a baseline, it’s hard to confirm afterward whether the address actually changed or stayed the same.
How to Change Your Private IP Address
A Mac’s private IP address can be changed by renewing the DHCP lease, assigning an address manually, or connecting to a different network. All three methods affect only the local IP used inside the current network; none of them changes the public IP that external websites see.
Renew the DHCP Lease
Renewing the DHCP lease asks the router to reassign an IP address to the Mac, which may return the same address or a different one depending on availability.
- Open System Settings, then Network, select the active connection, and click Details.
- Go to the TCP/IP tab.
- Click Renew DHCP Lease.
The router may issue the same address again if it is still marked as available, or a different one if it has been reassigned. This can also be done in Terminal with sudo ipconfig set en0 DHCP.
Assign an IP Address Manually
A manual IP address is assigned in System Settings, then Network, then Details, then TCP/IP by switching from automatic DHCP to a fixed address within the router’s valid range.
- Open System Settings, then Network, then Details, then TCP/IP.
- Change Configure IPv4 from “Using DHCP” to “Manually.”
- Enter an IP address within the router’s valid range, along with the subnet mask and router address.
A manually assigned address must be outside the router’s DHCP pool to avoid conflicting with another device. This method requires knowing the router’s subnet configuration in advance.
Connect to a Different Network
Joining a different Wi-Fi network or plugging into a different Ethernet connection assigns a new private IP from that network’s router. This is the simplest method for most users, since it requires no manual configuration. The new private IP applies only while connected to that specific network.
How to Change Your Public IP Address
A Mac’s public IP address can be changed by restarting the router or modem, switching to a different network or mobile hotspot, connecting through a VPN, or requesting a new address from the ISP. Which methods work depends on how the ISP assigns addresses: some ISPs reassign public IPs on reconnect, while others keep the same address for extended periods regardless of restarts.
Reconnect Your Router or Internet Connection
Power-cycling the router or modem can release the current public IP lease with the ISP and request a new one on reconnect. Whether this results in a different address depends on the ISP’s DHCP lease policy; some ISPs reassign a new IP immediately, others return the same one if it hasn’t been reassigned to another customer. This method does not work for ISPs that use static public IP assignments.
Switch to Another Wi-Fi Network or Mobile Hotspot
Connecting through a different internet connection entirely, such as a mobile hotspot or a different Wi-Fi network, changes the public IP because it originates from a different ISP or a different account. This is a reliable way to get a different public IP without depending on the home ISP’s reassignment behavior. It requires access to a genuinely separate internet connection.
Use a VPN
Connecting through a VPN replaces the public IP that websites see with the IP address of the VPN server, without requiring any change to the router, ISP, or local network settings. This works regardless of whether the ISP reassigns addresses on restart. It only changes the public-facing IP; the private IP assigned by the local router stays the same.
Changing the visible public IP is not the same as being anonymous online: cookies, browser fingerprinting, and account logins can still identify a user regardless of which IP address a website sees. For how IP visibility relates to broader privacy, see does a VPN hide your IP address on Mac?.
Tip: A VPN is the only method on this list that changes the public IP on demand, without needing to restart hardware or contact the ISP. For choosing a specific server region rather than just any new IP, see how to change VPN location on Mac.
Request a Different Address From Your ISP
Some ISPs allow customers to request a different public IP address directly, either through account settings or by contacting support. This depends entirely on the ISP’s policies: not all providers support on-demand IP reassignment, and some charge for a static IP or offer it only on business-tier plans. Contacting the ISP is the only way to confirm what’s available on a specific plan.
How to Verify That the IP Address Changed
Confirming an IP address change means re-checking the same private and public IP values recorded before the change and comparing them. A change to one does not confirm a change to the other, so both should be checked separately after any method used above.
Check the Private IP After the Change
Return to System Settings, then Network, then Details, then TCP/IP and compare the listed IPv4 address to the one recorded earlier. If it’s identical, the router likely reassigned the same address from its DHCP pool rather than a new one.
Check the Public IP After the Change
Recheck the public IP using the same method used earlier (browser search or curl ifconfig.me) and compare it to the original value. If a VPN was used, the address shown should match the VPN server’s IP rather than the ISP-assigned one.
Check IPv4 and IPv6 Separately
Because IPv4 and IPv6 addresses are assigned independently, a change to one does not guarantee a change to the other. Both should be checked individually in System Settings and through a public IP checker that reports each protocol separately.
Why Your IP Address May Not Change
An IP address sometimes stays the same after following these steps because DHCP reassigns the same value, the ISP keeps the same public address regardless of reconnection, or a VPN was expected to change an address it doesn’t affect. Each of these has a specific, identifiable cause rather than indicating a fault.
DHCP Assigns the Same Address Again
A router’s DHCP server frequently reassigns the last-used address to the same device if that address is still marked available. This is normal behavior, not a malfunction, and does not indicate the renewal process failed.
Your ISP Keeps the Same Public IP
Many ISPs assign a public IP with a long lease duration, meaning it can remain the same for days or weeks even after a router restart. Some ISPs also use effectively static public IPs on residential plans. Neither case can be resolved through router restarts alone.
A VPN Changes the Public IP but Not the Local IP
A VPN connection changes only the public IP visible to external websites; the private IP shown in System Settings remains assigned by the local router and does not change. Seeing the same private IP address with a VPN connected is expected behavior, not a sign the VPN isn’t working.
How to Fix Connection Problems After Changing the IP
Connection problems that appear after changing an IP address are usually caused by an address conflict, a subnet mismatch, or an interrupted DHCP configuration, and are generally resolved by restoring automatic settings or reconnecting the network.
Resolve an IP Address Conflict
macOS shows an explicit “IP Address Conflict” alert when two devices on the same network are assigned the same address, typically after a manual IP was set without checking the router’s DHCP range. Renewing the DHCP lease or choosing a different manual address outside that range resolves it.
Check the Subnet Mask and Router Address
A manually configured IP that doesn’t match the network’s subnet mask or router address will prevent the connection from working correctly. These values must match the network’s actual configuration, which is visible on a device already connected successfully via DHCP.
Restore Automatic DHCP Settings
Switching Configure IPv4 back to “Using DHCP” in System Settings, then Network, then Details, then TCP/IP removes any manual configuration and lets the router assign settings automatically. This resolves most connectivity issues introduced by manual IP configuration.
Reconnect Wi-Fi or Ethernet
Disconnecting and reconnecting to the network, or removing and re-adding the Wi-Fi network in System Settings, forces macOS to request a fresh full network configuration from the router. This is a lower-risk troubleshooting step than manually re-entering network values.
Common Misunderstandings About Changing an IP on Mac
Several assumptions about IP addresses lead to confusion after making a change on a Mac: that a new IP moves your location, that DNS and IP are the same setting, or that changing one type of IP automatically changes the other. Clearing these up prevents troubleshooting time spent chasing a problem that doesn’t actually exist.
Changing an IP Does Not Change Your Physical Location
An IP address is associated with a general geographic region tied to the ISP or VPN server assigning it, not the Mac’s actual physical location. Changing the IP shown to websites does not move the device, and any location a website infers from the IP is only as accurate as the ISP or VPN server’s registered location.
Changing DNS Does Not Change Your IP Address
DNS settings control how domain names are translated into IP addresses for the sites being visited; they do not change the IP address assigned to the Mac itself. Changing a DNS server is a separate setting from changing an IP address, and doing one does not accomplish the other.
A Private IP Change Does Not Automatically Change Your Public IP
Renewing a DHCP lease, assigning a manual local IP, or reconnecting Wi-Fi only affects the private IP used inside the local network. The public IP, assigned by the ISP or replaced by a VPN, requires one of the public IP methods described above; it does not change as a side effect of a private IP change.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does restarting a Mac change its IP address?
Restarting a Mac alone does not typically change its IP address, since the router usually reassigns the same private IP from its DHCP pool. The public IP is controlled by the router’s connection to the ISP, not by restarting the Mac itself.
Can you change an IP address on Mac for free?
Yes. Renewing a DHCP lease, assigning a manual IP, restarting a router, or connecting to a different network are all built into macOS and require no paid tool. A VPN is an additional method for changing the public IP specifically, and free VPN options exist alongside paid ones.
Is it safe to change an IP address manually?
Manually assigning an IP address is safe as long as the address, subnet mask, and router address match the network’s actual configuration and the chosen address is outside the router’s DHCP range. An incorrectly configured manual IP can cause connection loss or an address conflict, but it does not damage the Mac.
Can you choose any IP address for your Mac?
Only within the range and rules the local network’s router allows. An arbitrary address outside the correct subnet, or one already assigned to another device, will not work or will cause a conflict. Public IP addresses cannot be freely chosen; they’re assigned by the ISP or, in the case of a VPN, by the VPN server connected to.
Is a static IP better than a dynamic IP?
Neither is universally better. A static IP stays constant and can help with tasks like hosting or remote access, while a dynamic IP is reassigned automatically and requires no manual maintenance. Which is preferable depends on the specific use case, not a general advantage of one over the other.
Can two devices use the same IP address?
Two devices cannot use the same IP address on the same local network at the same time without causing a conflict that macOS will flag. Devices on different networks can have the same private IP (e.g., two different homes both using 192.168.1.5) without any conflict, since those networks don’t interact directly.