What Is My Local IP Address? How to Find It on Any Device

Quick answer: Your local IP address is usually the private address that identifies your phone or computer inside the Wi-Fi, office, or other local network it has joined. It often looks like 192.168.1.23, 10.0.0.5, or an address from 172.16.0.0 through 172.31.255.255.

This is different from your public IP, which websites see, and from a loopback address such as 127.0.0.1, which refers only to the device itself.

Local, public, and loopback IP addresses

The word “local” is sometimes used loosely, so first identify which address you actually need:

203.0.113.25 is a documentation-only example, not the public IP of this site or your connection.

If someone asks for your “local IP” to connect to a printer, game server, shared folder, or development server on the same Wi-Fi, they almost always mean the private / LAN IP.

How to find your local IP address

Windows

Open Command Prompt and run:

ipconfig

Find the active Wireless LAN adapter or Ethernet adapter, then read its IPv4 Address. Ignore disconnected adapters and 127.0.0.1.

macOS

Open System Settings → Network, select the connected Wi-Fi or Ethernet service, and view its details. You can also use Terminal:

ipconfig getifaddr en0

en0 is commonly Wi-Fi on a Mac, but interface names can vary. If this prints nothing, run ifconfig and inspect the active interface.

Linux

Open a terminal and run:

ip -brief address

Look for an interface marked UP, such as wlan0, wlp2s0, eth0, or enp3s0. The address before /24, /16, or another prefix is the local IP.

iPhone or iPad

Open Settings → Wi-Fi, tap the information button beside the connected network, and find IP Address under the IPv4 section.

Android

Open Settings → Network & internet or Connections → Wi-Fi, select the current network, and open its details. Menu names vary by manufacturer; look for IP address rather than gateway or router.

How to recognise the result

The three standard IPv4 private ranges are:

• 10.0.0.0/8 — 10.0.0.0 through 10.255.255.255
• 172.16.0.0/12 — 172.16.0.0 through 172.31.255.255
• 192.168.0.0/16 — 192.168.0.0 through 192.168.255.255

An address beginning with 172 is not automatically private; its second number must be between 16 and 31. IPv6 local networks may also use Unique Local Addresses beginning with fc or fd. See the complete private IP range guide for boundaries and examples.

Why does my device show several local IP addresses?

One device can have multiple network interfaces and therefore multiple addresses:

• Wi-Fi and Ethernet each have their own address.
• A VPN creates a virtual interface and may add another private IP.
• Docker, virtual machines, and other development tools create internal networks.
• IPv4 and IPv6 can operate at the same time.
• A phone can have separate Wi-Fi and cellular addresses.

Choose the address on the interface connected to the network where the other device or service lives. To reach a laptop from another device on home Wi-Fi, for example, use the laptop’s Wi-Fi address rather than a Docker or VPN address.

Why is my local IP different from the address shown by a website?

Your router normally uses Network Address Translation (NAT). Devices keep separate private addresses inside the LAN, while internet traffic leaves through a public address shared by the network. A VPN or proxy can replace that visible exit address again.

The public value below is a documentation-only example:

Laptop on Wi-Fi:       192.168.1.23  (local / private)
Router or VPN exit:    203.0.113.25  (public)
This device itself:    127.0.0.1     (loopback)

Use What is my IP? when you need the public IPv4 currently visible to websites.

Is localhost my local IP address?

Not in the usual LAN sense. localhost normally resolves to 127.0.0.1 for IPv4 or ::1 for IPv6. It lets software connect back to the same device and cannot be used by another phone or computer to reach yours.

Opening http://localhost:3000 on your phone asks the phone itself for port 3000; it does not ask your laptop. To reach a development server on the laptop, the service must listen on an appropriate network interface, and the phone must use the laptop’s private IP, such as http://192.168.1.23:3000.

For the full distinction between localhost, 127.0.0.1, and ::1, read The Loopback IP Range Explained.

What if the local IP does not work?

Check these common causes:

1. Wrong network interface: You copied a VPN, container, or disconnected adapter address instead of Wi-Fi or Ethernet.
2. Different networks: Both devices must normally be on the same LAN unless routing or a VPN connects them.
3. Service bound only to loopback: A server listening only on 127.0.0.1 cannot accept connections through the device’s LAN address.
4. Firewall rules: The operating system or router may block the destination port.
5. Address changed: DHCP can assign a new local IP after reconnecting or restarting the router.
6. Self-assigned address: An address beginning with 169.254 often means the device could not obtain a normal IPv4 address from DHCP.

Avoid exposing a development server or database to the whole network unless necessary. Use authentication, keep the software updated, and close the port when testing is complete.

Local IP address FAQ

Summary

Your local IP usually means the private address assigned to the active Wi-Fi or Ethernet interface. Use it for communication inside the LAN; use your public IP to identify the internet-facing connection; and use 127.0.0.1 or ::1 only for communication within the same device.