How to find, change your MAC address on your Apple PC: A step-by-step guide

A MAC address or Media Access Control address is a unique code that is assigned to the network interface of a computer. On Mac, this code belongs to the WiFi or Ethernet card that is inside the machine. Every device has a different MAC address because if two devices on the same network have the same MAC address, the network will get confused and not work properly.  Also Read: Three iPhones Instead Of Four In 2026? Here’s Why IDC Says It Might Happen

Since the MAC address is fixed and tied to the hardware, it is often used to block a certain device from using the network. For instance, in home WiFi, users can configure their router to only let specific MAC addresses join, so even if someone knows a WiFi password, but their MAC address is not allowed, they cannot use the network.  Also Read: iPhone 16 Price Drops By Rs 17,000 On Amazon: Check New Price And Deal Details

If you want to bypass a router that has rejected your Mac’s MAC address, here is a step-by-step guide on how to find and change the MAC address on your Mac. Also Read: Apple Unlikely To Follow Govt’s Order To Preload Sanchar Saathi On iPhones: What We Know

A step-by-step guide on how to find and change MAC address on your Apple PC

How to find MAC address on your Apple PC

Step 1: To find your MAC address, press the Alt or Option key on your keyboard and click the Wi-Fi icon on the top bar of the macOS. 

Step 2: Look for the MAC address in the Wi-Fi part of the menu that appears.

Note down the Interface name too and save both of these for future reference.

How to change your MAC address

Step 1: Open the in-built Terminal app on the macOS.

Step 2: To generate a random MAC address enter the following line and press Enter. 

openssl rand -hex 6 | sed ‘s/\(..\)/\1:/g; s/.$//’

A hexadecimal number will appear in the next line.

Step 3: Disconnect your internet connection.

Step 4: Enter the following line into Terminal and hit Enter. Replace <interface name> with the Interface name. Replace <MAC address> with the Mac address created by Terminal in step 2.

sudo ifconfig <interface name> ether <MAC address>

After you type your Mac’s password, your MAC address will change. You can join a Wi-Fi network again.