To communicate with a Wi-Fi network, a device must identify itself to the network using a unique network address called a media access control (MAC) address. If the device always uses the same Wi-Fi MAC address across all networks, network operators and other network observers can more easily relate that address to the device's network activity and location over time. This allows a kind of user tracking or profiling, and it applies to all devices on all Wi-Fi networks.

To reduce this privacy risk, iOS 14, iPadOS 14, and watchOS 7 use a different MAC address for each Wi-Fi network. This unique, static MAC address is your device's private Wi-Fi address for that network only.

Apple Mac Address Range

Join Wi-Fi networks with a private address

Using a private Wi-Fi address doesn't affect how you join or use most Wi-Fi networks. Connect to Wi-Fi as you normally do.

Click the Apple icon in the top left corner. Select System Preferences. Click Advanced in the bottom right corner. You've found your MAC Address! Apple Laptop Guide. MAC Address or media access control address is a unique ID assigned to network interface cards (NICs). It is also known as a physical or hardware address. It identifies the hardware manufacturer and is used for network communication between devices in a network segment. MAC Address usually consists of six groups of two hexadecimal digits.

• If your Wi-Fi router is configured to notify you whenever a new device joins the network, you will be notified when your device first joins with a private address.
• If a network can't use a private address to provide parental controls or identify your device as authorized to join, you can stop using a private address with that network.
• Rarely, a network might allow you to join with a private address, but won't allow internet access. If that happens, you can stop using a private address with that network.

Turn private address off or on for a network

Mac Address For Apple Iphone

You can stop or resume using a private address with any network. For better privacy, leave the setting on for all networks that support it.

iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

1. Open the Settings app, then tap Wi-Fi.
2. Tap the information button next to a network.
3. Tap Private Address. If your device joined the network without using a private address, a privacy warning explains why.
   

Apple Watch

1. Open the Settings app, then tap Wi-Fi.
2. Tap the name of the network you joined. If you haven't joined the network yet, swipe left on its name and tap more .
   
3. Tap Private Address.
   

Learn more

• If you erase all content and settings from your device, or you use the Reset Network Settings feature, your device will use a different private Wi-Fi address the next time it connects to the Wi-Fi network.

Review these scenarios to see which one applies to you:

• If you created an iCloud account on or after September 19, 2012, your email address ends with @icloud.com. Learn more about @icloud.com mail addresses.
• If you created an iCloud account before September 19, 2012, or moved to iCloud with an active MobileMe account before August 1, 2012, you have both @me.com and @icloud.com email addresses.
• If you had a working @mac.com email address as of July 9, 2008, kept your MobileMe account active, and moved to iCloud before August 1, 2012, you can use @icloud.com, @me.com, and @mac.com email addresses with your iCloud account.

In each case, you can sign in to iCloud with either your @icloud.com email address or the Apple ID that you use with your iCloud account.

If you created one or more email aliases for your account, be aware of the following:

Find Device Using Mac Address

• You can change or delete an email alias, but if you delete an @mac.com or @me.com email alias, you can't add it back to your iCloud account.
• You can't sign in to iCloud.com with an email alias. Sign in with your @icloud.com email address or the Apple ID that you use with your iCloud account.