How to find your printer's IP address
Find your printer's IP address from its screen, a network configuration page, Windows, macOS or your router's list of connected devices.
Every printer connected to your network by Wi-Fi or Ethernet gets an IP address: four numbers separated by dots, such as 192.168.1.45. You need it to add the printer manually, open its built-in settings page, or check it is on the same network as your computer. A USB-only printer has no network address.
Steps
On the printer
0 of 3 steps tried
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Check the printer's screen
On printers with a display, look for Network, Wireless, Wi-Fi or Settings, then open a status, summary or details page. Menu names vary by model, so if one menu doesn't show the address, try the others or tap the Wi-Fi icon on the home screen.
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Print a network configuration page
Most network printers can print a page listing their IP address, network name and connection status. On models with a screen, look under Reports, Print reports or the network menu. On models without a screen, this is usually done by pressing or holding a specific button for a few seconds; the manual or the manufacturer's support site says which one.
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Read the right line
Look for IPv4 address or IP address. Ignore the subnet mask (usually
255.255.255.0) and the gateway, which is your router's address. If the address starts with169.254or reads0.0.0.0, the printer hasn't been given a proper address by your router, which means it isn't fully connected to the network.
Windows 11 / 10
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Check the printer port
Open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners and select your printer (Windows 10: Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners, select the printer, then Manage). Choose Printer properties, then the Ports tab. If the ticked port is named with an IP address, that is the one in use; a WSD port means Windows found the printer automatically and doesn't show the address here.
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List printer ports with PowerShell
Right-click Start and choose Terminal or Windows PowerShell, then run the command below. It lists each printer port with the address behind it. Blank addresses usually belong to WSD or USB ports.
Get-PrinterPort | Format-Table Name, PrinterHostAddress -
Match the MAC address with arp
Send a small print job first so your PC has recently talked to the printer, then open Command Prompt and run
arp -a. It lists IP addresses next to physical (MAC) addresses. Find the printer's MAC address on its configuration page or a label on the printer, and read the IP address on the same line.arp -a -
Look in your router's device list
Sign in to your router's admin page or app and find its list of connected devices, often called Connected devices, Attached devices or DHCP clients. Printers usually appear with the maker's name or model number.
macOS
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Open the printer details
Choose Apple menu > System Settings > Printers & Scanners (on macOS 12 and earlier, System Preferences), select your printer and click Options & Supplies. If the General tab has a Show Printer Webpage button, click it; the address your browser opens is the printer's IP address or network name.
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Check the address in Terminal
Open Terminal from Applications > Utilities and run the command below. Each printer is listed with its device address. An address such as
ipp://192.168.1.45/ipp/printcontains the IP; one starting withdnssd://means the Mac found the printer by name, so use one of the other methods.lpstat -v -
Use arp or your router
The
arp -acommand works in Terminal too: match the printer's MAC address from its configuration page to an IP address in the list (macOS may drop leading zeros, so0acan appear asa). Your router's connected devices list works the same way as on Windows.
Tips
- Reserve the printer's address in your router (often called DHCP reservation or address reservation). A fixed address prevents many offline problems after the router restarts.
- Type the IP address into a web browser on the same network to open the printer's built-in settings page.
- If the printer's address starts quite differently from your computer's, they may be on different networks, such as a guest Wi-Fi.
Common questions
Why does my printer's IP address keep changing?
Most routers hand out addresses automatically and can give a device a different one after a restart. Reserving the address in your router, or setting a fixed address on the printer, keeps it the same.
What is the difference between an IP address and a MAC address?
The IP address is the network location your computer uses to reach the printer, and it can change. The MAC address is a fixed hardware ID, handy for spotting the printer in router and arp lists.
My printer shows an address starting with 169.254. What does that mean?
The printer couldn't get an address from your router and gave itself a temporary one. Other devices can't reach it until it reconnects properly, so restart the printer and router and check its Wi-Fi connection.