🌐 What Is My IP
By Shihab Mia · Updated 2026-06-27
IPv6: -
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Fetching your public IP address...
What is my IP? This tool answers that in one look: it shows the public IP address your device presents to the internet, fetched the moment the page loads. Below your address you also get the browser, platform, language, screen resolution, timezone and connection details that any website can read locally. It is free, needs no sign-up, and the lookup happens right in your browser.
What is the What Is My IP?
An IP address is the numeric label that identifies your device on a network so that data can find its way back to you. When you ask "what is my IP", you almost always mean your public IP address: the single address your router shows to the wider internet, assigned to you by your Internet Service Provider (ISP). Every website you visit, every email server you connect to, and every app that talks to the internet sees this public address as the return label on your requests.
There are two kinds of IP address in common use. IPv4 looks like 203.0.113.42, four numbers from 0 to 255 separated by dots, and it has been the backbone of the internet since the 1980s. Because the world ran out of fresh IPv4 addresses, IPv6 was introduced: a much longer format like 2001:0db8:85a3::8a2e:0370:7334 that provides an almost unlimited supply. Many networks now run both at once, which is why this tool checks for an IPv6 address as well as your IPv4 one.
It also helps to know the difference between a public and a private IP address. Inside your home or office, your router hands each device a private address (often starting 192.168. or 10.) that is only meaningful on your local network. The router then translates all of that traffic onto one shared public IP using a process called NAT (Network Address Translation). So when you check my IP here, you see the public address, not the private one your laptop or phone uses behind the router.
How does this tool find your public IP address? It cannot read it directly from your browser, because the browser only knows your private, local address. Instead it makes a tiny request to a public IP lookup service (the free, well-known ipify API). That service simply reads the source address of the incoming request, the same public IP every server sees, and sends it straight back. No account, no tracking pixel, and no database lookup of who you are is involved in that step.
The browser and device details shown underneath are different again: those are read entirely on your own machine with no network call at all. Your user agent, platform, language, screen size, timezone and whether cookies are enabled are all values your browser already exposes to any page through standard JavaScript. We display them so you can see exactly what a website learns about your setup the instant you arrive, which is useful for privacy awareness, testing and debugging.
When to use it
- Quickly answering "what is my IP address" before configuring a firewall, allowlist or remote-access rule that needs your current public IP.
- Checking whether a VPN or proxy is actually working by confirming the public IP it shows is different from your real one.
- Giving your IP address to an IT admin or game host who needs to whitelist you, without digging through router settings.
- Verifying that your ISP has given you a fresh IPv4 or that IPv6 connectivity is enabled on your network.
- Debugging geolocation, language or timezone issues by seeing the exact browser and device details a website reads.
- Confirming your connection is online and which network you are presenting to the internet from a new location.
How to use the What Is My IP
- Open the page. The tool automatically asks "what is my IP" for you and displays your public IPv4 address at the top.
- If your network supports it, your IPv6 address appears on the line just below the IPv4 one.
- Use the Copy button next to an address to put it on your clipboard for a form, email or config file.
- Scroll down to read the browser and device details, which are gathered locally with no network request.
- Press Refresh at any time (for example after connecting or disconnecting a VPN) to look up your IP address again.
- If the lookup fails, check your internet connection or disable any ad or script blocker, then press Refresh.
Formula & method
Worked examples
A user on a normal home broadband connection asks "what is my IP" on page load.
- The page loads and immediately calls https://api.ipify.org?format=json.
- ipify reads the source address of the request and returns {"ip":"203.0.113.42"}.
- The tool shows 203.0.113.42 as the public IPv4 address.
- A second call to api64 returns the same IPv4, so no separate IPv6 line is shown (this network is IPv4 only).
Result: Public IPv4 address 203.0.113.42 is displayed with a Copy button; no IPv6 is available.
A user on a dual-stack network with IPv6 enabled checks their IP address.
- The IPv4 call returns {"ip":"198.51.100.7"}, shown as the main address.
- The api64 call returns an address containing colons, for example 2001:db8:85a3::8a2e:370:7334.
- Because that value contains colons and differs from the IPv4, the tool treats it as IPv6.
- Both addresses are shown, each with its own Copy button.
Result: IPv4 198.51.100.7 and IPv6 2001:db8:85a3::8a2e:370:7334 are both displayed.
A user turns on a VPN and presses Refresh to confirm it is working.
- Before the VPN, the tool showed the ISP-assigned public IP, say 203.0.113.42.
- After connecting the VPN, the user presses Refresh.
- The lookup now returns the VPN exit-node address, for example 45.83.91.10.
- The displayed IP address has changed, confirming traffic is routed through the VPN.
Result: The public IP address changes from 203.0.113.42 to 45.83.91.10, proving the VPN is active.
IPv4 vs IPv6 at a glance
| Property | IPv4 | IPv6 |
|---|---|---|
| Example | 203.0.113.42 | 2001:db8:85a3::8a2e:370:7334 |
| Length | 32-bit | 128-bit |
| Format | Four numbers (0 to 255) split by dots | Eight groups of hex split by colons |
| Address pool | About 4.3 billion (exhausted) | About 340 undecillion |
| Introduced | 1981 | 1998 |
Public vs private IP address ranges
| Type | Typical range | Where it is used |
|---|---|---|
| Private (Class A) | 10.0.0.0 to 10.255.255.255 | Inside your local network |
| Private (Class B) | 172.16.0.0 to 172.31.255.255 | Inside your local network |
| Private (Class C) | 192.168.0.0 to 192.168.255.255 | Home and small office routers |
| Loopback | 127.0.0.1 | Your own device (localhost) |
| Public | Everything else routable | Seen by the wider internet |
Common mistakes to avoid
- Confusing your public IP with your private IP. The address your laptop shows in its network settings (often 192.168.x.x) is a private, local address. It is not what websites see. When someone asks "what is my IP" for an allowlist or firewall, they almost always need the public IP shown here, not the private one.
- Assuming your IP address never changes. Most home connections use a dynamic public IP that your ISP can change when the router restarts or the lease renews. If you allowlisted an old address, it may stop working. Re-check your IP address and update the rule when access suddenly fails.
- Thinking an IP address pinpoints your exact location. An IP can suggest a rough city or region, but it does not reveal your street address or identity. Geolocation by IP is an estimate based on your ISP, and it is often off by miles or attributed to the ISP hub rather than you.
- Forgetting a VPN or proxy changes the answer. If a VPN, proxy or corporate network is active, the IP address shown is the exit point of that service, not your real home IP. That is the whole point of a VPN, but it surprises people who expected their own address.
- Expecting an IPv6 address on every network. Many ISPs and mobile networks are still IPv4 only. If no IPv6 line appears, your network simply does not offer IPv6, which is normal and not an error.
Glossary
- IP address
- A numeric label assigned to a device on a network so data can be routed to and from it. It is the answer to "what is my IP".
- Public IP address
- The single internet-facing address your router presents to every website, assigned by your ISP. This is what the tool shows.
- Private IP address
- A local address (such as 192.168.1.5) used only inside your own network and not visible to the wider internet.
- IPv4
- The older 32-bit address format written as four numbers split by dots, for example 203.0.113.42.
- IPv6
- The newer 128-bit address format written as groups of hexadecimal split by colons, created because IPv4 addresses ran out.
- ISP
- Internet Service Provider, the company that connects you to the internet and assigns your public IP address.
- NAT
- Network Address Translation, the router process that lets many private devices share one public IP address.
- User agent
- A string your browser sends and exposes that identifies the browser, version and operating system you are using.
Frequently asked questions
What is my IP address right now?
Your current public IP address is shown at the top of this page. The tool looks it up automatically when the page loads, so the number you see is the live public IP your network is presenting to the internet at this moment. Press Refresh to check it again.
What is my IP and why does every website see it?
Your public IP address is the return label on every request your device sends. Websites need it so their replies can find their way back to you. That is why any site you visit can read the same public IP this tool displays, although it cannot see your private, in-home address.
Is this what is my IP tool free to use?
Yes, it is completely free with no sign-up, no limits and no charge. The lookup uses a free public IP service, and the browser and device details are read locally in your browser at no cost.
Where does the IP address data come from, and is my privacy safe?
The public IP is fetched from the free, well-known ipify API, which simply reflects the source address of your request straight back and stores no personal profile of you. The browser details (user agent, platform, language, screen, timezone, cookies) are read entirely on your own device with no network call. We do not log, store or sell your IP address.
What is the difference between IPv4 and IPv6?
IPv4 is the older format like 203.0.113.42 with about 4.3 billion possible addresses, which have run out. IPv6 is the newer, much longer format like 2001:db8::1 with a virtually unlimited supply. Many networks run both, so this tool shows your IPv6 address too when it is available.
How do I find my IP address on this page?
You do not have to do anything. To find your IP address, just open the page and read the large number at the top. Use the Copy button to grab it, and press Refresh if you changed networks or connected a VPN.
Why is my IP address different from the one in my computer settings?
The address in your computer or phone settings (often starting 192.168 or 10) is a private, local address used only inside your network. This tool shows your public IP, the single address your router presents to the internet. They are meant to be different.
Does my IP address show my exact location or name?
No. An IP address can suggest a rough region or city through geolocation, but it does not reveal your street address, name or identity. The estimate is based on your ISP and is frequently inaccurate by a wide margin.
Why did my public IP address change?
Most home connections use a dynamic IP that your ISP can reassign when the router reboots or the address lease renews. If you connect through a VPN or proxy, the shown IP is that service exit point instead. Both are normal reasons the address can change.
Can I use this to check whats my IP behind a VPN?
Yes. Connect your VPN, then press Refresh. If the VPN is working, the displayed public IP will change to the VPN server address rather than your real one, which is a quick way to confirm the VPN is routing your traffic.