Private Wi-Fi Address on iPhone, Android and Windows: What It Does and When to Turn It Off

Open the Wi-Fi details on an iPhone and you will see a switch called Private Wi-Fi Address. Android has the same thing under the name randomized MAC, and Windows calls it random hardware addresses. It is a privacy feature, and in most cases you should leave it on — but it is also behind a few classic home-network problems: a device that keeps showing up as “new” in the router, a parental-control rule that stops working, a reserved IP address that does not stick. Here is what it does and when switching it off is the right fix.

What a Private Wi-Fi Address Is

Every network adapter has a hardware MAC address — a fixed identifier burned in by the manufacturer. On a local network the router uses it to tell devices apart: the device list, DHCP reservations, MAC filters and parental controls all key off this address.

A private Wi-Fi address replaces that hardware address with a randomly generated one. Apple describes it this way: your device identifies itself to each Wi-Fi network with a different address instead of its one hardware address, and may change that address over time. Your home router sees one address, the coffee-shop network sees another, the office a third.

It is not the same as your IP address. The private address only changes the MAC address that local networks see; your public IP address, which websites see, is assigned by your provider as usual. See what is my IP and what is a static IP address for that side.

What It Protects

A MAC address that never changes is an easy tracking key. Apple’s explanation is that a constant address lets network operators and observers link your activity and location over time — every hotspot you join sees the same identifier. With a different address per network, those sightings can no longer be tied together as easily.

On your own home network the privacy gain is small: you trust the router, and it is yours. That is why the feature matters most on public and shared networks, and why turning it off at home, for one network, is a reasonable choice when it causes trouble.

iPhone, iPad and Mac: Off, Fixed or Rotating

Apple added private addresses in iOS 14. Since iOS 18, iPadOS 18 and macOS Sequoia 15 there are three options per network:

So on a typical home network with WPA2 or WPA3, an iPhone uses one private address that stays the same — the router sees a stable address, just not the hardware one. Rotating is used on open networks, where tracking is more of a concern. Older iOS versions show a simple on/off switch instead.

To change it on iPhone: Settings → Wi-Fi → tap the i (More Info) button next to the network → Private Wi-Fi Address → Off, Fixed or Rotating. If you are not connected to that network, tap Edit first. On a Mac: Apple menu → System Settings → Wi-Fi → Details next to the network → the menu next to Private Wi-Fi Address.

Apple also lists when an address changes even on Fixed: after erasing the device or resetting network settings, and — on iOS 18 and later — when you forget a network, unless you last forgot it less than 24 hours earlier.

Android

Android randomizes MAC addresses by default as well. According to the Android Open Source Project documentation, the standard mode is persistent randomization: the address is derived from the network profile — its name and security type — and stays the same for that network until a factory reset. Forgetting and re-adding the network does not give a new address. Android 12 added a non-persistent mode that generates a new address on new connections, but only for some networks, such as certain open Wi-Fi networks or ones configured by an app.

You can turn it off per network. On Pixel and stock Android the path is roughly: Settings → Network & internet → Internet or Wi-Fi → the gear next to the network → Privacy → Use device MAC (the default is Use randomized MAC). Samsung and other makers word the menu a little differently, but it is always in the details of that one network.

Windows

Windows calls the feature random hardware addresses. Microsoft explains the reason: while scanning for networks, a PC sends out its hardware address, and places such as shopping malls and stores might use it to track your movement. There are two controls. For all networks, open Settings → Network & internet → Wi-Fi and turn on Random hardware addresses; the PC then uses random addresses while it scans and connects. For one network, go to Settings → Network & internet → Wi-Fi → Manage known networks, choose the network and turn the switch on there — it takes effect the next time you connect. Microsoft notes that this works only if your Wi-Fi hardware supports it.

When to Turn It Off

Leave it on for public and work-guest networks. Consider turning it off for your home network only when one of these applies:

• Parental controls or schedules stop working on a child’s device after it gets a new private address — routers apply those rules by MAC address. See router parental controls and blocking websites.
• A DHCP reservation or static lease does not stick, so the device’s IP keeps changing and port forwarding breaks; see how to port forward.
• MAC filtering is enabled on the router and the device is refused.
• The device list fills with duplicates of the same phone, which makes it hard to check who is connected to your Wi-Fi.
• The device cannot join the network or has no internet after joining. Apple lists this as the main reason to turn the feature off, and recommends installing the latest updates and trying again first. See also iPhone not connecting to Wi-Fi.

On an iPhone with iOS 18, Fixed already solves most of these, because the address no longer changes. If the router needs the real hardware address — strict MAC filtering, for example — choose Off for that network. Remember to update the rule in the router afterwards: when you switch, the router sees a new address for the device.