MAC address (Media Access Control) is a unique identifier for the network interface of your smartphone, which is assigned at the production stage. It is needed to identify a device in local networks, bind to routers, set up traffic filtering or diagnose connections. On Android this address may be needed when setting up corporate Wi-Fi, connecting to secure networks, or even to restore access to some services.

Unlike the IP address, which can change, MAC address remains constant (if it has not been changed programmatically). However, on modern smartphones there may be several of them: separate for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet (on supported models) and even for the mobile network. In this article, we will look at how to quickly find the desired address on any device - from budget Redmi to flagship Samsung Galaxy or Google Pixel.

1. Standard method: through Android settings

The easiest method is to use the built-in system settings. It works on all versions Android from 6.0 and later, including the latest updates Android 14. The interface may differ slightly depending on the shell (MIUI, One UI, ColorOS etc.), but the general principle is the same.

Open the application Settings and follow these steps:

  • 📶 Go to the section Network and Internet (or Connections on Samsung).
  • 🔗 Select Wi-Fi → click on the three dots (⋮) in the upper right corner → Advanced or Wi-Fi settings.
  • 🔍 Scroll down to the block MAC address (may be called Wi-Fi address or Physical address).

On some devices (for example, Xiaomi or Realme) the path is shorter: Settings → About phone → General information → Wi-Fi MAC address. If you don’t find the section, use the search in the settings (magnifying glass icon at the top of the screen) and enter a query. MAC.

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On smartphones with Android 10+ MAC address can be hidden behind an additional tap on the name of the connected Wi-Fi network in the list of available networks.

The Bluetooth address is different from Wi-Fi and is used to identify the device when pairing with headphones, smart watches or car systems. To find it out:

  • 🔄 Open Settings → Connected devices (or Bluetooth).
  • 📋 Click on the three dots (⋮) → Bluetooth settings or Advanced.
  • 🔢 Scroll to section Device address or Bluetooth MAC address.

On Samsung the path may look like this: Settings → Connections → Bluetooth → Settings (⚙️) → Advanced → Device address. Please note that some manufacturers (for example Huawei) may not display this address in the interface - then one of the alternative methods below will help.

📊 What brand of your Android smartphone?
Samsung
Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO
Google Pixel
Huawei/Honor
Other

3. We use the engineering menu (for advanced ones)

If the standard settings do not show the MAC address (for example, on custom firmware), you can use engineering menu. This method requires caution, since incorrect actions can disrupt the network.

Enter in the application Phone one of the commands:

  • 📞 ##4636## → select Wi-Fi information → MAC address.
  • 📱 *#06# —will show IMEI, but on some devices (Meizu, Flyme OS) it also displays MAC.
⚠️ Attention: The engineering menu may contain parameters that can be changed which will lead to malfunctions of the Wi-Fi or Bluetooth module. Do not edit the settings if you are not sure of their purpose.
What to do if the engineering menu does not open?

On some firmware (for example, MIUI Global), access to the engineering menu is blocked. In this case, use applications from Google Play or ADB commands (see next section).

4. ADB commands for advanced users

If you have access to ADB (Android Debug Bridge), you can get the MAC address via the command line. This method is universal and works even on devices with a limited interface (for example, Android TV or tablets).

Connect your phone to the PC, turn on USB debugging (Settings → System → For developers) and execute in the terminal:

adb shell ip link show wlan0

Or for Bluetooth:

adb shell dumpsys bluetooth_manager

In the output, find the line link/ether (for Wi-Fi) or Address (for Bluetooth). For example:

wlan0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 1500 qdisc mq state UP mode DORMANT group default qlen 1000
    link/ether 00:1a:2b:3c:4d:5e brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
⚠️ Attention: On Android 12+ some manufacturers block access to the real MAC address via ADB, returning a randomly generated identifier. In this case, use specialized applications.

5. Applications for viewing the MAC address

If you don’t want to delve into the settings or command line, install one of the proven applications:

Application Functions Link
WiFi Analyzer Shows Wi-Fi MAC address, signal strength, busy channels Google Play
Network Info II MAC for Wi-Fi/Bluetooth, IP, DNS, network information Google Play
DevCheck MAC addresses of all interfaces, processor, battery information Google Play

After installation, open the application and go to the section Network or Wi-Fi. The MAC address is usually displayed in the first lines. The advantage of this method is additional network diagnostics (for example, checking speed or busy channels).

Install Network Info II from Google Play|

Open tab Wi-Fi|

Scroll to block MAC Address|

Compare the address with the data from the settings (must match)-->

6. Features on Android 10 and later: Random MAC addresses Starting with Google introduced a feature to improve privacy. Now, when connecting to a new Wi-Fi network, the device can generate a temporary address instead of using a permanent one. This means that:

Starting from Android 10,Google has implemented the feature MAC address randomization to enhance privacy. Now, when connecting to a new Wi-Fi network, the device can generate a temporary address instead of using a permanent one. This means that:

  • 🔄 The MAC address in the settings may differ from the real (physical) one.
  • 🔒 Some networks (for example, in hotels or airports) require you to disable randomization.
  • 📱 To see the real MAC, disable randomization: Settings → Wi-Fi → Network name → Advanced → Privacy → Use MAC device.

On Samsung One UI a different path: Settings → Connections → Wi-Fi → ⚙️ → Advanced → MAC address → Use MAC devices. After disabling randomization, reconnect to the network - the address will be updated.

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Random MAC addresses improve privacy, but may cause problems with networks that use MAC binding (for example, in corporate or educational institutions).

7. Frequent problems and solutions

Sometimes the MAC address is not displayed or is displayed incorrectly. Let's look at typical situations:

  • 🚫 MAC is not visible in the settings: Check whether Wi-Fi/Bluetooth is turned on. On some devices, the address is displayed only when the connection is active.
  • 🔄 The address changes after a reboot: This is normal for Android 10+ with randomization enabled. Disable it as described above.
  • ❌ Applications show different addresses: Make sure you are looking at the same interface (Wi-Fi or Bluetooth). Use ADB to check.

If the MAC address is reset to the factory one (for example, after a factory reset), this is not a problem - this is how it should be. However, if the address becomes 02:00:00:00:00:00 or similar, this may indicate a failure in the network module. In this case:

  1. Reboot the device.
  2. Reset the network settings: Settings → System → Reset → Reset Wi-Fi/Bluetooth.
  3. If the problem persists, contact a service center (possible faulty Wi-Fi chip).
⚠️ Attention: On devices with Mediatekprocessors (many models Xiaomi, Realme) after flashing or resetting, the MAC address may be reset to zero. You can restore it only through service utilities (for example, MTK Engineering Mode).
Is it possible to change the MAC address on Android without root?

On most devices without rights root It is impossible to change the MAC address. However, Android 9 and below some applications (for example, Mac Changercould temporarily change the address through the network settings. Starting from Android 10Google blocked this feature for ordinary users.

If you really need to change the MAC (for example, to bypass network restrictions), consider alternative solutions: using a VPN, changing the network, or contacting the administrator.

Why do I have two different MAC addresses for Wi-Fi?

This is normal The device has:

  • Physical MAC — registered in the Wi-Fi chip at the factory.
  • Random MAC - generated Android 10+ to protect privacy.

To see the physical address, disable randomization in the network settings (see section 6).

Can the MAC address of a phone match the address of another device?

Theoretically, yes, but the probability of this is extremely low (1 in 281 trillion MAC addresses are assigned by manufacturers in ranges, and each address is unique within one manufacturer. If you find a match, most likely. this is:

  • Display error (for example, the application shows cached data).
  • A specially configured network (for example, for testing).
Do you need to hide your MAC address?

Hide the MAC address makes sense in public networks (cafes, airports), where it can be used to track your movements. However, on a home network, this is not required. MAC randomization is enabled by default in Android 10+, already solves the privacy problem.

If you are concerned about security, it is better:

  • Use a VPN to encrypt traffic.
  • Turn off Wi-Fi/Bluetooth in the background.
  • Update regularly device firmware.
How to find the MAC address of the phone if it does not turn on?

If the smartphone does not respond to the power button, but is charging, try:

  1. Connect the device to the charger and wait until the charging indicator appears.
  2. Hold the combination buttons to enter Recovery Mode (usually Power + Volume up).
  3. In some firmware (for example, TWRP) the MAC address is displayed in the section Advanced → File Manager → /sys/class/net/wlan0/address.

If the phone is completely faulty, The MAC address can be found on the device box (rarely) or in the receipt/warranty card (if the serial number is indicated there, you can sometimes use it to restore data through a service center).