What Is My IP Address on Android?
Android devices carry both a public IP (assigned by your ISP or mobile carrier, visible to the internet) and a private IP (assigned by your router on your local network). The steps to find each differ slightly depending on your Android version and manufacturer skin, but the general path is consistent across devices.
Finding Your Public IP on Android
Open any browser on your Android device and visit whatsmyipnow.com. Your public IPv4 and IPv6 addresses are shown immediately. This method works on both Wi-Fi and mobile data. On mobile data, your carrier assigns the public IP - It is often a shared carrier-grade NAT address.
Finding Your Private IP on Android
| Method | Steps |
|---|---|
| Settings - Wi-Fi details | Settings → Network & internet → Wi-Fi → tap your network name → scroll to "IP address" |
| Long-press network (older Android) | Settings → Wi-Fi → long-press your network name → Manage network settings → Show advanced options |
| About Phone | Settings → About phone → Status → IP address (shows both Wi-Fi and mobile IP on some manufacturers) |
| Samsung One UI | Settings → Connections → Wi-Fi → tap gear icon next to network → View more |
| Terminal emulator app | Run ip addr show wlan0 for Wi-Fi private IP |
Android Built-in VPN Settings
Android has a built-in VPN client that supports IKEv2/IPSec, L2TP/IPSec, and PPTP protocols. To configure it: Settings → Network & internet → VPN → tap the + button. For better privacy and modern encryption, use a dedicated VPN app (WireGuard or OpenVPN-based) rather than the built-in client, which does not support a kill switch on all Android versions.
Why Your Android IP Address Changes
- Switching between Wi-Fi and mobile data assigns a new public IP from a different provider.
- Your private IP can change if you reconnect to Wi-Fi and the router issues a new DHCP lease.
- Android 8+ randomises your Wi-Fi MAC address by default per network, making it harder to track you across access points.
- Using a VPN app replaces your visible public IP with the VPN server's address for all apps on the device.
- Some Android VPN apps support per-app tunnelling (split tunnelling), so only selected apps use the VPN IP.