Вчера написал о том, как узнать MAC-адрес компьютера, а сегодня речь пойдет о его смене. Зачем может понадобиться его поменять? Самая вероятная причина — если ваш провайдер использует привязку по этому адресу, а вы, скажем, купили новый компьютер или ноутбук.
Пару раз встречал споры на тему того, что MAC-адрес изменить нельзя, ведь это аппаратная характеристика, а потому поясню: на самом деле, «зашитый» в сетевой карте MAC-адрес вы, действительно, не измените (это возможно, но требует дополнительного оборудования — программатора), но это и не нужно: для большей части сетевого оборудования потребительского сегмента, MAC-адрес, заданный на программном уровне, драйвером, имеет приоритет над аппаратным, что и делает описанные ниже манипуляции возможными и полезными.
Изменение MAC-адреса в Windows с помощью диспетчера устройств
Примечание: первые две цифры задаваемого MAC-адреса не нужно начинать с 0, а заканчивать следует 2, 6, A или E. В противном случае, на некоторых сетевых картах смена может не сработать.
Для начала, запустите диспетчер устройств Windows 7 или Windows 8 (8.1). Быстрый способ сделать это — нажать клавиши Win+R на клавиатуре и ввести devmgmt.msc, после чего нажать клавишу Enter.
В диспетчере устройств откройте раздел «Сетевые адаптеры», кликните правой кнопкой мыши по сетевой карте или Wi-Fi адаптеру, MAC-адрес которого нужно изменить и нажмите «Свойства».
В окне свойств адаптера выберите вкладку «Дополнительно» и найдите пункт «Сетевой адрес», и установите его значение. Чтобы изменения вступили в силу, нужно либо перезагрузить компьютер, либо отключить и включить сетевой адаптер. MAC-адрес состоит из 12 цифр 16-ричной системы и задавать его нужно, не используя двоеточия и другие знаки препинания.
Примечание: не для всех устройств можно проделать вышеописанное, для некоторых из них пункта «Сетевой адрес» не будет на вкладке «Дополнительно». В этом случае, следует воспользоваться другими способами. Для проверки, вступили ли изменения в силу, можно использовать команду ipconfig /all (подробнее в статье про то, как узнать MAC-адрес).
Изменение MAC-адреса в редакторе реестра
Если предыдущий вариант вам не помог, то можно воспользоваться редактором реестра, способ должен работать в Windows 7, 8 и XP. Для запуска редактора реестра нажмите клавиши Win+R и введите regedit.
В редакторе реестра откройте раздел HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E972-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}
В этом разделе будет содержаться несколько «папок», каждая из которых соответствует отдельному сетевому устройству. Найдите то из них, MAC-адрес которого нужно изменить. Для этого обращайте внимание на параметр DriverDesc в правой части редактора реестра.
После того, как вы нашли нужный раздел, кликните правой кнопкой мыши по нему (в моем случае — по 0000) и выберите — «Создать» — «Строковый параметр». Назовите его NetworkAddress.
Дважды кликните по новому параметру реестра и задайте новый MAC-адрес из 12 цифр шестнадцатеричной системы счисления, не используя двоеточий.
Закройте редактор реестра и перезагрузите компьютер для того, чтобы изменения вступили в силу.
Обновлено:
Опубликовано:
Что такое MAC-адрес простыми словами.
Если Вы хотите узнать текущий физический адрес сетевой карты, воспользуйтесь статьей Как узнать mac-адрес.
Способ 1. Воспользоваться встроенными средствами
1. Открываем диспетчер устройств.
В Windows 11 / 10 / 8 нажимаем комбинацию клавиш Win + X и выбираем Диспетчер устройств:
В Windows 7 кликаем по Компьютер правой кнопкой мыши и выбираем Управление:
В открывшемся окне переходим на Диспетчер устройств:
2. Раскрываем группу устройств Сетевые адаптеры, кликаем правой кнопкой мыши по тому, для которого меняем mac адрес и выбираем Свойства:
3. Переходим на вкладку Дополнительно — кликаем по Network Address — меняем переключатель в положение Значение — вписываем новый MAC-адрес:
Способ 2. Использовать программу MACChange
Скачиваем программу MACChange и запускаем ее. Откроется мастер установки. Принимаем лицензионное соглашение и нажимаем несколько раз Next, принимая значения по умолчанию, и Install.
Процесс инсталляции займет несколько секунд. Теперь запускаем программу с рабочего стола.
В открывшемся окне выбираем сетевую карту для смены адреса, кликаем по значку генерирования нового mac-адреса и нажимаем по кнопке Change:
Если появилось сообщение «Updating MAC address. Completed», значит все прошло успешно.
Чтобы вернуть настройки, нажмите по кнопке Set Default.
Способ 3. С помощью реестра Windows
Запускаем реестр командой regedit.
Переходим в раздел HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E972-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}
* 4D36E972-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318 — это общий идентификатор класса сетевых устройств. Он одинаковый на всех компьютерах с операционной системой Windows.
Если сетевых адаптеров несколько, мы увидим пронумерованные разделы — 0000, 0001, 0002 и так далее. Необходимо пройти по всем в поисках нужного:
Если среди списка параметров нет «NetworkAddress», создаем строковый параметр:
Называем его NetworkAddress и присваиваем значение с новым mac-адресом:
Способ 4. Командная строка
Встроенными средствами Windows не предусмотрена смена MAC-адреса через командную строку. Но выход есть.
Скачиваем архив с программой macshift и распаковываем его в любую папку.
Открываем cmd.exe от администратора и при помощи команды cd переходим в папку, в которую распаковали архив.
Вводим следующую команду:
macshift -i «Ethernet» A1B2C3D4E5F6
* где Ethernet — имя сетевого соединения (его можно посмотреть командой getmac /v /fo list); A1B2C3D4E5F6 — mac-адрес.
Какой способ помог вам?
Если вам удалось решить задачу, поделитесь своим опытом для других. Что помогло:
* в процентах показаны результаты ответов других посетителей.
Every device, computer, or network with an active internet connection has a physical and a virtual online address. While the physical address identifies and distinguishes devices within the same local network, the internet address identifies devices in the world wide web.
For any device to communicate with your Wi-Fi network, it must identify itself via a unique physical address. This address is known as a Media Access Control address or MAC address.
Sometimes, you may want to change your MAC address to make your device anonymous, bypass specific restrictions, or troubleshoot connectivity issues.
This guide explains how to change your Wi-Fi MAC address in Windows 10 operating system. Keep it here to learn more!
CONTENTS
- What Exactly is a Wi-Fi MAC Address?
- Is Wi-Fi MAC Address the Same as IP Address?
- How to Check the MAC Address of Your PC on a Wi-Fi Network?
- Reasons to Change Wi-Fi MAC Address
- 1. Enhance Your Privacy
- 2. Fix Connectivity Issues
- 3. Access Restricted Networks
- 4. Test MAC Filtering Settings
- How to Change Wi-Fi MAC Address in Win 10
- 1. Change Your MAC Address via the Device Manager
- 2. Change Your MAC Address via the Control Panel
- 3. Change Your MAC Address via the Registry Editor
- Conclusion
What Exactly is a Wi-Fi MAC Address?
A Wi-Fi MAC address is a unique hardware identifier assigned to your wireless adapter by the manufacturer.
Every Wi-Fi-enabled desktop or laptop has a wireless adapter. The adapter must have a MAC address to communicate with your Wi-Fi network.
This physical address consists of a 12-digit hexadecimal number and separates each device within the same local network.
Two or more devices on the same Wi-Fi network cannot have the same MAC address. Besides, if your laptop has a wired and wireless connection, it will have a wired MAC address and a wireless MAC address for the different connection types.
What Is a MAC Address?
Is Wi-Fi MAC Address the Same as IP Address?
Even though your Wi-Fi MAC address and IP address identify devices on your wireless network, they have slight differences.
The MAC address, as mentioned before, is a unique identifier assigned by the manufacturer of your wireless adapter. In contrast, your ISP and router assign IP addresses to connected devices on your network.
Here are the top differences between a MAC address and an IP address:
- Identification – MAC addresses identify devices on the same local network, while IP addresses identify devices on the web (global network).
- OSI Model – A MAC address is a layer 2 or data link layer address of the seven-layer OSI model, while an IP address falls under layer 3 or the network layer of the OSI protocol.
- Address Type – A MAC address is a physical address, while an IP address is a logical address.
- Assignment – IP addresses are assigned through software configurations, while MAC addresses are hardcoded into the device by the manufacturer.
MAC Address VS IP Address
How to Check the MAC Address of Your PC on a Wi-Fi Network?
Your PC’s MAC address identifies and separates it from other devices in your wireless Wi-Fi network.
As such, knowing your MAC address can help you troubleshoot and fix various connectivity issues.
Here’s how to check the MAC Address of your PC in Windows 10:
Method 1
- Press the Windows key on your keyboard
- Type in CMD in the search bar and press the Return key
- Right-click the Command Prompt app
- Click Run as Administrator
- In the Command Prompt window, type ipconfig /all
- Press the Enter/Return key
- Look for your PC’s wireless MAC address under Wireless LAN adapter
Method 2
- Connect your PC to your Wireless Wi-Fi network
- Right-click the Wi-Fi icon on the taskbar
- Click Open Network & Internet Settings
- Select Wi-Fi on the left pane
- Click Hardware Properties
- Look for the MAC address under Hardware Properties
Method 3
- Press the Windows key on your keyboard
- Type in CMD in the search bar and press the Return key
- Right-click the Command Prompt app
- Click Run as Administrator
- In the Command Prompt window, type netsh wlan sh int
- Press the Enter key on your keyboard
- Scroll down to your wireless adapter name to find your MAC address
1. Enhance Your Privacy
The primary reason you may want to change your MAC address is to enhance your online privacy.
Since everyone on your local network can easily see your MAC address using various tools and hacks, modifying the address can make you anonymous and harder to find.
2. Fix Connectivity Issues
Most ISPs use MAC addresses to authenticate internet connections. Since MAC addresses are hardcoded into your wireless adapter by the manufacturer, you might experience connectivity issues if you replace your adapter (e.g. in case it malfunctions).
The new adapter will have a different MAC address not recognized by your ISP. As such, changing the MAC address can help solve the issue.
3. Access Restricted Networks
Some networks might limit access based on MAC addresses. You can bypass these restrictions by changing your MAC address to match the address of a previously accepted computer or device currently offline.
4. Test MAC Filtering Settings
Changing your MAC address allows you to test your filtering settings to enhance your network security. You can also assign specific filtering rules based on a range of MAC addresses.
How to Change Wi-Fi MAC Address in Win 10
Previously, it was nearly impossible to change a MAC address since it was hardcoded into the device by the manufacturer.
However, the emergence of advanced operating systems, such as Windows 10, has made it possible to modify your MAC address.
Below are three ways to change your Wi-Fi Mac Address in Windows 10:
1. Change Your MAC Address via the Device Manager
- Right-click the Start button/Windows button
- Click Device Manager
- Click Network Adapter and expand the list
- Right-click your Wi-Fi adapter and click Properties
- Go to the Advanced tab
- Under Properties, select Locally Administered Address
- Click the Value button
- Enter a random 12-character Hexadecimal value
- Click OK and restart your PC
How to Change MAC Address in Device Manager
2. Change Your MAC Address via the Control Panel
- Press the Windows key on your keyboard
- Type Control Panel into the search bar
- Click the Control Panel app
- Go to Network and Internet
- Open Network and Sharing Center
- Now, select Change Adapter Settings
- Right-click your Wi-Fi adapter and select Properties
- Click Configure
- Click the Advanced tab
- Select Network Address
- Select the Value radio button
- Enter your new MAC address
- Click OK
- Restart your PC to apply the changes
3. Change Your MAC Address via the Registry Editor
- Log in to your PC as an Administrator
- Press the Windows key + R
- Type regedit in the dialogue box
- Click Yes to open the Registry Editor
- On the left pane, navigate to
Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4d36e972-e325-11ce-bfc1-08002be10318}
- Click each sub-directory, such as 0000, 0001, 0002, and 0003, to find your wireless adapter next to DriverDesc
- Right-click the network card node in the left pane
- Choose New
- Select String Value
- Go to the right pane and type NetworkAddress as the new String Value
- Double-click NetworkAddress to edit
- Enter your new MAC address and click OK
- Restart your PC
Ways to Change Your MAC Address
Conclusion
Changing your Wi-Fi MAC address can help you take complete control of your network.
You can use the modified address to enhance your network privacy, improve network security, bypass certain restrictions, and troubleshoot connectivity issues.
By following our guide, you will be able to change your Wi-Fi MAC address in Windows 10 in no time!
Hey, I’m Jeremy Clifford. I hold a bachelor’s degree in information systems, and I’m a certified network specialist. I worked for several internet providers in LA, San Francisco, Sacramento, and Seattle over the past 21 years.
I worked as a customer service operator, field technician, network engineer, and network specialist. During my career in networking, I’ve come across numerous modems, gateways, routers, and other networking hardware. I’ve installed network equipment, fixed it, designed and administrated networks, etc.
Networking is my passion, and I’m eager to share everything I know with you. On this website, you can read my modem and router reviews, as well as various how-to guides designed to help you solve your network problems. I want to liberate you from the fear that most users feel when they have to deal with modem and router settings.
My favorite free-time activities are gaming, movie-watching, and cooking. I also enjoy fishing, although I’m not good at it. What I’m good at is annoying David when we are fishing together. Apparently, you’re not supposed to talk or laugh while fishing – it scares the fishes.
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MAC address is a crucial component of every network device, and in some cases, you might want to change your MAC address.
This is a relatively simple procedure, and today we will show you how to change your MAC address on Windows 10 by using a MAC address changer.
MAC address is a unique identifier that allows your network device, such as an Ethernet or wireless card to connect to other networks.
Every network device comes with a Media Access Control, or MAC for short, address that allows that device to be identified on a network.
Just like IP address, MAC address is crucial when transferring data from one computer to another because each data packet comes with a header that contains MAC address of the destination PC.
Unlike IP address assigned to your PC by your ISP or network administrator, MAC address is assigned by the manufacturer of your network device.
How can I find out my Windows 10’s Mac Address using cmd?
To change your MAC address, first, you need to know how to locate it.
Unlike your IP address, your MAC address isn’t displayed in the network information window, but it’s still easy to find by following these steps:
- Press Windows key + X and select Command Prompt from the menu.
- Once Command Prompt opens, enter getmac /v /fo list and press Enter to run it.
- A list of all network adapters should appear. Locate your network adapter and check the Physical Address value in order to see the adapter’s MAC address. As you can see, MAC address is represented by a hexadecimal value and it consists of 6 pairs of characters.
If you’re having trouble accessing Command Prompt as an admin, then you better take a closer look at our dedicated guide.
How can I change my Mac Address on Windows 10?
Now, that you know how to locate and check your MAC address, let’s see how to change it. Changing your MAC address doesn’t require any third-party software, but you can use it if you prefer.
Before we show you how to change your MAC address, bear in mind that changing your MAC address might cause issues with your current network.
In a worst-case scenario, your network device might not be able to be recognized by the network.
1. Via Device Manager
-
1. Press the Windows key + X and select Device Manager from the list.
-
2. Once Device Manager opens, locate your network adapter, right-click it and choose Properties.
-
3. When the Properties window opens, navigate to the Advanced tab and select Network Address from the list.
-
4. Select the Value option and enter any 12-character hexadecimal value.
-
5. Click OK to save the changes.
The best and easiest way to change your Mac address in Windows 10 is via Device Manager, a built-in tool on your device.
As you can see, changing your MAC address is rather simple, but keep in mind that your actual physical MAC address remains the same. In case anything goes wrong you can simply revert to it by following the aforementioned steps.
Just select Not Present in Step 4, and you’ll easily revert back to your default MAC address.
Your PC won’t acquire a network address? Check out our guide to solve the issue in a couple of easy steps.
2. Use third-party tools
If you want to use a MAC address changer to change your MAC address on Windows 10, there are a few tools that you can use.
One of these tools is Technitium MAC Address Changer. To use this tool to change your MAC address, follow these steps:
- Download Technitium MAC Address Changer.
- Once you’ve downloaded and installed this tool, run it.
- When Technitium MAC Address Changer starts, you should see the list of all network adapters available.
- Select the network adapter you want to change, and in the Change MAC address section enter a new MAC address. Remember to use a hexadecimal value. If you wish to make this step faster, you can just click Random MAC Address button that will generate a random MAC address for you.
- Click Change Now! button and your MAC address should be changed.
- Optional: If you wish to restore your default MAC address just click the Restore Original button.
Another tool that you can use it SMAC MAC Address Changer.
This tool works similarly to the previous one, but it comes as an evaluation copy, so it lacks certain features, such as the ability to change MAC address of multiple adapters.
Another MAC address changer tool we have to mention is NoVirus Thanks MAC Address Changer. This is an entirely free and simple tool that allows you to change your MAC address easily.
To do that, you must start the application, select your network adapter, and click the Change MAC button.
After that, you can manually or randomly enter your new MAC address. Of course, there’s also an option to restore your MAC address.
If you encounter the Windows can’t connect to this network error, fix it by following our step-by-step guide.
- Microsoft wants Windows 10 users to upgrade to Windows 11 or Copilot + PCs
- Deleting ‘inetpub’ folder lets hackers permanently stop Windows updates, Microsoft warns
- The latest KB5055612 for Windows 10 22H2 brings huge stability to the OS
- Microsoft April 2025 Patch Tuesday: Fixes for 134 security vulnerabilities, one exploited Zero-Day
3. Use Registry Editor
In addition to Device Manager and third-party tools, you can change your MAC address using the Registry Editor. Bear in mind to change your registry carefully to avoid causing any potential problems.
To change the MAC address of your network adapter using Registry Editor, do the following:
- Open Command Prompt. You can open Command Prompt by pressing Windows key + X and choosing Command Prompt from the menu.
- When Command Prompt opens, type net config rdr and press Enter.
- Locate Workstation active on and write down the number between the curly brackets. You’ll need that number for future steps, so write it down or don’t close Command Prompt. In our example, that number is 0297EE55-1B73-4C00-BE24-1D40B59C00C3, but it will be different on your PC.
- Press Windows key + R and enter regedit. Press OK or Enter to start Registry Editor.
- When Registry Editor open, navigate to the following key in the right pane:
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SYSTEM/Current/Control/SetControl/Class/{4D36E972-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}
While searching for this key you’ll see several similar keys, so pay extra attention and select the correct one.
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SYSTEM/Current/Control/SetControl/Class/{4D36E972-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}
- You should see several folders with names such as 0000, 0001, etc. Each of these folders represents one network adapter on your PC. You’ll need to navigate through each of them in order to find your network adapter. To find your network adapter check the NetCfgInstanceId value to see if it matches the value that you got in Step 3. In our example it was FA33397D-9379-4682-92C8-C77533236D28, therefore folder 0001 matches our network adapter.
- Right click the folder that represents your adapter, in our case it was 0001 but it can be a different folder on your PC, and choose New > String Value. Enter NetworkAddress as the name and double click NetworkAddress to open its properties.
- In Value Data enter your desired MAC address. Remember, it has to be hexadecimal 12-character value.
- Click OK to save changes.
- Restart your computer or your network adapter to apply changes.
If you can’t edit your Windows 10‘s registry, read our handy guide and find the quickest solutions.
Can’t access the Registry Editor? Things aren’t as scary as they seem. Check out our guide and solve the issue quickly.
We have to mention that when changing your MAC address sometimes you have to use 2,6,A or E as the second character. For example: A6CE91…, 3ECCF1…,E2AA95…, etc.
This applies to all 3 solutions. By not following this rule, some adapters might not work properly if you change their MAC address, so keep that in mind.
Changing your MAC address on Windows 10 PC is relatively easy, and it can be even easier if you use any third-party MAC address changer tool that can assign a random hardware address to your network adapter.
If you have any more questions, feel free to leave them in the comments section below.
Milan Stanojevic
Windows Toubleshooting Expert
Milan has been enthusiastic about technology ever since his childhood days, and this led him to take interest in all PC-related technologies. He’s a PC enthusiast and he spends most of his time learning about computers and technology.
Before joining WindowsReport, he worked as a front-end web developer. Now, he’s one of the Troubleshooting experts in our worldwide team, specializing in Windows errors & software issues.
Every device that connects to the internet is required to provide or declare its IP Address and also its MAC (Media Access Control) Address to the Network.
While the IP Address of a computer is dynamically assigned by the Router, its MAC Address is assigned at Hardware level and remains the same for the entire life of your computer.
Since, the MAC Address of a device is coded at Hardware level, there is really no way to change the original MAC Address of a device.
However, it is possible mask or hide the real MAC Address of a computer by forcing the computer to declare or broadcast a different MAC Address to the Network.
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Change MAC Address of Windows Computer
In general, users want to change the MAC Address of their computers to bypass blocked networks and also to test MAC Address filtering.
Before going ahead with the steps to change MAC Address, it is important that you note down the the actual MAC Address of your computer. This can be useful, if you run into problems after changing MAC Address and need to go back to the original or default MAC Address.
Also, if your Wi-Fi Network is using MAC Filtering, you need to make sure that the New MAC Address is white listed on the Modem/Router.
1. Find MAC Address of Computer Using Settings
Since, a computer can connect to the internet using both Wi-Fi and Ethernet, it will have two MAC Addresses, one for Ethernet and the other one for Wi-Fi.
1. Open Settings > click on Network & Internet Icon.
2. On the next screen, select your Network (Wi-Fi or Ethernet) in the left-pane. In the right-pane, double-click on your Network Name.
3. On the next screen, the MAC Address of your computer will be listed under “Properties” section, next to Physical Address (MAC) entry.
You can copy the MAC Address to a text file and keep the file at a safe location on your computer.
2. Change MAC Address Using Device Manager
If required, you can change the MAC Address of your computer using the following steps.
1. Right-click on the Start button and click on Device Manager.
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2. On Device Manager screen, expand Network Adapters entry > right-click on the Network Adapter for your computer and click on Properties.
3. On properties screen, switch to Advanced Tab > select Network Address entry > check Value entry and type New MAC Address.
4. Click on OK to save the New MAC Address on your computer.
Note: Enter New MAC Address without using hyphens.
3. How to Confirm if NEW MAC Address is Working?
After changing MAC Address, you can follow the steps below to confirm if New MAC Address is working.
1. Open Command Prompt (Admin) > type ipconfig/all and press the Enter key.
2. Once the command is executed, you should find the NEW MAC Address listed under “Ethernet Adapter” or “Wireless Adapter” section next to Physical Address entry.
You should be able to use the New MAC Address without encountering any problems, unless you are using MAC filtering and the NEW MAC Address is not listed on your Router.