How to Find Printer Mac Address

If you have ever needed to configure network access controls, set up a static IP reservation, or troubleshoot a connectivity problem, knowing how to find printer MAC address information is an essential skill. Every networked printer — whether it connects via Wi-Fi or Ethernet — has a unique hardware identifier called a MAC address burned into its network interface at the factory. This guide walks you through every reliable method to locate that address on Windows, macOS, directly on the printer itself, and through your router, so you can solve network issues faster and keep your home or office setup running smoothly. If you are still shopping for a connected model, check out our printer buying guides for recommendations across every budget.

What Is a MAC Address and Why Does It Matter for Printers?

A MAC address (Media Access Control address) is a 12-character hexadecimal identifier assigned to every network interface card at the hardware level. For printers, this means each wireless or wired print device carries a unique identifier like 00:1A:2B:3C:4D:5E that never changes, regardless of which network you connect it to or what IP address your router assigns it.

Understanding this distinction is important for anyone managing multiple devices on a home or office network. Unlike IP addresses, which can change every time your router renews a lease, the MAC address is permanent. That permanence is what makes it so useful for network administration tasks.

MAC Address vs. IP Address: Key Differences

Both identifiers are used in network communication, but they operate at different layers. The MAC address works at the data-link layer (Layer 2 of the OSI model), handling communication within a single local network segment. The IP address operates at the network layer (Layer 3) and routes traffic across different networks and the internet. When your computer sends a print job, the router uses the printer's IP address to route the data, but the final delivery within your local network relies on the MAC address.

When You Actually Need the MAC Address

Most users never need to look up their printer's MAC address during normal operation. However, there are several practical situations where it becomes necessary:

• Static IP assignment: Many routers let you reserve a specific IP address for a device based on its MAC address, so your printer always gets the same IP even after reboots.
• MAC filtering: Some secured networks only allow pre-approved devices. You need the MAC address to whitelist your printer.
• Network troubleshooting: When a printer disappears from the network, identifying it by MAC address in your router's client table helps confirm whether it is connected at all.
• IT asset management: Offices tracking hardware for compliance or security audits often catalog MAC addresses for every networked device.

How to Find Printer MAC Address on Windows

Windows provides several paths to retrieve a printer's MAC address, ranging from point-and-click menus to command-line tools. Which method works best depends on how your printer is connected and whether it is currently online.

Using Windows Settings and Control Panel

For a networked printer that Windows already recognizes, the easiest route is through the printer properties panel:

1. Open Settings and navigate to Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
2. Click the printer you want to inspect, then select Printer properties.
3. Go to the Ports tab. If the printer is on your network, it will show an IP address or hostname.
4. With the printer's IP address in hand, open a command prompt and type arp -a to see a list of IP-to-MAC address mappings for all devices your computer has recently communicated with. Find the row matching your printer's IP and read the physical address — that is the MAC address.

Note that arp -a only lists devices your PC has recently communicated with. If the printer has not received a recent ping or print job, it may not appear. Send a quick ping first with ping [printer IP] and then run arp -a again.

Using the Command Prompt

For a more direct approach, you can use getmac — but this only shows the MAC address of your own computer's network adapters, not remote devices. To query a remote printer, use:

1. Open Command Prompt as administrator.
2. Type ping [printer IP address] and press Enter. Example: ping 192.168.1.45.
3. After the ping completes, type arp -a.
4. Locate the printer's IP in the list. The corresponding value in the Physical Address column is the MAC address.

You can also use the Network and Sharing Center if your printer is connected via USB and your Windows PC is acting as the print server — in that scenario, the MAC address relevant for network filtering is actually on the host PC's network adapter, not the USB printer itself.

How to Find Printer MAC Address on macOS

macOS users have two clean paths: a graphical route through System Settings and a faster terminal-based method. Either way, the process takes under a minute. For a broader look at managing print devices on Apple hardware, our guide on how to change printer settings on Mac covers everything from paper size to duplex options.

Using System Settings (Ventura and Later)

1. Click the Apple menu and open System Settings.
2. Navigate to Printers & Scanners.
3. Select your printer from the left-hand list.
4. Click Options & Supplies, then choose Show Printer Webpage if available. Many network printers expose a built-in web interface that lists the MAC address on a network status or configuration page.
5. Alternatively, note the printer's IP address shown in the location field, open Terminal, and run arp -n [printer IP] to retrieve the MAC address.

Using the Terminal

Open Terminal (found in Applications > Utilities) and follow these steps:

1. First ping the printer: ping -c 3 [printer IP]. This ensures an ARP cache entry exists.
2. Then run: arp -n [printer IP]. The output will show a line like:
   192.168.1.45 at 00:1a:2b:3c:4d:5e on en0 ifscope [ethernet]
3. The hexadecimal string after at is the printer's MAC address.

On older macOS versions (Big Sur and earlier), System Preferences replaces System Settings, but the Printers & Scanners panel works identically for our purposes.

Finding the MAC Address Directly on the Printer

The most reliable method — especially if you cannot reach the printer from your computer — is to look up the MAC address on the printer itself. This works even when the printer is not yet connected to any network, making it the go-to approach during initial setup.

Control Panel and Menu Navigation

Most modern printers with an LCD screen expose MAC address information through the network or wireless settings menu. The exact path varies by brand, but the general approach is:

• HP printers: Go to Setup > Network Setup > View Network Summary or Wireless > View Wireless Summary. The MAC address appears as the Hardware Address.
• Brother printers: Press Menu > Network > WLAN (or LAN) > TCP/IP > MAC Address. If you own a Brother model and want to keep it performing well, our article on how to clean a Brother printer is worth bookmarking.
• Canon printers: Navigate to Setup > Device settings > LAN settings > Confirm LAN settings > WLAN settings list. The MAC address is listed there.
• Epson printers: Go to Settings > Network Settings > Network Status > Wired LAN/Wi-Fi Status.

Printing a Network Configuration Page

Every networked printer — regardless of brand — can print a network configuration or status page that lists all its network settings in one place, including the MAC address. This is arguably the fastest and most foolproof method:

1. On the printer's control panel, look for a menu option called Print Network Configuration, Print Status Report, or Print Configuration Page. On entry-level models without a display, holding the Wi-Fi or Resume button for a few seconds often triggers this report.
2. The printed page will show a section labeled Network or Wireless containing the MAC address, IP address, subnet mask, gateway, and signal strength.
3. The MAC address is typically labeled MAC Address, Hardware Address, or Ethernet ID and formatted as six pairs of hexadecimal characters separated by colons or hyphens.

Using Your Router to Find a Printer MAC Address

Your router maintains a record of every device currently connected to your network, along with each device's IP address and MAC address. This method is especially useful if your printer has a tiny display or no display at all, and you cannot print a configuration page for some reason.

Accessing the Router Admin Page

The router admin interface is usually accessible via a web browser at a local address such as 192.168.1.1, 192.168.0.1, or 10.0.0.1. Check the sticker on the bottom or back of your router for the exact address and the default admin credentials if you have never changed them.

1. Open any web browser and type your router's gateway address in the address bar.
2. Log in with your admin username and password.
3. Look for a section called Connected Devices, Device List, LAN Clients, or DHCP Client List.

Reading the DHCP Client Table

Inside the DHCP or connected devices section, you will see a table listing every currently connected device with its hostname, IP address, and MAC address. Look for your printer's hostname (many printers broadcast their model name as the hostname) or identify it by its IP address if you already know it. The MAC address column will show the full hardware address.

If your printer is not listed, it may be offline or connected via USB rather than network. Ensure the printer is powered on and connected to Wi-Fi or Ethernet, then refresh the router page. Some routers also have an ARP table or a separate section for wireless clients versus wired clients — check both if the printer does not appear in the main list. This same approach is useful for other devices: if you are managing a home office setup, our roundup of what to look for in a printer for working from home can help you choose a model with a clean network management interface.

MAC Address Lookup Methods at a Glance

Not sure which method suits your situation? The table below summarizes each approach along with its requirements and best use case.

Troubleshooting Common MAC Address Problems

Even when you know exactly where to look, things do not always go smoothly. Here are the most common problems users run into when working with printer MAC addresses and how to resolve them.

MAC Address Not Appearing in the List

If the printer does not appear in your router's connected devices list or in the arp -a output, the most likely causes are:

• Printer is offline or asleep: Many printers enter a deep sleep mode that drops the network connection. Wake the printer by pressing any button, wait 30 seconds, and refresh the router's device list.
• Wi-Fi connection dropped: Check the printer's wireless indicator light. If it is blinking or off, reconnect to your Wi-Fi network through the printer's settings menu.
• Different network band: If your router broadcasts both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks with the same SSID, the printer may have connected to a different band than your computer. Separate your SSIDs or check both bands in the router interface.
• ARP cache expired: Run ping [printer IP] first to refresh the cache, then immediately run arp -a.

MAC Filtering Blocking Your Printer

If you have MAC filtering enabled on your router and your printer cannot connect despite having the correct Wi-Fi password, the printer's MAC address has not been added to the allow list. Retrieve the MAC address using one of the offline methods above (printer menu or configuration page), then log into your router's wireless settings and add the address to the approved device list. Keep in mind that some newer operating systems and devices use MAC address randomization by default to improve privacy — if your printer supports this feature, disable it for your home network so the MAC address stays consistent for filtering and static IP reservation purposes.

Managing multiple devices on a home network — printers, tablets, laptops — becomes significantly easier once you understand how each device identifies itself at the hardware level. Whether you are setting up a small home office or managing a larger workspace, having a firm grasp on network fundamentals like this will save you troubleshooting time again and again. And if you ever need to configure printing from a specific device, our walkthrough on how to print from a Chromebook covers the network configuration steps for that platform in detail.