How do I find the MAC Address on Linux?

First method

1. Open a shell.
2. Execute ifconfig at the command prompt.
3. You will have your MAC address displayed next to the HWaddr / ether label.

Second method

1. Open a shell.
2. Execute ip -a link at the command prompt.
3. You will have your MAC address displayed next to the link/ether label.

ifconfig comes from the net-tools package, which Debian, Ubuntu and their derivatives no longer install by default. Where it is absent, use ip link, which ships with iproute2 on every current distribution. The label each command prints is its own: HWaddr or ether for ifconfig, link/ether for ip.

Related questions

• How do I randomize the MAC address on Linux?
• How do I identify the MAC Address of a Docker container interface?
• How do I find the MAC Address on Chromebook?

Sources and review

Last reviewed: 2026-09-16. Technical claims on this page follow the primary sources below; operating-system interfaces change between releases, so check them against your own device version.

• Linux manual: ip-link, which lists each interface and its link/ether address
• Linux manual: ifconfig, the net-tools command that prints HWaddr