Does my Wi-Fi MAC address change periodically?

I am curious if my Wi-Fi MAC Address changes each time or periodically as I re-connect to the same network multiple times. For instance, when I connect to my home wifi network, will my Wi-Fi MAC address always be the same for that specific network, or will it change periodically/every time I establish a new session?

iPhone 14 Pro Max, iOS 18

Posted on Mar 27, 2025 9:11 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Mar 27, 2025 9:26 AM

Whether or not your MAC Address will change will be determined by your WiFi settings:

Settings > WiFi > [Your WiFI Network Name / SSID] - tap the blue "i" icon - Private WiFi Address > select OFF, Fixed or Rotating as required


  • OFF - Your iPhone will use its unique burned-in MAC Address that was assigned during manufacture.
  • Fixed - Your iPhone will use a randomly selected MAC Address; this MAC Address will always be used for this WiFi connection.
  • Rotating - Your iPhone will use a randomly selected MAC Address; this MAC Address will change periodically, or when reconnecting to this WiFi network connection.


Be aware that the Private Address feature is largely unnecessary for your home WiFi network; if enabled, Private Addressing can cause issues if specific MAC addresses are expected by your WiFi Router. You may need to disable this feature - and can be enabled or disabled for each individual network.


Use private Wi-Fi addresses in iOS 14, iPadOS 14, and watchOS 7 - Apple Support

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Mar 27, 2025 9:26 AM in response to Blayn10

Whether or not your MAC Address will change will be determined by your WiFi settings:

Settings > WiFi > [Your WiFI Network Name / SSID] - tap the blue "i" icon - Private WiFi Address > select OFF, Fixed or Rotating as required


  • OFF - Your iPhone will use its unique burned-in MAC Address that was assigned during manufacture.
  • Fixed - Your iPhone will use a randomly selected MAC Address; this MAC Address will always be used for this WiFi connection.
  • Rotating - Your iPhone will use a randomly selected MAC Address; this MAC Address will change periodically, or when reconnecting to this WiFi network connection.


Be aware that the Private Address feature is largely unnecessary for your home WiFi network; if enabled, Private Addressing can cause issues if specific MAC addresses are expected by your WiFi Router. You may need to disable this feature - and can be enabled or disabled for each individual network.


Use private Wi-Fi addresses in iOS 14, iPadOS 14, and watchOS 7 - Apple Support

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Mar 27, 2025 9:18 AM in response to Blayn10

When using Private WiFi, the MAC address always changes when accessing different WiFi access points and may also change when connecting to the same WiFi. You can turn Private WiFi off, or change it to Fixed or Rotating.

Use private Wi-Fi addresses on Apple devices - Apple Support

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Does my Wi-Fi MAC address change periodically?

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