How to Change MAC Address on Windows 10 and 11

How to Change MAC Address on Windows 10 and 11

Are you looking to alter the MAC address on your Windows 10 and 11 computers? If that is the case, this guide will provide you with the necessary steps for various methods to accomplish this task.

The MAC address, also known as the Media Access Control address, is a distinctive identifier given by your network card to distinguish your computer within a network.

Altering the MAC address can assist individuals in troubleshooting network problems, accessing websites not permitted by their school or organization, or simply adding a touch of amusement with a comical title.

Continue reading to learn the necessary steps for changing it on your Windows computer.

Changing MAC Address on Windows 10 and 11

The process of changing the MAC address on a Windows 10 or 11 PC is quite similar, and can be accomplished through the device manager, control panel, or registry. Keep reading for a guide on how to perform this task.

Managing Devices with the Device Manager

To modify the Mac address on your Windows 10 or 11, simply access the Device Manager. The following steps will guide you through the process.

To begin, launch Device Manager on your Windows PC. This can be done by accessing the Control Panel and navigating to System. Alternatively, you can press the Windows + X keys and select Device Manager.

Step 2: In the Device Manager window, click on Network adapters to expand the selection.

To proceed, simply right-click on the network adapter and select Properties.

Network Adapter Properties

Step 4: Navigate to the Advanced tab.

Step 5: Select the appropriate option, whether it be MAC Address, Network Address, or Locally Administered Address, based on the option that is displayed.

Step 6: Click on the Value or Setting button and input the new MAC address. Ensure that the address is entered without using dashes or colons.

Network Adapter MAC Value

Upon entering the changes, save them and proceed to reboot your computer as instructed in Step 7.

Managing Your Network Connections

One alternative method for adjusting the MAC address on your Windows computer is through the network and sharing center. To accomplish this, simply follow the steps outlined below:

Step 1: Access the Control Center on your PC by opening it from the run box. To do this, press the Windows + R keys and type control before hitting enter.

Run Box Control

To proceed, select the drop-down menu next to View by at the top and choose Category.

Step 3: Next, select Network and Internet.

Network and Internet

Step 4: Then, select Network and Sharing Center.

Network and Sharing Centre

Step 5: Select Change adapter settings and click on it.

Change adapter settings

To proceed, simply click the right mouse button on the designated network adapter and select Properties.

Network adapter Properties

Step 7: Access the Configure option and navigate to the Advanced tab.

Configure

Step 8: Search for properties such as the MAC Address, Network Address, Locally Administered Address, or other similar identifiers.

MAC Address, Network Address, Locally Administered Address, or similar property

Step 9: Input the address and click on the save option. Once done, restart your system.

Modifying the Registry

To modify the MAC address through the registry, you must obtain essential network adapter details via the Command Prompt before proceeding. Follow these steps:

To open the run box, follow Step 1 by pressing the Windows + R keys.

To open the command prompt, type cmd and press enter as part of step 2.

Step 3: Type ipconfig /all into the command prompt and press enter. Take note of the Description and Physical Address for the currently active network device.

Physical Address

Step 4: Enter net config rdr and hit enter. Take note of the GUID, which is shown within the brackets next to the Physical Address you previously recorded.

GUID

Step 5: Repeat the process of opening the run box by pressing the Windows + R keys.

To proceed, enter regedit and press enter after typing it.

Step 7: Access the folder Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class{4d36e972-e325-11ce-bfc1-08002be10318} by navigating to it. Expand the folder by double-clicking on it.

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class{4d36e972-e325-11ce-bfc1-08002be10318} Folder

Step 8: In this step, you will encounter multiple folders named “0000” , “0001” , “0002” , etc. Access each of these folders and cross-reference the NetCfgInstanceID field with the corresponding GUID to find a match.

Compare the NetCfgInstanceID field with the GUID

To complete Step 9, locate the folder with a matching NetCfgInstanceID GUID and right-click on it. Choose New and then String Value. Name the new value NetworkAddress.

Compare the NetCfgInstanceID field with the GUID

Step 10: Open the new Network Address entry by double-clicking on it. Enter your desired MAC address in the Value Data field, making sure to exclude dashes or colons.

Enter Mac Address

Step 11: Once you have completed the previous steps, restart your computer to activate the changes.

In conclusion, we have come to the end of our discussion.

In addition to the methods listed above, third-party software such as TMAC and Technitium MAC Address Changer can also be used to change the MAC address on Windows 10 and 11 PCs. These are among the best options available for changing the MAC address.

To change the MAC address, first download the software and then refer to the instructions provided on their website. Once the address has been changed, access the command prompt and enter ipconfig /all to ensure that the new MAC address has been successfully updated. If you have any inquiries regarding the article, please leave a comment.

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