Use private WiFi addresses for extra safety on your Mac, iPhone and iPad

The moment your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch or Mac connects to a Wi-Fine network, the Mac address of your device is used for this. This unique network address can be used to track your device. By connecting with various networks, it will be possible to find out your location and to monitor network activities.

Since iOS 18, Watchos 11 and MacOS Sequoia, it is possible to use a modified Mac address rotating for every WiFine network with which you connect so that you cannot be followed.

The dangers of a fixed Mac address

To be able to use a Wi-Fine network, a device must identify with the network with a unique network address, the so-called Mac address (Media Access Control)

When a WiFi device always uses the same Mac address for WiFi on different networks, network providers can more easily associate this address with the network activities and location of the device. This makes user registration and profiling possible.

To prevent this, Apple has added the ‘private WiFi address’ function to iOS, MacOS and Watchos. This makes it possible to adjust the use of the private WiFi address function per wifin network.

Operation of the private WiFi address function

By default, your device improves privacy by using a different Mac address for each Wi-Fi network. This unique Mac address is the private WiFi address of your device that is used for that specific network.

If you fully knew the device whether the network settings on your device adjust, then a different private address will be used next time it connects to the network.

The ‘private WiFi address’ function has changed in iOS 18, Watchos 11, Visionos 2 and MacOS Sequoia and now gives you the following settings. You can manually adjust this in the preferences of the WiFine network.

Private WiFi address ▸

If the function is switched off, your device always uses the hardware Mac address. This allows your device to be traced by connecting to different networks. User registration and profiling can be carried out on the basis of a fixed Mac address.

Private WiFi address ▸ Fixed

If the function is set to Fixeduses your device a private address, but does not rotate the private address, regardless of the security of the network or how long it has been that you last connected to the network. Your device chooses ‘fixed’ as standard if you connect to a new network that uses WPA2 or stronger security.

Private WiFi address ▸ Rotating

If this function is set to RotivelyUse your device a private address that changes every two weeks to a different private address. Your device chooses ‘rotating’ as standard if you connect to a new network that uses weak or no security.

Customize private WiFi address function

iOS 18 and iPados 18 or newer

1. Open the Settings app and go to WiFi
2. If you are not connected to the network for which you want to adjust the setting, tap Change In the top right corner of the screen.
3. Tap the info button (i) behind the network name.
4. Search for position Private WiFi address On the screen and tap on it. You can then adjust the operation to Out,, ” Fixed or Rotively. You can read the effect above in this article.

Watchos 11 or newer

1. Open the settings app and tap WiFi.
2. Tap the name of the network.
3. Scroll down and tap Out,, ” Fixed or Rotively (depending on which setting is displayed) and then choose a setting.

macOS sequoia or newer

1. In the Menublak, click  ▸ System settings and then click WiFi in the navigation column.
2. Click on the button Detailed or the button More info Next to the network name.
3. Choose in the menu next to Private WiFi address for Out,, ” Fixed or Rotively. You can read the effect above in this article.