To change your MAC address on Mac, find your Wi-Fi interface, turn the interface off, set a new MAC address with sudo ifconfig, then bring Wi-Fi back online. The change is temporary on macOS, so your original hardware address returns after a restart.
Quick Answer
On most Macs, Wi-Fi is en0. The fastest Terminal sequence is:
Turn Wi-Fi off
sudo ifconfig en0 downChange the MAC address
sudo ifconfig en0 ether AA:BB:CC:DD:EE:FFTurn Wi-Fi back on
sudo ifconfig en0 upReplace AA:BB:CC:DD:EE:FF with a valid address from the MAC address generator. If en0 is not your Wi-Fi interface, run networksetup -listallhardwareports first.
Method 1 — Terminal (Manual)
Open Terminal
Press ⌘ + Space, type Terminal, and press Enter. Or find it in Applications → Utilities → Terminal.
Find your Wi-Fi interface name
Run the command below. Look for the "Wi-Fi" entry — the interface name is almost always en0 on Apple Silicon Macs.
networksetup -listallhardwareportsCheck your current MAC address
Confirm which address you're replacing. Note it down in case you need to restore it manually.
ifconfig en0 | grep etherBring the interface down
Take the interface offline before changing the address. macOS requires this step.
sudo ifconfig en0 downApply the new MAC address
Replace AA:BB:CC:DD:EE:FF with the address you want. Use the MAC Address Generator to create a valid one.
sudo ifconfig en0 ether AA:BB:CC:DD:EE:FFBring the interface back up
Re-enable the Wi-Fi interface with the new MAC address active.
sudo ifconfig en0 upReconnect to Wi-Fi
Your Mac should reconnect automatically. If not, click the Wi-Fi menu and select your network. Your router will now see the new MAC address.
Terminal Command Builder
Select your interface and enter the MAC address you want. The builder generates the exact commands to run — ready to copy and paste.
Method 2 — MacSpoof (One Click)
If you'd rather not use Terminal, MacSpoof does all of the above in a single click. It detects your interfaces automatically, generates a valid MAC address (with an Apple-like OUI if you want), applies the change, and reconnects your Wi-Fi — all without typing a single command.
Terminal vs. MacSpoof App
| Option | Best for | Tradeoff |
|---|---|---|
| Terminal commands | One-time changes, troubleshooting, and users who are comfortable with sudo commands. | You must find the right interface, generate a valid address, and reconnect manually. |
| MacSpoof MAC address changer | Changing, randomizing, or resetting your MAC address often on Apple Silicon Macs. | Uses the app UI instead of teaching you every Terminal step. |
Skip the Terminal — use MacSpoof
One click to randomize or set a custom MAC address. Built for Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3, M4).
Download MacSpoof Free
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the change survive a reboot?
No. The MAC address reverts to the hardware default every time you restart your Mac. Run the commands again (or open MacSpoof) if you need to re-apply it after a reboot.
How do I check my MAC address on Mac?
Open Terminal and run ifconfig en0 | grep ether for Wi-Fi on most Macs. You can also open System Settings, choose Wi-Fi, click Details next to your network, and look for the Wi-Fi address.
Does this work on macOS Sonoma or Sequoia?
Yes. The ifconfig method works on current macOS versions including Ventura, Sonoma, and Sequoia. Your Mac may briefly disconnect while the interface restarts.
What if sudo ifconfig en0 ether gives a permission error?
Make sure you're in the admin group on macOS. You can check in System Settings → Users & Groups. If you're on macOS Ventura or later and using SIP, the command still works — ifconfig ether is allowed even with SIP enabled.
My interface is not en0 — how do I find the right name?
Run networksetup -listallhardwareports and look for the line that says "Wi-Fi" or "Ethernet". The interface name is on the "Device:" line directly below it (e.g. en0, en1, en2).
Why won't my MAC address change?
The most common causes are using the wrong interface, forgetting to bring the interface down first, entering an invalid address, or reconnecting to a network that uses Apple's per-network Private Wi-Fi Address setting. Verify with ifconfig en0 | grep ether after reconnecting.
How do I reset to my original MAC address?
Simply restart your Mac. Alternatively, run sudo ifconfig en0 ether <original> where <original> is your hardware MAC. You can find the hardware MAC in System Information → Network or by noting it before making changes.
Does this work on Intel Macs?
The Terminal commands work on Intel Macs running macOS. MacSpoof currently supports Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3/M4) Macs only.