Use Random Hardware Addresses on Wi-Fi for Better Privacy in Windows 10/11

Use Random Hardware Addresses on Wi-Fi for Better Privacy in Windows 10/11​

Difficulty: Beginner | Time Required: 10 minutes

Introduction​

Every Wi-Fi adapter has a unique hardware address, often called a MAC address. When your Windows PC looks for nearby Wi-Fi networks or connects to one, that address can be visible to the network equipment around you. In public places such as airports, hotels, shopping centers, schools, and cafés, this can potentially be used to recognize your device over time.
Windows 10 and Windows 11 include a privacy feature called Random hardware addresses. When enabled, Windows uses a randomized MAC address instead of your device’s permanent Wi-Fi hardware address. This makes it harder for public Wi-Fi systems and nearby network observers to track your device based only on its Wi-Fi hardware address.
This tutorial shows you how to turn the feature on for all Wi-Fi networks or for individual networks.

Prerequisites​

Before you begin, make sure:

1. Your PC has Wi-Fi.
2. You are using Windows 10 or Windows 11.
3. Your Wi-Fi adapter and driver support random hardware addresses.
4. You have access to the Windows Settings app.

Note: If you do not see the Random hardware addresses option, your Wi-Fi adapter, driver, Windows edition, or organization policy may not support it.

Windows 10 note: Windows 10 still includes this feature, but standard Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025. If you continue using Windows 10, make sure your device is covered by a supported servicing option or consider upgrading to Windows 11 where possible.

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Option 1: Turn On Random Hardware Addresses for All Wi-Fi Networks​

Use this option if you want Windows to use randomized hardware addresses generally when scanning for and connecting to Wi-Fi networks.

Windows 11​

1. Click Start.
2. Open Settings.
3. Select Network & internet from the left side.
4. Click Wi-Fi.
5. Find Random hardware addresses.
6. Turn the switch On.

After this is enabled, Windows will use random hardware addresses for Wi-Fi activity where supported.

Windows 10​

1. Click Start.
2. Open Settings.
3. Select Network & Internet.
4. Click Wi-Fi.
5. Find Use random hardware addresses.
6. Turn the setting On.

Depending on your Windows 10 version and Wi-Fi driver, you may see slightly different wording or a drop-down choice instead of a simple switch.

Tip: If you often use public Wi-Fi, enabling this globally is a simple privacy improvement that requires very little maintenance.

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Option 2: Turn On Random Hardware Addresses for One Specific Wi-Fi Network​

This option is useful if you only want randomization on certain networks, such as public Wi-Fi, while keeping your normal hardware address on trusted networks like home, work, or school.

Windows 11​

1. Click Start.
2. Open Settings.
3. Go to Network & internet.
4. Select Wi-Fi.
5. Click Manage known networks.
6. Select the Wi-Fi network you want to change.
7. Find Random hardware addresses.
8. Turn it On.

The setting applies the next time Windows connects to that network.

Windows 10​

1. Click Start.
2. Open Settings.
3. Go to Network & Internet.
4. Select Wi-Fi.
5. Click Manage known networks.
6. Choose the Wi-Fi network you want to configure.
7. Select Properties.
8. Turn on Use random hardware addresses for this network.

If your version offers choices such as Off, On, or Change daily, choose the option that best fits your needs.

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Which Setting Should You Use?​

For most home users, a good setup is:

1. Turn it on for public Wi-Fi networks
2. Leave it off for your home network if you use router-based device rules
3. Check with your workplace or school before changing it on managed networks

Random hardware addresses are especially helpful on networks you do not control. Examples include:

• Coffee shops
• Airports
• Hotels
• Libraries
• Shopping centers
• Public transport Wi-Fi
• Guest networks

For your home network, the privacy benefit is usually smaller because you already control or trust the router. However, you can still enable it if your network does not depend on identifying your device by MAC address.

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Important Notes and Warnings​

Some networks identify devices by MAC address​

Certain networks use your hardware address to recognize your device. Turning on random hardware addresses may cause that network to treat your PC like a new device.
This can affect:

• MAC address filtering
• Parental controls
• Router access rules
• DHCP reservations
• Device names in your router’s admin page
• Paid Wi-Fi sessions
• Hotel or airport login portals
• School or workplace network registration

If a network suddenly asks you to sign in again, this may be why.

It does not make you anonymous online​

Random hardware addresses improve local Wi-Fi privacy, but they do not hide everything.
They do not hide:

• Your public IP address
• Your Microsoft account
• Browser cookies
• Websites you sign into
• Your approximate location from websites or apps
• Your activity from the Wi-Fi provider once connected

For broader privacy, you may also want to review browser privacy settings, location permissions, DNS settings, and VPN usage.

Managed devices may be controlled by policy​

If your PC belongs to a company, school, or organization, the setting may be managed by IT. You might not be able to change it, or changing it may cause connection problems on enterprise Wi-Fi.
When in doubt, ask your administrator before enabling it on a work or school network.

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Troubleshooting​

I do not see the Random hardware addresses option​

Try the following:

1. Make sure your device has Wi-Fi and is not Ethernet-only.
2. Restart your PC.
3. Install the latest Windows updates.
4. Update your Wi-Fi adapter driver from Windows Update or your PC manufacturer.
5. Check Device Manager to confirm the Wi-Fi adapter is working properly.
6. If this is a work or school PC, check whether the setting is controlled by policy.

If the option still does not appear, your Wi-Fi hardware may not support the feature.

I turned it on, but my Wi-Fi stopped working​

Try these steps:

1. Go back to the Wi-Fi network’s properties.
2. Turn Random hardware addresses off for that network.
3. Disconnect from Wi-Fi.
4. Reconnect to the network.
5. If needed, forget the network and connect again.

To forget a network:

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to Network & internet.
3. Select Wi-Fi.
4. Open Manage known networks.
5. Select the network.
6. Choose Forget.
7. Reconnect and enter the Wi-Fi password again.

My router shows a new device name or new MAC address​

That is expected. When randomization is enabled, your router may see your PC as a different device. If you use router rules, update them for the randomized address or disable the feature for that specific network.

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Conclusion​

Random hardware addresses are a quick and useful privacy feature built into Windows 10 and Windows 11. They help reduce device tracking on Wi-Fi networks by replacing your permanent Wi-Fi hardware address with a randomized one. The feature is especially valuable on public and guest networks, where you may not know who manages the Wi-Fi infrastructure.
For the best balance, consider enabling random hardware addresses on public Wi-Fi while leaving them off on networks that rely on device-specific rules, such as home routers with parental controls or workplace networks.
Key Takeaways:

• Random hardware addresses help reduce Wi-Fi-based tracking.
• The feature is available in Windows 10 and Windows 11 when supported by your Wi-Fi hardware.
• You can enable it globally or only for specific Wi-Fi networks.
• It improves local Wi-Fi privacy but does not make you fully anonymous online.
• If a network uses MAC filtering or device registration, you may need to disable the feature for that network.

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This tutorial was generated to help WindowsForum.com users get the most out of their Windows experience.

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References​

1. Official source: support.microsoft.com
   
   

   Connect to a Wi-Fi network in Windows | Microsoft Support

   Learn how to connect to a Wi-fi network in Windows and manage your current network connections.

   support.microsoft.com