Curious what is my IPv6 address? The tool below instantly detects and displays your device's public IPv6 address, or lets you know if your network doesn't have IPv6 connectivity yet.

What is an IPv6 address?

An IPv6 address is the newest generation of Internet Protocol address used to identify devices on a network. Unlike the older four-number format you may be familiar with, an IPv6 address is a 128-bit value written as eight groups of hexadecimal digits separated by colons, for example 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334.

Because it uses 128 bits, IPv6 provides roughly 340 undecillion (3.4 × 10³⁸) unique addresses — an almost unimaginably large pool. To keep these long strings readable, IPv6 allows compression: leading zeros in a group can be dropped, and one run of consecutive all-zero groups can be replaced with a double colon (::). That turns the example above into the tidier 2001:db8:85a3::8a2e:370:7334.

Why was IPv6 created?

The internet originally ran on IPv4, which offers about 4.3 billion addresses. That sounded like plenty in the 1980s, but the explosion of computers, phones, smart TVs, and connected devices exhausted the supply. IPv6 was designed to solve this IPv4 exhaustion problem once and for all, giving every device on Earth — and countless more — its own unique, globally routable address.

IPv6 vs IPv4: what's different?

Both protocols do the same core job of routing data across networks, but IPv6 brings several important improvements:

• Vastly larger address space — 340 undecillion addresses versus roughly 4.3 billion for IPv4.
• No NAT required — with so many addresses available, devices can have their own public address instead of hiding behind Network Address Translation, which simplifies peer-to-peer connections.
• Autoconfiguration (SLAAC) — IPv6 devices can configure their own address automatically using Stateless Address Autoconfiguration, often without needing a DHCP server.
• Simplified header — a more efficient packet header helps routers process traffic faster.

If you want to check your older-style address too, visit our What Is My IPv4? tool for a side-by-side comparison.

Do I have IPv6?

Wondering do I have IPv6 on your connection? The quickest way to find out is the tool at the top of this page: if it shows a colon-separated hexadecimal address, your network is IPv6-enabled. If it reports that no IPv6 was detected, your connection is currently IPv4-only.

Whether you have IPv6 depends on two things working together: your internet service provider (ISP) must offer IPv6, and your router and device must support and have it enabled. Most modern ISPs and routers support IPv6 out of the box, but some older hardware or plans still don't.

How to enable IPv6

If you don't have IPv6 yet, here are the usual steps to turn it on:

• Confirm your ISP supports it — check your provider's website or contact support to verify IPv6 is available on your plan.
• Enable it on your router — log in to your router's admin panel and look for an IPv6 setting, often under WAN or Internet options.
• Update your operating system — most modern versions of Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android enable IPv6 automatically once the network offers it.
• Restart and re-test — reboot your router and device, then reload this page to confirm your new IPv6 address appears.

IPv6 privacy and temporary addresses

Because IPv6 gives devices their own public address, privacy became a design consideration. To prevent your device from being tracked by a permanent identifier, IPv6 includes privacy extensions that generate random, rotating temporary addresses for outbound connections. Your device may keep a stable address for incoming services while using these short-lived temporary addresses for everyday browsing, so the IPv6 address you see today may differ tomorrow.

Dual-stack networks

Most connections today run dual-stack, meaning they use both IPv4 and IPv6 at the same time. This lets your device reach modern IPv6-only services while still communicating with the many websites and servers that remain IPv4-only. During the ongoing transition to IPv6, dual-stack keeps everything working seamlessly. You can explore both of your addresses and more with our full IP address lookup tools.

Frequently asked questions

What is my IPv6 address used for?

Your IPv6 address identifies your device on the internet so that data can be routed to and from it. Websites, apps, and online services use it to send responses back to you, much like a return address on a letter.

Why do I not have an IPv6 address?

If no IPv6 address appears, your ISP may not offer IPv6, or it may be disabled on your router or device. Your connection is likely IPv4-only, which still works fine for browsing but misses the benefits of IPv6.

Is an IPv6 address more secure than IPv4?

IPv6 was built with modern security features and encourages end-to-end encryption, but security ultimately depends on your firewall and configuration. Its privacy extensions do help reduce tracking by rotating your temporary address.

Can my IPv6 address change over time?

Yes. With privacy extensions enabled, your device generates temporary IPv6 addresses that rotate regularly, and your ISP may also assign a different prefix. This means the address you see can change from day to day.

Does having IPv6 make my internet faster?

IPv6 can offer slightly faster routing by avoiding NAT and using a streamlined packet header, but the difference is usually small. Its real advantage is the enormous address space and improved support for modern, direct connections.