Use random Wi-Fi hardware (MAC) addresses — via Microsoft Learn

Hidden settinglow riskWindows 11

With random hardware addresses, your laptop presents a different MAC address to Wi-Fi networks, making it harder to track you between cafés, shops and airports.

Takes effect right away

How to do it

  1. For newly added networks: Settings → Network & internet → Wi-Fi → turn on Random hardware addresses.
  2. For one saved network from the command line: netsh wlan set profileparameter name="NAME" Randomization=yes (or daily for a new address every day; no to undo).
The toggle is greyed out or missing if your Wi-Fi adapter or driver doesn't support it. Turn it off for networks that use MAC filtering or fixed DHCP reservations, or you may lose access or get a different IP.

Sources

Source reviewed
2026-11-02
Link checked
2026-11-02
Tested hands-on
Not by Oddbyte.Me

Oddbyte.Me hasn't tried this on every Windows build, so keep the undo handy.

mac randomizationrandom hardware addressprivacywi-fitracking

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