How to enable or disable random hardware addresses in Windows 11

Wondering how to enable or disable random hardware addresses on your Windows 11 PC and prevent your device from being tracked? Before we proceed to explain the process, let’s understand what random hardware address is.

In situations like when the WiFi on your PC may be enabled, but not connected, your PC continues to send signals to connect to a nearby WiFi network. This signal carries a specific physical hardware address for your device, called a MAC address. Now when you go to a place like a supermarket, an airport or a hotel where there is free WiFi, your device can be tracked via MAC address.

Therefore, where there is free WiFi, you may not want your device location to be tracked and protect it from hackers or spies and therefore in such cases it is recommended to enable the random hardware address (for those computers that support this function). This will prevent others from tracking your device’s location or activity, and therefore works as a security cover for your device.

You can apply these settings to a single WiFi network or to all WiFi networks. Read on to learn how to turn random hardware address on or off on your Windows 11 PC.

How to enable or disable random hardware address or MAC address in Windows 11

So, if you don’t want your device’s location or activity to be tracked on free WiFi locations, follow the instructions below to enable the MAC address (random hardware address) on your Windows 11 PC:

Paso 1: press the Win + me keys simultaneously on your keyboard to start the Settings app.

Paso 2: At Settings window, go to the left side of the panel and click the Red and Internet option.

Paso 3: Now, navigate to the right side of the window and click on the Wifi option.

Paso 4: Then in the WiFi settings window, on the right side of the panel, scroll down and go to the Random hardware addresses option.

Now, move the slider next to it to the right to activate it.

This will allow Random hardware addresses Your WiFi and device settings will be locked from being tracked by others, especially in free WiFi hotspots.

*Note – To disable the Random hardware addresses When you are not in the free WiFi zone or public network areas, follow the Steps 1 through 3 as shown above and then move the slider to the left (next to the Random hardware addresses option) to turn it off.

Once done, the random hardware address setting is disabled for your WiFi.