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With this IOS 14 security feature does the mac address keep changing for a specific wifi network?

On my home network, I assign my family's devices specific IP addresses based on their mac address. I don't want the mac address to dynamically change every time it connects. Do I need to turn this feature off on our IOS devices?

iPhone 8

Posted on Sep 24, 2020 1:21 PM

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Posted on Sep 24, 2020 2:07 PM

OPTION 1 - Turn Private Address ON (double check because it is ON by default on my iPhone). Your iPhone will then mask its own MAC Address by providing another MAC Address. This address will be unique to one WiFi Network and will remain the same until you turn the feature OFF. You can have unique MAC Addresses for each WiFi Network that you connect to.


OPTION 2 - Turn Private Address OFF. Should turn it OFF then the iPhone's MAC Address is shown and it remains the same across all WiFi Networks.


Axel F.

3 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Sep 24, 2020 2:07 PM in response to Peter Pappas

OPTION 1 - Turn Private Address ON (double check because it is ON by default on my iPhone). Your iPhone will then mask its own MAC Address by providing another MAC Address. This address will be unique to one WiFi Network and will remain the same until you turn the feature OFF. You can have unique MAC Addresses for each WiFi Network that you connect to.


OPTION 2 - Turn Private Address OFF. Should turn it OFF then the iPhone's MAC Address is shown and it remains the same across all WiFi Networks.


Axel F.

Sep 24, 2020 2:11 PM in response to Peter Pappas

iOS 14 generates a MAC address the first time you connect. Each network you connect to for the first time will generate a different MAC address.

When you reconnect to the same network it uses the MAC address it generated when you first connected.

if you want a different one every time, you will have to forget the network when you disconnect.

With this IOS 14 security feature does the mac address keep changing for a specific wifi network?

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