MAC addresses are unique to each network hardware on a computer and devices with internet connectivity. Each network device possesses a single MAC address, and it exists as a unique identifier worldwide. If you want to intervene in the MAC address to adjust certain network connection settings, you can still make those adjustments. In this article, Software Tips will guide you on how to change the MAC address on Windows 10, 8, 7.
I. Manually Changing MAC Address
1. Manual change using Device Manager
For these manual adjustments, you can swiftly and efficiently change the MAC address.
Step 1: Right-click on This PC and select Manage to open the options.
Step 2: Next, locate the Device Manager tab, then select the Network Adapters tab to find the Network Card.
Step 3: Typically, the Network Cards on your computer will have a code like Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller. Right-click and choose Properties.
Step 4: In the Properties window, select the Advanced tab. Then, find the Network Address item and adjust the Value setting to 1. After that, enter the MAC address you want to replace here. Finally, press OK to complete.
After successfully changing the MAC address, restart your computer for the new MAC address to take effect.
2. Changing MAC Address via Regedit
Changing the MAC address through Regedit is much more complex and a bit trickier.
Step 1: Press Windows + R to open the RUN dialog. Then, enter Regedit and press OK to open it.
Step 2: Once the Registry Editor is open, sequentially navigate through the folders in the following order:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Con trol\Class\{4D36E972-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318} |
Upon reaching this folder, you will observe numerous small folders inside, such as 0000, 0001, 0002, 0003, 0004…. Your current task is to open each folder one by one to inspect if it contains the DriverDesc file with the accurate name of the Network Card (usually Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller).
Step 3: Once you have identified the folder containing DriverDesc: Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller, right-click on that folder and choose New -> String Value.
Step 4: Now, proceed to name the new File as NetworkAddress and enter the MAC address. However, note that the MAC address here will be written as a continuous sequence of 12 digits without any separation by ':'.
For example, if the MAC address is 2A:1B:4C:3D:6E:5F, you should enter it as 2A1B4C3D6E5F.
After that, restart your computer to apply the changes to the MAC address.
II. Change MAC address using software
In Step 3, once you locate the Network Connections, enter the MAC address you want to change in the Change MAC Address section, or click the Random MAC Address button to let the program generate a random MAC address. Then press Change Now to initiate the modification.
This software tricks tutorial guides you on how to change the MAC address on Windows 10, 8, 7 using various methods. Choose the method that suits you best. Good luck with your success!