Network
Wi-Fi MAC Randomisation on Android: What It Does and Why You Want It
Your phone's hardware identifier used to leak everywhere you went. Modern Android fixes that — if you let it.
By Adrián Vega
Published 18 January 2026 · Updated 13 June 2026 · 6 min read
Every Wi-Fi card has a MAC address — a unique hardware identifier. Until Android 10, your phone broadcast the same MAC to every Wi-Fi network it saw, which let airports, malls, and ad networks build a movement profile of you over months.
What MAC randomisation is
Android now generates a different MAC per network. To the airport Wi-Fi you're a different device every time you visit.
The default behaviour
"Use randomised MAC" is on by default. Verify in Settings > Network & Internet > Internet, tap the gear next to a network, then Privacy.
Per-network override
Some captive portals and corporate networks fail with randomised MACs. The same Privacy menu lets you choose "Use device MAC" for that specific network — leave randomised for everything else.
Watch
Video walkthrough
A short video on android mac randomisation to complement the steps above.
Key takeaways
- MAC randomisation is on by default on modern Android.
- It prevents long-term tracking by passive Wi-Fi sniffers.
- Only switch to device MAC when a specific network requires it.
Frequently asked questions
- Does this affect home Wi-Fi performance?
- No. Some routers tie parental controls to MAC — if so, switch that single network to device MAC.
References & further reading
Continue reading
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