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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →In ESP-IDF, use esp_read_mac() to read the address for a specific interface, such as Wi-Fi station, and use either a custom base MAC or a per-interface override when you need to set one. Set a custom base early—before network interfaces are initialized and before reading an address. The examples below cover classic ESP32 using Espressif’s ESP-IDF v4.4.8 guide; API details can vary by chip and ESP-IDF release.
Read the MAC address for a specific interface
Include esp_mac.h, choose the interface type, and check the return value before using the six-byte output buffer. For example, this reads the Wi-Fi station MAC:
#include <stdio.h>
#include "esp_err.h"
#include "esp_mac.h"
void print_station_mac(void)
{
uint8_t mac[6];
esp_err_t err = esp_read_mac(mac, ESP_MAC_WIFI_STA);
if (err == ESP_OK) {
printf("Wi-Fi STA MAC: %02X:%02X:%02X:%02X:%02X:%02Xn",
mac[0], mac[1], mac[2], mac[3], mac[4], mac[5]);
}
}Use the type that matches the interface you mean: examples include ESP_MAC_WIFI_STA, ESP_MAC_WIFI_SOFTAP, ESP_MAC_BT, and ESP_MAC_ETH. Confirm the supported types for your target chip and ESP-IDF version in the ESP-IDF MAC API reference.
esp_read_mac() returns an address based on the base MAC and requested type. Espressif notes that its result can differ from the address read with esp_wifi_get_mac(); use the API appropriate to the value your application needs, and consult the target-specific Wi-Fi documentation if you need the Wi-Fi driver’s runtime address.
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Choose how to set an address
ESP-IDF offers two different scopes: change the shared base from which interface addresses are derived, or override one interface. They are not interchangeable.
| Approach | Scope | Timing and effect |
|---|---|---|
Custom base with esp_base_mac_addr_set() or, in the current API reference, esp_iface_mac_addr_set(mac, ESP_MAC_BASE) |
Shared base for derived interface addresses | Set before network-interface initialization and before calling esp_read_mac(). Plan the resulting addresses so they do not overlap. |
Per-interface override with esp_iface_mac_addr_set(); the classic ESP32 guide also documents esp_netif_set_mac() |
One selected interface | Overrides that interface independently of the base. The guide documents esp_netif_set_mac() after initialization and warns that changing an address late can briefly expose the original address on the network. |
Set a shared base MAC during startup
For classic ESP32 in the ESP-IDF v4.4.8 guide, call esp_base_mac_addr_set() before initializing network interfaces or calling esp_read_mac(). The address is the shared starting point for derived interface addresses.
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#include "esp_err.h"
#include "esp_mac.h"
static const uint8_t custom_base_mac[6] = {
0x02, 0x12, 0x34, 0x56, 0x78, 0x90
};
esp_err_t configure_custom_base_mac(void)
{
return esp_base_mac_addr_set(custom_base_mac);
}The sample address is illustrative, not an assigned globally unique address. Allocate an address for your devices and account for every derived interface address to avoid collisions. Espressif’s current ESP32-P4 API reference requires a unicast base MAC—the least significant bit of the first byte must be zero—and advises setting the locally administered bit when using an OUI not assigned to you. Check your target’s guidance before applying that recommendation.
A custom base can be stored in supported storage such as flash or NVS, but loading and persistence are the application’s responsibility. The ordinary runtime API call does not itself burn a MAC address into eFuse.
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Override one interface instead
Use esp_iface_mac_addr_set(mac, type) when you want a selected interface to have an address independent of the shared base. The API reference describes this as an interface-specific override. On classic ESP32, the v4.4.8 guide also documents esp_netif_set_mac() for changing an interface after network initialization. Because that later change can briefly expose the previous address on the network, configure the base early if your goal is to control the derived address plan from startup.
Keep chip and version differences in view
The factory base MAC is programmed in eFuse, and interface addresses are calculated from a base address. However, the eFuse layout, supported address types, and derivation details are target-specific. Espressif’s current stable v6.1 API page cited here is for ESP32-P4, while its versioned v4.4.8 guide covers classic ESP32. Do not transfer the P4 eFuse layout or derivation table to classic ESP32; check the guide for your chip and project release.
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esp_efuse_mac_get_custom() relates to a custom MAC stored in eFuse, not simply to changing the runtime base. The current API reference says this helper is supported only on ESP32. Since eFuse programming is target-specific and can be irreversible, these APIs are not a general-purpose procedure for writing a new MAC to eFuse.
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Sources
- Espressif ESP-IDF v6.1 stable API reference for ESP32-P4
- Espressif ESP-IDF v4.4.8 guide for classic ESP32
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