The crystal structure of the title compound, (E)-2-acetyl-4-(4-methoxyphenyldiazenyl) phenol, displays a trans configuration of the azo moiety as found for other azo (diazene) derivatives. The aromatic mean planes are nearly coplanar and the dihedral angle between the 2 aromatic rings is 3.04(8)degrees. The molecules, with strong intramolecular O-H center dot center dot center dot O hydrogen bonding, are linked by weak van der Waals interactions in the 3-dimensional network. The molecular geometry, determined using X-ray diffraction techniques, was also calculated with the density functional theory (DFT), employing the hybrid exchange-correlation functional B3LYP. Experimental and theoretical IR spectra of the compound were also calculated for comparison. The results of the experimental and theoretical calculations are compared in this study.