Young Porter early accompanied his father—who had been an American Revolutionary War naval commander—on sea voyages. He became a midshipman in 1798, was promoted to lieutenant in 1799, and took part in the undeclared war against France (1799) and the war with Tripoli (1801–05).

Promoted to captain in 1812, Porter won a formidable reputation as commander of the Essex in the next two years. His was the first U.S. warship to become active in Pacific waters. He captured a large number of British whaling vessels and took possession of Nuku Hiva, the largest of the Marquesas Islands, in November 1813. Finally, in February 1814, he was blockaded by British frigates in the harbour of Valparaíso, Chile, and was defeated at the end of March.

After serving on the new Board of Naval Commissioners from 1815 to 1823, Porter commanded a squadron sent to the West Indies to suppress piracy. When one of his officers landed in Puerto Rico and was imprisoned by the Spanish authorities, Porter sent in an armed force and demanded an apology. For this unauthorized action, he was recalled (December 1824), court-martialed, and suspended from duty. Resigning his commission, he accepted appointment as commander in chief of the Mexican navy (1826–29), then fighting Spain.

Upon returning to the United States, he was sent to Algiers as U.S. consul general (1830), and then to Constantinople (1831), where, in 1841, he became minister. He was the father of U.S. naval officer David Dixon Porter.