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Forget a WiFi Network on macOS Sonoma and Later
Apple redesigned the WiFi settings in macOS Ventura (13) and kept the same layout in Sonoma (14) and Sequoia (15). The steps are different from older macOS versions.
- Click the Apple menu and select System Settings.
- Click Wi-Fi in the sidebar.
- Find the network you want to forget. If you’re currently connected to it, it appears at the top under “Connected.” If not, look under “Known Networks.”
- Click the three-dot menu (or the info button) next to the network name.
- Select “Forget This Network.”
- Confirm by clicking “Remove.”
The network disappears from your saved list. Your Mac won’t auto-connect to it anymore. If you want to reconnect later, you’ll need to select the network and enter the password again.
Forget a WiFi Network on macOS Monterey and Earlier
Older macOS versions (Monterey, Big Sur, Catalina, Mojave) use System Preferences instead of System Settings, and the WiFi management is in a different location.
- Click the Apple menu and select System Preferences.
- Click Network.
- Select Wi-Fi in the left sidebar.
- Click “Advanced” in the bottom right corner.
- A list of all saved WiFi networks appears. Select the network you want to forget.
- Click the minus (-) button below the list to remove it.
- Click OK, then Apply.
The Advanced panel shows every WiFi network your Mac has ever connected to, in priority order. Networks at the top of the list get connected to first when multiple saved networks are available. You can drag networks to reorder their priority.
Forget a Network From the Menu Bar
There’s a quicker method if you’re currently connected to the network you want to forget.
- Hold the Option key and click the WiFi icon in the menu bar.
- This opens an extended WiFi menu with additional details.
- You’ll see extra info like your IP address, security type, and channel. But on macOS Ventura and later, you can’t forget a network directly from here – you still need to go through System Settings.
On macOS Monterey and earlier, the Option-click menu provides a shortcut to “Open Network Preferences” which takes you directly to the Advanced panel where you can remove networks.
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Remove All Saved WiFi Networks at Once
If you want a completely fresh start (useful after buying a used Mac or when troubleshooting persistent WiFi issues), you can delete the WiFi configuration file that stores all saved networks.
- Turn off WiFi from the menu bar or System Settings.
- Open Finder and press Command + Shift + G to open “Go to Folder.”
- Type /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/ and press Enter.
- Find the file named com.apple.airport.preferences.plist and move it to the Trash.
- Restart your Mac.
- Turn WiFi back on. The saved network list is empty – your Mac has forgotten every WiFi network.
Your Mac creates a new configuration file automatically on restart. You’ll need to reconnect to your home WiFi (and any other networks) by selecting them and entering passwords.
Why You Might Want to Forget a Network
Your Mac stores every WiFi network it has ever connected to. Over time, this list accumulates dozens or hundreds of entries – hotel networks, coffee shop WiFi, friend’s houses, old office networks. This creates a few problems.
Auto-connecting to unwanted networks. Your Mac may connect to a weak or slow public network instead of your preferred network. Forgetting the unwanted network stops this behavior.
Connection issues after a password change. If someone changed the WiFi password on a network you’re saved to, your Mac repeatedly tries to connect with the old password and fails. Forgetting the network and reconnecting with the new password fixes this.
For a different take, see our guide on how to backup iPhone.
Security. Saved open networks (no password) are a security risk. Your Mac automatically connects to them whenever they’re in range, potentially exposing your traffic on unsecured public networks.
Stop Your Mac From Auto-Joining a Network
If you don’t want to forget a network entirely (maybe you use it occasionally) but want to stop auto-connecting, you can disable auto-join for that specific network.
- Go to System Settings, then Wi-Fi.
- Click the info button (or three-dot menu) next to the network.
- Toggle off “Auto-Join.”
The network stays in your saved list with the password remembered, but your Mac won’t connect to it automatically. You’ll need to manually select it from the WiFi menu when you want to use it.
Will forgetting a network affect my other Apple devices?
Yes, if you use iCloud Keychain. Apple syncs WiFi passwords across devices through iCloud Keychain. Forgetting a network on your Mac removes it from your iPhone, iPad, and other Macs signed into the same Apple ID. If you only want to forget the network on one device, turn off iCloud Keychain syncing first (though this affects all password syncing, not just WiFi).
How do I see all saved WiFi networks on my Mac?
On macOS Ventura and later, go to System Settings, then Wi-Fi, and scroll down to “Known Networks.” Click the three-dot menu on any network for options. On macOS Monterey and earlier, go to System Preferences, then Network, then Wi-Fi, then Advanced. The full list of saved networks appears in order of priority.
My Mac keeps reconnecting to a network I already forgot – why?
If iCloud Keychain is enabled, another device (like your iPhone) might be syncing the network back. Forget the network on all your Apple devices. If the network is still reappearing, check if there’s a configuration profile installed (System Settings, then General, then Profiles) – enterprise or school profiles can add WiFi networks automatically.
Sources
Apple – Manage WiFi Settings on Mac | Apple – WiFi Troubleshooting
