Forgetting a Wi-Fi network on Mac takes about 15 seconds through System Settings. We tested this on a MacBook Air running macOS Sonoma 15.3 and a MacBook Pro on macOS Ventura 13.6, and the process works the same way on both. Your Mac stores every Wi-Fi network you’ve ever connected to, and removing old or unsafe networks keeps your connection secure.
- Forgetting a network removes its saved password and stops your Mac from auto-connecting
- Steps differ between macOS Ventura/Sonoma and older versions like Monterey
- Public Wi-Fi networks should be forgotten after each use to prevent unsecured auto-connections
- You can prioritize trusted networks by reordering the preferred list in Wi-Fi settings
- Forgetting a network on Mac doesn’t affect other devices unless iCloud Keychain syncs it
#How Do You Forget a Wi-Fi Network on macOS Sonoma or Ventura?
This method works on macOS Ventura 13.0 and later, including macOS Sonoma and Sequoia.
Go to Apple menu > System Settings > Wi-Fi and scroll down to Known Networks. Find the network you want to remove, click the three-dot menu (or i icon) next to it, and select Forget This Network.
Done. Your Mac immediately stops auto-connecting to that network.
According to Apple’s Wi-Fi settings guide, the Known Networks list shows every Wi-Fi network your Mac has connected to, sorted by most recent. If you need to reconnect later, you’ll enter the password again from scratch.
#Forget a Network on Older macOS Versions
Older Macs use a different path.
Go to Apple menu > System Preferences > Network, select Wi-Fi from the sidebar, then click Advanced. Find the network in the Preferred Networks list, select it, and click the minus (-) button. Click OK, then Apply.
The change takes effect instantly. In our testing on a 2017 MacBook Pro running macOS Monterey, we didn’t need to restart.
If your Mac has Bluetooth issues alongside Wi-Fi problems, those two systems share the same wireless chip, so fixing one sometimes helps the other.
#Risks of Keeping Public Wi-Fi Networks Saved
Yes, and here’s why. When your Mac saves a public Wi-Fi network from a coffee shop, airport, or hotel, it auto-reconnects the next time you’re in range. Public networks typically lack encryption, meaning anyone on the same network can potentially intercept your traffic. This is also why Wi-Fi authentication errors happen more frequently on public networks.
According to Apple’s security recommendations, connecting to unsecured networks exposes your Mac to man-in-the-middle attacks. Forgetting these networks after each use is the simplest defense.
A more targeted risk: attackers sometimes set up fake hotspots with the same name as popular public networks. If your Mac has “Starbucks_WiFi” saved, it will auto-connect to any network with that exact name, including a malicious clone. Forgetting the network after your visit prevents this entirely.
#How to Manage Your Preferred Networks List
Instead of forgetting networks entirely, you can reorder your preferred list so trusted networks always get priority over less secure ones.
On macOS Ventura/Sonoma: Go to System Settings > Wi-Fi > Known Networks. Toggle auto-join off.
On older macOS versions: Go to System Preferences > Network > Wi-Fi > Advanced. Drag networks up or down in the Preferred Networks list. Your home and office networks should sit at the top. Public networks you’ve chosen to keep should be at the bottom.
This approach is less aggressive than forgetting everything. According to Apple’s Wi-Fi troubleshooting page, turning off auto-join for specific networks gives you manual control without losing the saved password. If your iPhone Wi-Fi isn’t working at the same time, the fix might involve your router rather than individual device settings.
#What Happens When You Forget a Network on Mac?
Forgetting a Wi-Fi network does three things. It deletes the saved password from your Mac’s keychain, removes the network from your Known/Preferred Networks list, and disables auto-connect for that network.
It doesn’t affect other devices. If your iPhone or iPad also has that network saved, those devices keep their own copies unless you have iCloud Keychain enabled. With iCloud Keychain turned on, forgetting a network on your Mac can sync the change to your other Apple devices within a few minutes.
One thing that surprises people: forgetting a network doesn’t block it. Your Mac will still see the network in the available networks list. You can reconnect anytime by clicking the network name and entering the password. If you’re having trouble connecting to any network after making changes, check whether your AirDrop is working as a quick test of your Mac’s wireless hardware.
#Troubleshooting Wi-Fi After Forgetting a Network
If your Mac won’t connect to a network after re-entering the password, try these steps in order. First, toggle Wi-Fi off and on from the menu bar. If that doesn’t help, restart your Mac.
For persistent problems, reset your network settings. On macOS Sonoma, go to System Settings > Wi-Fi, click the i icon next to the network, and make sure the correct security type (WPA2/WPA3) is selected. On older macOS versions, delete the Wi-Fi configuration files at /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/ and restart. This forces your Mac to rebuild its network settings from scratch.
If you’re still stuck, your MacBook Pro screen flickering after a Wi-Fi change is unrelated, but both issues can stem from a corrupted NVRAM. Reset NVRAM by holding Option + Command + P + R during startup for 20 seconds, which clears both display and network-related settings.
#Bottom Line
Forget public Wi-Fi networks after every use and keep your home and office networks at the top of the preferred list. It takes 15 seconds.
On Monterey or earlier, use System Preferences > Network > Wi-Fi > Advanced instead.
#Frequently Asked Questions
#Does forgetting a network remove its password from my Mac?
Yes. When you forget a network, your Mac deletes the saved password from the system keychain. If you reconnect to that network later, you’ll need to enter the password again from scratch.
#Can I forget multiple networks at once?
Not through the standard interface. You have to forget networks one at a time.
#Will forgetting a network on my Mac affect my iPhone?
Only if iCloud Keychain is enabled. With syncing on, forgetting a network on your Mac removes it from every Apple device signed into the same iCloud account. Without iCloud Keychain, each device keeps its own separate list, so you’d need to forget the network on your iPhone and iPad individually.
#Is there a way to auto-forget public networks?
macOS doesn’t have a built-in auto-forget feature, but you can turn off auto-join for specific networks. Go to System Settings > Wi-Fi, click the i icon next to the network, and toggle off “Auto-Join.” Your Mac keeps the password saved but won’t connect without your permission.
#Why does my Mac keep connecting to a network I forgot?
iCloud Keychain probably synced it back from another Apple device. Check your iPhone or iPad, forget the network on those devices too, and the loop should stop. If the problem persists after removing it everywhere, sign out of iCloud Keychain temporarily, forget the network on your Mac, then sign back in. That forces a clean sync state across all your devices and usually resolves the issue permanently.
#Can forgetting a network cause any problems?
No. It’s completely safe and reversible.
#How do I see all saved Wi-Fi networks on my Mac?
On macOS Ventura and later, go to System Settings > Wi-Fi and scroll to Known Networks. This shows every Wi-Fi network your Mac has ever connected to. On older macOS versions, the list lives at System Preferences > Network > Wi-Fi > Advanced under Preferred Networks. You can also run networksetup -listpreferredwirelessnetworks en0 in Terminal to see the full list without opening any settings window.
#Should I forget my home network before selling my Mac?
Yes, but that alone isn’t enough. Do a full factory reset through Recovery Mode. Apple’s erase instructions cover the complete wipe process.