Forgetting the network on your Macbook may be a good idea if you previously linked to a WiFi network but no longer want to do so. A fantastic feature of your Mac allows you to save Wi-Fi networks that you’ve previously logged into and join them whenever you are within range of them.
However, you can easily prevent your Mac from automatically logging into any WiFi network. In this post, we will show you the ways you can follow to successfully forget a network on Mac.
How to Forget a WiFi Network on Mac Computer
To successfully forget a WiFi on Mac computer, follow the steps below;
- In the top menu bar of your Mac, click on the WiFi icon.
- Then from the drop-down menu, select “Open Network Preferences”.
- Click on the “Advanced” button in the bottom right corner of the Network Preferences window.
- Click on the “WiFi” tab in the Advanced window.
- Then select the WiFi you want to forget in the Preferred Networks section and click on the minus sign to remove it.
- Click on the “Apply” button.
How to Forget a WiFi Network on Macbook Air
- In the top menu bar of your Macbook Air, click on the WiFi icon.
- Then from the drop-down menu, select “Open Network Preferences”.
- Click on the “Advanced” button in the bottom right corner of the Network Preferences window.
- Click on the “WiFi” tab in the Advanced window.
- Then select the WiFi you want to forget in the Preferred Networks section and click on the minus sign to remove it.
- Click on the “Apply” button.
How to Rejoin a Network after Your Mac forgets it
Is simple for you to rejoin a network that you have forgotten on your Mac. To rejoin your network, click on the WiFi icon in the menu bar. Then choose the network you want to rejoin and type in the password.
Now that you’ve used the network once again, your Mac will remember it again, so you can delete it later. Nevertheless, you can leave it on the list but can make sure it doesn’t connect automatically whenever you are in range of it.
To do so, follow the steps below,
- On your Mac, go to System Settings.
- Then go to Network > WiFi.
- Click Advanced.
- Search for the network in the list and click the More icon.
- Then click Auto-join to deselect it.
How Can I View Saved WiFi Networks?
There are two places Mac stores details of WiFi networks you have previously joined.
Via Network Settings
Open System Settings, then select Network to get started. On the sidebar, select Wi-Fi. In the settings window that appears, scroll down and select Advanced. You can find a list of networks in the section under “Known Networks.”
The networks that you have connected to and whose passwords are stored on your devices are included in this list. By selecting Remove from List when you click the… button next to a network, you can remove networks from your list.
Via Keychain Access
Keychain Access is the second technique to delete stored networks. This software keeps passwords, certificates, encryption/decryption keys, secure notes, and more in the Utility subfolder of your Applications folder. The login information you use to access Wi-Fi networks is one of the things it maintains as “passwords”; precisely, it records it as an “AirPort network password.”
Type “Airport” into the search box in the upper right corner of your Keychain Access window to locate them. The Kind column indicates that the things you see are the AirPort base station password, the AirPort Disk password, and the AirPort network password. (Items in all three categories might not be present.) Your Wi-Fi network credentials are the latter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I make my Mac forget a network?
In case you don’t want your Mac to automatically connect the next time a network you’ve previously connected to turns out to be insecure.
Why does macOS remember WifI networks?
So that you can connect to them more easily the next time you need them. As the login and password are kept, connecting should not need any action on your part.
Conclusion
On a Mac, forgetting a WiFi network is a quick and easy operation that only requires a few basic steps. Just choose the WiFi network from the “Preferred Networks” section by clicking on the WiFi symbol in the top menu bar, opening the Network Preferences window, and selecting the “Advanced” option.
You can successfully forget the WiFi network on your Mac by clicking the “Apply” button after making your settings.