The majority of devices that are linked to the internet have the remarkable capability to remember Wi-Fi networks that you connect to on a daily basis, in addition to networks that you only join on a sporadic basis. There is no exception to this rule when it comes to Macs and MacBooks, but what should you do if you possess a macOS computer and you want it to forget about a wired or wireless network? The solution is straightforward: delete it entirely from your computer by hand.
We have compiled this article to assist you in the process of erasing Wi-Fi information from the memory of your Mac, which is a simple task that can be accomplished with relative ease. Even though we based our instructions on the most recent version of macOS, which is called Sonoma, the methods should be applicable to the majority of macOS versions.
How to forget a Wi-Fi network in macOS
In order to get things rolling, the first thing you should do is activate the System Settings application.
Next, choose Wi-Fi from the list of options in the left-hand column.
Step 3: If you want your Mac to forget the Wi-Fi network it is presently connected to, click the Details button that is located next to the network name. On the dashboard, the Wi-Fi network that you are presently connected to will be shown at the very top of the screen.
The fourth step is to locate the button labeled “Forget This Network” by looking at the bottom-left corner of the subsequent pop-up window. Any devices that are connected to this network by iCloud Keychain will no longer be supported once you pick this option, which will result in another pop-up window appearing to advise you of this fact.
Step 5: If you merely want your Mac to stop automatically joining this Wi-Fi network, but you still want it to remember it, you can simply turn off the slider that says “Automatically join this network” that is located at the top of this pop-up window.
If you are still interested in forgetting the network manually, you may proceed by clicking the Remove button.
A different approach
Step 1: Once you are back on the Wi-Fi dashboard, your Mac will identify and list all of the Wi-Fi networks that it is familiar with under the heading labeled “Known Networks.”
The More button, which looks like an ellipsis, is located to the right of each Wi-Fi name. If you want your Mac to forget any of these networks, you may do so by clicking on it.
In the second step, the button labeled “Forget Network” ought to be the last choice in this drop-down menu. After you have clicked it, if you are satisfied with saying goodbye to this network, you can complete the process by clicking the Remove button.
Do this for each and every Wi-Fi network that you would want your Mac to forget about.
Another more sophisticated tactic
Step one: If you want to see a list of all of the Wi-Fi networks that your Mac has ever connected to, begin by clicking the Wi-Fi icon, then scroll all the way down to the bottom of the dashboard, and then select the Advanced button.
Step 2: To delete any of these logged networks from your Mac, just click the More option, and then click the delete from List button.
