Have you ever stopped to think about just how many Wi-Fi networks your Mac has saved connections for? From the coffee shop down the block to your Aunt Marge‘s house to that hotel on your last vacation…over time, it really adds up.
While having previous networks on hand makes connecting easier when you return, maintaining every single network connection also has downsides:
- It slows down your Mac as it constantly checks for and tries to jump between many available networks, even ones you‘ll likely never access again.
- You remain persistently vulnerable to security exploits if your system keeps automatically hopping onto shady public networks whenever you‘re in range.
- The connection list inevitably becomes cluttered with outdated or redundant options that make selecting your everyday home and work networks more tedious.
So learning how to forget Wi-Fi networks on your Mac that you no longer need streamlines connectivity and protects security. Let‘s dig into the nitty gritty on better Wi-Fi management!
Why Forget Networks? An Overview of Risk vs. Reward
First, understanding why you‘d want to prune saved networks requires grasping how macOS handles Wi-Fi connections under the hood…
Your Mac maintains a master list of every wireless network you‘ve ever connected to, safely storing associated passwords and settings via the Apple keychain. This makes hopping onto previously-used hotspots seamless when out-and-about without constantly re-entering credentials.
However, leaving outdated network access intact comes at a price – several prices actually:
Performance
Having hundreds of Wi-Fi profiles cached eventually slows down network performance. As your Mac routinely probes for and cycles between ALL detected saved networks, even older seldom-used ones, responsiveness suffers.
Security
Public Wi-Fi networks open up risk vectors like firesheep attacks or SSL sniffing. But convenience often overrides caution for most casual MacBook users accessing coffee shop Wi-Fi. Forgetting risky hotspots bars reconnection attempts down the road.
Frustration
When dozens of neighborhood or travel spot access points amass on your priority list, it grows tiresome selecting your home network each time. Cleaner connection logs reduce selection fatigue.
So while built-in network caching generally makes life simpler short-term, some long-term cleanup proves beneficial.
Step-by-Step: How to Forget Wi-Fi Networks on Mac
Without further ado, here is the easy process for pruning away problematic saved networks from your Mac, regardless whether using a MacBook, MacBook Pro, iMac or other model:
Access Network Preferences
Click the Apple menu and choose System Preferences, then click the Network icon. Next select the Wi-Fi tab along the top bar:
This displays your full catalog of detected and previously-accessed wireless networks.
Enter Advanced Settings
Now comes the real fun! Click the Advanced button bottom right.
Brace yourself as this unveils an incredibly looooong list of every saved Wi-Fi network flooding the preferences pane. Scroll away and be amazed…hundreds of entires likely await buried among the dust bunnies here for most users.
This effectively functions as an activity log of every wireless network joined by your Mac since you first booted it up years ago. Talk about digital baggage!
Select Unwanted Networks
Scan this epic list closely for Wi-Fi networks you positively no longer need cluttering up system resources. These may include:
- Previous homes no longer lived at
- One-off hotspot connections made while travelling
- Other computers in use temporarily for network sharing
- Public networks with verified security flaws
Forget Each Network
Click any unneeded network, then click the – minus button below to remove the selected wireless profile from your Mac for good.
Warning: This cannot be undone or recovered! The password and all details tied to that network disappear into the digital ether with no backup or restore option. So verify obsolete selections carefully before fatefully clicking that minus symbol!
Remember To Apply Changes
With unwanted Wi-Fi profiles banished, click Apply in the bottom right corner to cement changes before closing System Preferences. Then enjoy speedier, less cluttered network selection going forward!
Cleaning House: Organization Returns!
With your master hotspot index decluttered of outdated or risky connections, you regain some control and order.
Quickly survey remaining networks still set to automatically connect when in proximity. Prioritized networks display at the top of this list based on algorithmic preference factors.
You can manually drag favored networks into ideal positions too. For example, position your home network above all other entries to guarantee preferential connection attempts compared to, say, the timeshare resort from your last vacation or that random parking lot Wi-Fi access point.
Risk vs. Reward: Weighing Security Concerns
Accessing public Wi-Fi certainly holds legitimate convenience benefits for users regularly on-the-go with mobile devices. But considerable security trade-offs persist as well when connecting willy-nilly.
For example, research from cybersecurity firm VPNpro indicates:
- 72% of public Wi-Fi hotspots contain serious vulnerabilities
- 52% of users access banking sites and enter passwords over public Wi-Fi
- 63% connect smart devices like phones and tablets to public networks
Hack techniques like fire sheep and sidejacking exemplify risks even security-savvy experts warn against when accessing public Wi-Fi without proper precautions like VPNs. So pruning saved public networks proactively eliminates a massive attack vector.
Windows Comparison – Contrast With MacOS
While Windows 10 and Apple‘s macOS share general conceptual similarities in managing Wi-Fi networks, key differences bear mentioning:
| Windows 10 | macOS |
|---|---|
| Saved networks viewable/manageable from Settings > Network & Internet > Manage Wi-fi Settings | Dedicated Network preferences section with Wi-Fi tab |
| Can export Wi-Fi profiles including passwords for transfer | No native Wi-Fi profile exporting capability |
| Manually specify HotSpot 2.0 requirements | Automatically applies Hotspot 2.0 based on device capabilities |
| WPA3 support varies by hardware generation | Native WPA3 support for 2018+ Mac hardware via software update |
So in summary, macOS generally handles Wi-Fi connections a bit MORE seamlessly…but Windows affords more granular control with the trade-off being additional manual network profile management.
Parting Thoughts
Pruning away outdated Wi-Fi network saves from your crowd of previously connected hotspots grants three key benefits making the endeavor worthwhile:
- Speed – Less network probing and churn means snappier response
- Security – Cuts off shady public networks completely
- Simplicity – Reduces selection overload for everyday access points
I encourage all Mac users to take five minutes following the steps in this guide to cleanse cluttered Wi-Fi artifacts from the system. Your laptop will operate much more efficiently with a tidy network connection history!
Let me know if you have any other Mac tuning tips and tricks to share once you‘ve Marie Kondo‘ed those wireless access points. Just be careful what you delete!
