Mac Wi-Fi Not Connecting or Dropping: Apple’s Troubleshooting Steps

When a Mac shows a Wi-Fi connection but will not get online, Apple’s support article lists a sequence of checks. The steps below follow it, along with Apple’s separate steps for forgetting and rejoining a network. Apple’s article is about a Mac that is not connecting to the internet over Wi-Fi, so it is a general checklist rather than a fix for one specific cause.

Apple’s checks, in order

1. Check the Wi-Fi connection. Confirm the Mac is joined to a network that allows internet access.
2. Restart the Mac. Apple says this lets the Mac renew its internet address.
3. Check the date and time. Make sure they are set correctly.
4. Update macOS. If you can get online from a different Wi-Fi network, connect to it and update.
5. Check VPN or security software. Software that monitors or changes network connections may be blocking access.
6. Check the router. If you manage it, install the latest firmware and restart it.
7. Use the built-in diagnostics (below).
8. Try another network or contact your provider. If another network works, ask your internet provider or network administrator about an outage or network problem.

Built-in diagnostic tools

• Wi-Fi Recommendations: click the Wi-Fi icon in Control Center or the menu bar. If a “Wi-Fi Recommendations” item appears, choose it. Apple says it is not available for personal hotspots or certain enterprise security networks.
• Wireless Diagnostics: hold the Option key, click the Wi-Fi icon and choose Open Wireless Diagnostics.

Forget a network and rejoin it

1. Choose Apple menu > System Settings and click Wi-Fi in the sidebar (you may need to scroll).
2. Click Details, then Forget This Network.
3. Rejoin the network. Apple links to a separate guide for connecting.

To remove a network from the list of known networks, open System Settings > Wi-Fi, click Advanced, click the More (three dots) button beside the network under Known Networks and choose Remove From List.

Related: How to Fix a Slow Android Phone: Google's Troubleshooting Steps

What this guide leaves out

Apple’s pages do not tell you to edit network configuration files, change DNS servers or turn off Location Services, so this guide does not recommend those changes.

Sources

• Apple Support: If your Mac isn’t connecting to the internet over Wi-Fi
• Apple Support: Reset or remove Wi-Fi network settings on Mac

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