How to Turn Off a VPN on a Mac (Built-In and Third-Party)
The way you turn off a VPN on a Mac depends on whether the connection is built into macOS or runs through a separate app. For a built-in VPN, open System Settings, go to Network, select the VPN entry, and click Disconnect. A third-party VPN such as NordVPN or ExpressVPN works differently: open the app and click Disconnect, or use its icon in the menu bar for a faster toggle. Both routes drop the encrypted tunnel right away and return your Mac to its normal internet connection, though a locked settings pane or an auto-connect option can occasionally get in the way.
How to Turn off a Built-In VPN on Mac
The exact menu path changes depending on which version of macOS is installed.
On macOS Ventura, Sonoma, and Later
Ventura, Sonoma, and newer versions of macOS keep VPN controls inside System Settings rather than the older System Preferences window.
- Open System Settings. Click the Apple menu in the top left corner, then choose System Settings.
- Select Network. Scroll the sidebar on the left and click Network.
- Choose the VPN service. Pick the active VPN connection from the list of network services.
- Click Disconnect. The button appears next to the VPN entry once it is selected.
- Unlock the pane first if needed. Click the lock icon at the bottom of the window and enter your password if Disconnect is greyed out.
On macOS Monterey and Earlier
Monterey and earlier versions keep VPN controls inside System Preferences instead of System Settings.
- Open System Preferences. Click the Apple menu, then choose System Preferences.
- Click Network. The icon looks like a small globe.
- Select the VPN connection. Click it once in the column on the left.
- Click Disconnect. The session ends immediately.
Mac supports three built-in VPN protocols: L2TP, IPSec, and IKEv2. The disconnect steps above work the same way no matter which protocol a workplace or provider configured for the connection, since the protocol only changes how the tunnel is encrypted, not where the Disconnect button lives.
How to Turn off a Third-Party VPN App on Mac
Open the app, find the connection status, and click Disconnect, Turn Off, or Pause, depending on what that app offers.
Disconnecting from the App Window
Most third-party VPN apps put a large connect and disconnect control on the main screen. Click it once and the app drops the encrypted connection within a second or two. If the app also runs a menu bar icon, clicking that icon and choosing Disconnect is typically faster than opening the full window first.
Some apps label that same control differently depending on the screen you land on. A settings tab may use the words Turn Off Protection, while the main dashboard shows a simple power button or toggle switch instead. Whatever the wording, the control that ends the session sits close to the connection status and server name, since that is the information you were looking at while the VPN was active.
Pausing vs Disconnecting in NordVPN
NordVPN gives you two separate ways to stop protection. Clicking Pause suspends the connection for a set amount of time and then reconnects automatically, which suits a short break rather than a full stop. Disconnect ends the current session, but auto-connect can reconnect the VPN when the Mac joins a network. Anyone who wants the VPN to stay off until they choose otherwise should use Disconnect, not Pause, since Pause is designed to turn the tunnel back on for you.
How to Use the Menu Bar to Turn a VPN on or Off
The menu bar offers the fastest way to turn a VPN on or off once the icon is enabled there. Click the VPN icon near the clock and choose Disconnect, Turn Off, or Pause, without opening System Settings or the full app.
To turn on the built-in VPN icon, open System Settings, go to Menu Bar, and check the VPN box. Once enabled, clicking the icon lets you connect or disconnect without opening the full Network pane, and the menu also shows connection time and status while it is active if those options are turned on. Third-party VPN apps usually add their own menu bar icon during installation, and clicking that icon opens a short list with connect, disconnect, and settings options built in.
Apple VPN Documentation by macOS Version
Apple’s VPN documentation spans multiple macOS releases, but the VPN-settings and VPN-status-menu materials do not cover the same version range. VPN-settings documentation covers Tahoe 26 through Mojave 10.14, while the VPN-status-menu page covers Golden Gate 27 through Ventura 13.
| macOS version | VPN-settings documentation | VPN-status-menu documentation |
|---|---|---|
| macOS 27 Golden Gate | , | Covered |
| macOS Tahoe 26 | Covered | Covered |
| macOS Sequoia 15 | Covered | Covered |
| macOS Sonoma 14 | Covered | Covered |
| macOS Ventura 13 | Covered | Covered |
| macOS Monterey 12 | Covered | , |
| macOS Big Sur 11.0 | Covered | , |
| macOS Catalina 10.15 | Covered | , |
| macOS Mojave 10.14 | Covered | , |
A dash marks a release outside that documentation set’s stated coverage. Apple also versions broader VPN documentation for Golden Gate 27, Tahoe 26, Sequoia 15, Sonoma 14, Ventura 13, Monterey 12, Big Sur 11.0, Catalina 10.15, Mojave 10.14, and High Sierra.
For Tahoe 26 and Sequoia 15, Apple’s VPN-configuration documentation includes material on modifying or removing a VPN configuration. The status-menu page applies to Tahoe 26, Sequoia 15, Sonoma 14, Ventura 13, and Golden Gate 27.
What Happens After You Disconnect a VPN on Mac
Your actual IP address becomes visible again, and web traffic goes back to normal, non-VPN encryption levels.
Two details are worth checking before you assume the VPN is fully off, including reconnection within seconds after a manual disconnect. Disconnecting while on public Wi-Fi is also worth a second thought, since it leaves that traffic without VPN encryption on a network you do not control.
Apps that were routing specific traffic, such as a streaming service or a work tool, will switch back to your regular connection automatically once the tunnel closes, so there is no separate step needed to reset individual apps. Any browser tab that was already open stays connected through whichever network path it started on until you reload it, so a quick refresh is worth doing if you need every tab to reflect the change right away.
Built-In vs Third-Party VPN Disconnection Compared
Built-in and third-party VPNs differ mainly in where the disconnect control lives and how quickly it can be reached, as the table below shows.
| VPN Type | Location | Disconnection Method | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built-in | System Settings, Network | Select the service, click Disconnect | Slower, requires opening settings |
| Built-in | Menu bar | Click the VPN icon, choose Disconnect | Fast, once enabled |
| Third-party (NordVPN, ExpressVPN) | App window | Click Disconnect or Pause | Moderate, requires opening the app |
| Third-party | Menu bar icon | Click the icon, choose Disconnect or Turn Off | Fast, the quickest method |
How to Remove a VPN from a Mac Completely
Removing a VPN deletes the configuration or app entirely, which is different from disconnecting it.
Removing a Built-In VPN Configuration
Open System Settings, go to Network, select the VPN service you want gone, and click the minus button below the list. Confirm the removal when macOS asks, and the entry disappears from Network settings entirely.
Removing a Third-Party VPN App
Quit the app first, then drag it from the Applications folder to the Trash, or right-click it and choose Move to Trash. Afterward, check Network settings for any leftover VPN profile the app installed and remove that separately, since deleting the app alone does not always clear a configuration profile it added.
Emptying the Trash afterward finishes the job and frees the disk space the app was using. A menu bar icon that belonged to the deleted app should disappear on its own the next time the Mac restarts, and if it lingers, logging out and back in usually clears it without needing any extra software.
What to Do if the Disconnect Button Does Not Work
Start by checking whether the settings pane is locked or an auto-connect feature is fighting you, since those two causes explain most VPN connections that refuse to drop. Turn off trusted network detection.
Preferences Pane Is Locked
A locked pane greys out every control, including Disconnect, until it is unlocked. Look for a padlock icon at the bottom left of the Network window, click it, and enter your administrator password. The Disconnect button becomes clickable as soon as the pane unlocks.
The VPN Reconnects on Its Own
A Kill Switch Is Holding the Connection Open
Some third-party VPNs include a kill switch that blocks general internet access if the VPN connection drops unexpectedly. When that feature is on, the app can resist a normal disconnect because it is designed to keep the tunnel active rather than let traffic flow unprotected. Checking the kill switch setting in the app before trying Disconnect again can resolve a stuck connection that otherwise looks broken.
The App Itself Needs Restarting
Quit the VPN app completely, wait a few seconds, and reopen it before trying Disconnect again. A background process that has stopped responding will still show a connected icon even though the tunnel is no longer behaving normally, and a fresh launch usually clears that state without any further changes to settings.
How to Confirm a VPN Is Actually Turned off on Mac
Check the menu bar icon and your visible IP address to confirm a VPN is really off, since a greyed-out Disconnect button does not always mean the tunnel closed cleanly. A built-in VPN icon that still shows a connection timer counting upward means the session is technically still active even if the main settings window looks idle.
For a third-party app, open the app window again after clicking Disconnect and confirm it now shows a connect option instead of a disconnect option. Visiting a site that displays your public IP address is a reliable independent check, because that address should match your home or mobile provider rather than a VPN server location once the connection is truly closed. If the address still points to a VPN server, work back through the locked pane, auto-connect, and kill switch causes described above before assuming the app itself is broken.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which VPN Protocols Does a Mac Support Natively?
A Mac’s built-in VPN client supports three protocols: L2TP, an extension of Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol, IPSec, and IKEv2. Whichever protocol a workplace or provider configures, the disconnect steps in System Settings stay the same.
Is It Safe to Turn off a VPN on Public Wi-Fi?
Disconnecting on public Wi-Fi is not recommended, because the connection loses its encryption on a network you do not control. Coffee shop, airport, and hotel networks are the situations this warning applies to most, since anyone else on that same network has a better chance of intercepting unencrypted traffic. If privacy on that network matters, leave the VPN connected or wait until you reach a trusted network before turning it off.
Does Removing the Menu Bar Icon Turn off the VPN?
No. Command-clicking the VPN icon and dragging it out of the menu bar only removes the icon; the VPN connection itself keeps running in the background. Disconnect it first from System Settings or the app, then remove the icon if you no longer want it displayed.
Will a VPN Automatically Reconnect After I Turn It Off?
It can, if auto-connect or trusted network detection is turned on inside the app. That setting reconnects the VPN the moment the Mac joins a network, even after a deliberate manual disconnect, so check the app’s settings if the connection keeps coming back.
What Happens to My IP Address When I Turn off a VPN on a Mac?
Your Mac’s actual IP address becomes visible to websites and services again as soon as the VPN disconnects. Traffic also drops back to your internet provider’s normal encryption level instead of the VPN’s encrypted tunnel.
Turning off a VPN on a Mac comes down to finding the right Disconnect button: System Settings for a built-in connection, the app itself for a third-party service, or the menu bar icon for either type once it is enabled. Check the lock icon and any auto-connect setting first if the button refuses to respond, since those two issues cause most stuck connections. Confirming the change afterward, either through the menu bar status or a quick IP address check, takes the guesswork out of whether the tunnel actually closed.
References
- Change VPN settings in Network preferences on Mac, Apple Support
- Set up a VPN connection on Mac, Apple Support
- How to turn off VPN on Mac: step-by-step guide, CleanMyMac
- How to disconnect from NordVPN servers?, NordVPN Support
- How to setup VPN on Mac, Setapp
- Use the VPN status menu in the menu bar on Mac, Apple Support
- How to Delete VPN from Mac, OSXDaily
- How to Turn Off VPN on Mac Safely, XVPN
Sources read in September 2026.