How to turn off vpn on mac?
Turn Off VPN from macOS System Settings (Built-in VPN)
macOS Ventura / Sonoma:
- Click Apple menu → System Settings
- Go to VPN (or Network → VPN)
- Find your VPN connection
- Toggle it OFF or click Disconnect
Older macOS:
- Open System Preferences
- Go to Network
- Select VPN
- Click Disconnect
Turn Off VPN from the Menu Bar (Quick Method)
If your VPN icon appears in the top menu bar:
- Click the VPN icon
- Click Disconnect or Turn Off
Fastest method for most users.
Turn Off VPN in Popular VPN Apps
Proton VPN
- Open Proton VPN
- Click Disconnect
NordVPN
- Open NordVPN
- Click Disconnect
ExpressVPN
- Open ExpressVPN
- Click Power button to turn it off
Surfshark
- Open Surfshark
- Click Disconnect
TunnelBear
- Open TunnelBear
- Switch OFF
Disable Auto-Connect VPN (Important)
To stop VPN from turning on automatically:
In VPN App:
- Open Settings
- Disable:
- Auto-connect
- Launch on startup
- Always-on VPN
In macOS:
- Go to System Settings → Login Items
- Remove VPN apps from startup list
Force Turn Off VPN (If It’s Stuck)
Option A — Quit VPN App
- Press Command + Q on VPN app
Option B — Activity Monitor
- Open Activity Monitor
- Find VPN process
- Click Force Quit
Option C — Restart Network
- Turn Wi-Fi OFF
- Wait 5 seconds
- Turn Wi-Fi ON
How to Check If VPN Is Really Off
Quick checks:
- Visit whatismyip.com
- If IP matches your country → VPN is OFF
Signs VPN is still on:
- Slow internet
- Wrong country on Google
- Streaming location mismatch
Pros & Cons of Turning Off VPN
Pros
- Local services work correctly
- Better streaming performance
- Lower battery usage
- Faster internet speed
Cons
- Less privacy protection
- No IP masking
- Less security on public Wi-Fi
Common Problems & Fixes
VPN keeps reconnecting
Fix:
- Disable Auto-connect
- Remove VPN from Login Items
No internet after turning VPN off
Fix:
- Restart Wi-Fi
- Flush DNS:
sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder
VPN icon still showing
Fix:
- Restart Mac
Full Review: Turning Off VPN on Mac — Is It Easy?
⭐ Ease of Use: 9/10
⭐ Speed Boost After Turning Off: High
⭐ Battery Improvement: Moderate
⭐ Recommended for:
- Gaming
- Streaming
- Faster browsing
- Local banking & services
FAQs
You can turn off VPN by opening System Settings → VPN → Disconnect, or by disabling it directly inside your VPN app.
This usually happens because Auto-Connect or Always-On VPN is enabled. Turn these off in your VPN app settings.
Go to your VPN app Settings and disable:
Auto-connect
Launch at startup
Always-on VPN
Also remove the VPN app from Login Items in macOS settings.
Check your IP address on a site like whatismyip.com. If it shows your real country or ISP, your VPN is off.
Yes. Turning off VPN often increases speed, lowers latency, and improves streaming performance.
Hi, this is Masab, the owner and founder of the PC Wire. I’m a PC enthusiast who loves to talk about computers. I have been testing PC hardware for several years now, and I hope my knowledge would answer your queries thoroughly.