How to Forget a Wi-Fi Network on iPhone, Android, Mac and Windows Devices

• Your devices can “remember” past Wi-Fi networks and will automatically connect to them when they’re in range.
• Forgetting Wi-Fi networks is good for troubleshooting connection issues and removing unnecessary networks from your devices.
• Most devices, such as tablets, phones and computers, have a “Forget Network” feature.

Your smart devices can remember Wi-Fi networks, automatically reconnecting whenever your device is in range. But sometimes, you’ll want to forget your past networks for troubleshooting or resolving connection issues. We’ll show you how to do it from any device, no matter which plat form you use.. It’s as easy as “set it and forget it.”

Overview of Forgetting a Wi-Fi Network on Devices

1. Our Video on How to Forget a Wi-Fi Network
2. Forget a Wi-Fi Network on iPhone and iPad
3. Forget a Wi-Fi Network on macOS
4. Forget a Wi-Fi Network on Android Devices
5. Forget a Wi-Fi Network on Windows 10
6. Forget a Wi-Fi Network on Windows 11
7. Why You Should Consider Forgetting Wi-Fi Networks
8. Troubleshooting Forgotten Wi-Fi Networks
9. Frequently Asked Questions About Forgetting Wi-Fi Networks

Our Video on How to Forget a Wi-Fi Network

Don’t have time to read the rest of the article? No worries! Check out our video below and subscribe to our YouTube channel for more helpful videos on internet troubleshooting.

Forget a Wi-Fi Network on iPhone and iPad

Forgetting a Wi-Fi network on your iPhone is fundamentally the same as forgetting it on the iPad — convenient if you own both devices.

How to Forget Your Current Network

1. Go to Settings.
2. Tap Wi-Fi.
3. Tap the info icon next to your current Wi-Fi network.
4. Tap Forget This Network, then tap Forget to confirm.

How to Forget a Network You’ve Used Before

1. Go to Settings.
2. Tap Wi-Fi.
3. Tap Edit in the top right-hand corner.
4. Follow either one of the following steps:
   1. Tap on the minus symbol next to the network you want to forget.
      1. Tap Delete.
   2. Tap the info icon next to the network you want to forget.
      1. Tap Forget This Network.
      2. Tap Forget to confirm.

Forget a Wi-Fi Network on macOS

The steps below apply to Mac devices using macOS Ventura or later.

How to Forget Your Current Network

1. From your Mac device, go to System Settings > Wi-Fi.
2. Look for the network you’re using and click on Details.
3. Click Forget This Network, then click Remove to confirm.

How to Forget a Network You’ve Used Before

1. From your Mac device, go to System Settings > Wi-Fi.
2. Scroll down and click Advanced to bring up the list of networks known to your Mac.
3. Look for the network you want to forget and click the More button next to it.
4. Click Remove From List, then click Remove.

Forget a Wi-Fi Network on Android Devices

1. On your Samsung, click on Settings > Connections > Wi-Fi.
2. Click the cog icon next to the network you want to forget.
3. At the bottom of the screen, click Forget.

Forget a Wi-Fi Network on Windows 10

1. From the Settings menu, click Network & Internet.
2. Click Wi-Fi > Manage Wi-Fi settings.
3. Select the network name and click Forget.

Forget a Wi-Fi Network on Windows 11

1. From the Settings menu, click on Network & Internet.
2. Click on Wi-Fi > Manage known networks.
3. Look for the network you want to forget, then click Forget.

Why You Should Consider Forgetting Wi-Fi Networks

There are many reasons why someone would want to forget networks:

• Your device has an overwhelming list of networks. As you connect to other networks, your phone stores information about each remembered network. However, this list might eventually become overbearing and affect your device’s performance.
• You might need to troubleshoot your connectivity. Did you recently change your Wi-Fi password or have trouble connecting to the internet? If that’s the case, forgetting your network might help solve connectivity issues.
• You don’t want your device to rejoin public networks. The second your phone connects to a Wi-Fi network, you may receive unnecessary VoIP calls or app notifications. Forgetting a network once you’re out of range will prevent this from happening the next time you’re within its connection range.

Troubleshooting Forgotten Wi-Fi Networks

If you’re having trouble getting your device to forget Wi-Fi networks or if it runs into issues after doing so, it may be because of certain settings on your device, among other reasons. A few common troubleshooting issues include:

• Missing “Forget this Network” option. If your device is missing a “Forget this Network” option, check to make sure that the device is not already connected to the network. The option will only appear on a device connected to a network — it will not appear on other networks or networks that your device has remembered. Also, be sure to click on the correct icon or setting when you’re in the process of forgetting a network.
• Auto-connecting to a Wi-Fi network after forgetting. Your device may have an “auto-connect” option on by default, which will automatically connect you to any device whenever you’re in its signal range. You can avoid this by disabling “auto-connect” on your device.
• Unable to reconnect to a forgotten Wi-Fi network. In order to reconnect to a forgotten Wi-Fi network, you must be within range of its internet signal and be able to find it in the list of available networks on your device. If you’re trying to connect to your home Wi-Fi network and it doesn’t show up on your list, unplug your router and wait a few minutes before plugging it back in to see if that fixes the issue.

Frequently Asked Questions About Forgetting Wi-Fi Networks

Does forgetting a Wi-Fi network delete the password?

Forgetting a Wi-Fi network will not delete information about the password, but your device will not store information about a network’s password once it is forgotten. If you want to reconnect to the Wi-Fi network, you’ll need to input the password again to regain access.

What if I forget the password to my forgotten Wi-Fi network?

If you have not changed the password, you should be able to find the default password somewhere on the router sticker. Otherwise, you will have to factory reset the router before using the default password to access your network. We recommend changing your password to one you can remember once you’ve connected to your Wi-Fi network.’

Will forgetting network settings forget Wi-Fi networks?

Most devices have an option to reset network settings, which will remove all saved Wi-Fi networks. Additionally, this will clear any network configurations you’ve added to your devices, so we recommend only doing this if you need to reset your network settings and are able to reconfigure your devices.

Is there an option to forget multiple Wi-Fi networks at once?

Strictly speaking, there is no option to forget a select number of Wi-Fi networks at once. You will have to either forget networks one by one, or use the “Reset Network Settings” option to forget all saved Wi-Fi networks.

Can I forget Wi-Fi networks that I haven’t connected to before?

No, you will only be able to forget networks that you’ve connected to before or are connected to currently.