DeviceHowTo
macOS⏱ 8 min

How to Fix Wi-Fi Connected but No Internet on macOS

Diagnose and fix the connected-but-no-internet state on any device.

Last verified: February 21, 2026

macOS shows a dot in the Wi-Fi menu bar icon when it detects active connectivity, and an exclamation mark variant when connected to a network but the internet gateway is unreachable. Network Diagnostics (run automatically when you click the icon or from the Network preference panel) walks through the connection layers — Wi-Fi, network settings, ISP, server — and identifies which layer is failing even if it can't automatically fix it. Renewing the DHCP lease and manually setting DNS to 8.8.8.8 resolves cases where the router assigned a corrupted lease or is providing broken DNS responses to the device.

Quick Steps

Follow in order for the fastest result.

  1. 1Restart your router. Unplug from power for 30 seconds, reconnect, and wait 2 minutes.
  2. 2Go to System Settings > Network > Wi-Fi, click Details on your network, and click Renew DHCP Lease.
  3. 3Change your DNS to Google Public DNS: set Primary DNS to 8.8.8.8 and Secondary to 8.8.4.4 in network settings.

Still Not Working?

Try these if the steps above didn't help.

Verify the Fix

Confirm everything is fully working before closing this guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my macOS say connected but no internet?
This means your device successfully connected to the router (local network is fine) but the router cannot reach the internet. The most common causes are: the ISP is down, the router needs a restart, or a DNS misconfiguration. Restart the router first — this resolves the issue in the majority of cases.
How do I fix the 'no internet, secured' message on macOS?
This indicates a DHCP or DNS failure. Forget the Wi-Fi network, restart your device, and reconnect. If it persists, manually set DNS to 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 in Wi-Fi settings.
Will changing DNS fix 'connected but no internet' on macOS?
Sometimes. If the problem is specifically DNS resolution (websites don't load but IP-based connections work), switching to Google DNS (8.8.8.8 / 8.8.4.4) or Cloudflare DNS (1.1.1.1) will fix it. If the issue is at the router or ISP level, DNS changes won't help — restart the router first.
Why does this only happen on my macOS and not other devices?
If other devices on the same network have internet but yours doesn't, the problem is device-specific: a corrupt IP lease, DNS cache issue, or VPN conflict. Running ipconfig /flushdns and renewing the IP address (or simply forgetting and rejoining the network) almost always resolves this.

Same task, different device

Windows 11Windows 10iPhone (iOS)iPad (iPadOS)Samsung GalaxyGoogle PixelChromebook

Related guides for macOS

Fix Wi-Fi Not Working

Restore internet access with fast, high-success diagnostic steps.

Fix Bluetooth Not Working

Resolve pairing failures, connection drops, and missing Bluetooth toggle.

Take a Screenshot

Capture your full screen or a selected region using built-in shortcuts.

Record Your Screen

Start a native screen recording without installing third-party software.