How to Turn Off VPN on Mac?
🔍 Quick answer:
To turn off VPN on Mac, click the VPN icon in the menu bar (top-right) and select "Disconnect". If you don't see the icon, go to System Settings → VPN and toggle the status switch to off. For VPN apps, simply open the app and click the disconnect button.
Method 1: Disconnect from the menu bar
Most VPN apps add an icon to the menu bar at the top-right of your screen. Look for a small icon that looks like a shield (NordVPN), a globe (ExpressVPN), or any VPN brand logo — click it and choose "Disconnect".
Method 2: Through System Settings
Go to System Settings → VPN in the sidebar. Find your VPN configuration and toggle the status switch to off. This works for IKEv2 and L2TP VPNs you've configured manually.
Method 3: Using Terminal (advanced)
If you've configured VPN via the network settings, run: scutil --nc stop "Your VPN Name"
How to confirm VPN is off
- Menu bar: The VPN icon disappears or shows "disconnected"
- System Settings: VPN status shows "Not Connected"
- IP check: Visit whatismyip.com — your real location should appear
💡 Pro tip: After disconnecting, verify your real IP at whatismyip.com to ensure the VPN is truly off. Some apps leave residual connections in the background.
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Terms you'll meet
- IP address
- Your device's public ID online.
- Encryption
- Scrambling data so only you can read it.
- No‑logs policy
- VPN doesn't store your activity.