How to Reset a VPN on Mac

Mac is notorious for being locked down by Apple from interference. Unfortunately, things can go wrong with VPNs all the time, mostly because you depend on an outside provider. Additionally, the issues are often on the client-side and don’t necessarily originate from the VPN itself. Instead, they can be generated by the network the client is using and the configurations tied to it. The silver lining in all this is that macOS is based on Unix. As such, you can achieve plenty by using the command-line, hence our ability to provide different solutions below. With that acknowledged, let’s show you how to reset a VPN on Mac.

Are VPNs really useful for Mac users?

Typically, a Mac is considered much safer than Windows or any other operating system, owing to its closed architecture and environment. There are already built-in features that assure your safety. However, the internet is a treacherous space. And it won’t hurt to be extra careful. That’s where a VPN comes in.

People might wonder why even reset a VPN. Why not simply uninstall it? It is because, even though it is better protected, a Mac device can benefit from active VPN use. Especially if you are a person who spends more time on public networks or while traveling, as opposed to those who are restricted to their private home networks.

Enhanced Privacy

First up is privacy. It is the selling point of a VPN, as the technology promises to keep your identity secure on the web. VPNs hide your real IP location behind VPN servers and allow you to access the internet remotely. Even if someone is keeping tabs on a particular website’s web traffic, he won’t be able to locate your real address.

Secure browsing

Then there is data security. Most VPNs use military-grade encryption as a rule of thumb to protect data traffic to and from the user. Such traffic remains safe from intrusion and prying. The data packets are scrambled, and no legible information can be gleaned from them without the corresponding decryption key.

Avoid Censorship

Censorship is growing and has already become a severe concern. Earlier, it was assumed that only authoritarian states censored information. But today, most nations engage in some form of censorship as they have learned the importance of the internet. Thus, you can use a VPN on your Mac device to circumvent such situations.

Nonrestrictive Streaming

And lastly, we have streaming for movie lovers. Yes, OTT platforms have grown rapidly over the years, and we are not lacking materials for digital consumption. But with growth, there are also restrictions, as most platforms have separate libraries for different regions. If you want to view something from another area, you have to figure out a way to bypass those restrictions. And what better way to do so than with a VPN?

Method 1. Export, then import VPN settings

If you prefer having a GUI, this is the easiest method. It doesn’t change anything but can act as a quick way to refresh a VPN. And if it ends up solving the problem, even better! Here’s what to do:

1. Open the Apple menu in the top left corner.
2. Select System Preferences from the drop-down list, then Network in the list of options.
3. Highlight the VPN you seek to refresh.
4. Click on the 3-dot menu (gears icon on other versions of macOS) in the bottom left corner of the left sidebar.
5. Select Export Configurations.
6. Chose a name and location.
7. Repeat step 3, then click on the “-” icon to remove a VPN on Mac.
8. When it disappears, follow step 4, then choose Import Configurations.
9. Select a VPN configuration file for Mac, and click on Open.

Method 2. Reset the VPN for Mac by relaunching Mac Racoon

Racoon is a daemon, e.g., a process that runs in the background and is typically controlled by the system launcher. Since it launches at startup based on configuration settings, you can change them to start and stop the process. In this particular case, racoon can “translate” IKE key management protocol, which is used for security protocols such as IPSec. So, you might reinstate a VPN connection if you shut it down then start it back up like this:

1. Launch Terminal.
   The easiest way is to type ‘terminal’ in the Spotlight (press Command + Space on the keyboard).
2. Enter the following command:
   sudo launchctl stop com.apple.racoon
3. Press Return/Enter. You’ll be asked for your Mac user account password if it exists. Don’t be afraid that nothing happens when you type, this is a security measure against prying eyes.
4. When it’s accepted, type this and press Enter/Return again.
   sudo launchctl start com.apple.racoon
5. Check your VPN.
6. Tip. If the manual process doesn’t work, you can tell Mac to reload the aforementioned configuration by entering this:
   sudo racoonctl reload-config

Method 3. Reset the VPN on Mac by removing app data

The two methods above were dedicated to using the built-in VPN utility in Mac. Since more and more users are relying on dedicated applications by VPN providers, we need a separate solution. We’ll use NordVPN for the demonstration. You should look up an equivalent command with your VPN service. Here are the instructions to refresh a VPN by erasing VPN app data on Mac:

1. Launch Terminal again.
2. Enter this command if you downloaded NordVPN from the Apple App Store:
   defaults delete com.nordvpn.osx-apple
3. Type this into the Terminal if you downloaded the app from NordVPN’s website:
   defaults delete com.nordvpn.osx
4. Verify whether the VPN is reset.

Method 4. Change your VPN protocol

This is a popular technique because it’s very quick and easy. Changing the security protocol can revitalize your VPN tunnel, especially if you’ve had trouble with those that work better on Windows, such as WireGuard. Another thing you can try is changing the VPN server – the Kill Switch/Network Lock feature will prevent your Internet traffic from leaking while you’re reconnecting. We’ve explained this in detail in our guide for changing a VPN.

Method 5. Delete an Ethernet network adapter

We mentioned that the problem doesn’t always lie with a VPN. In many cases, your native Internet connection can be the reason for your woe. Since Mac is locked-down tight by Apple, you can’t tweak too much, nor should you want to most of the time. What you can do is erase the default Ethernet network driver, and let Mac re-download and install it again. This was a handy solution to fix the “VPN connection failed. The phone line is busy.” error as well. So, check method 5 there and follow the steps for Mac.

Method 6. Reset the VPN for Mac by flushing DNS cache

Hiding your real DNS is the way to hide a VPN use. However, you still need it for your regular Internet connection, even though you should ideally make a VPN always ON. So, if you’ve installed multiple VPN apps or configured multiple VPNs that you no longer use, some DNS configurations are unnecessary. For that reason, we recommend you leave only your real DNS and let the VPN connection configure a DNS server automatically. Or, if the DNS settings on your Mac still match those on the VPN provider’s website, leave them be alongside the real DNS server settings. Follow these steps to remove unneeded DNS entries, then flush DNS cache flush on Mac:

1. Reset DNS settings through options on macOS

Here’s what to do:

1. Click the Apple menu in the top left corner.
2. Select System Preferences > Network option.
3. Go to Wi-Fi or Ethernet, depending on what you’re using.
4. Click on Advanced, then DNS.
5. Remove DNS entries you’re no longer using.

2. Flush DNS settings through Terminal on Mac

Open Terminal, enter one of the following commands:

1. Mac Yosemite/Lion/Mountain Lion/Mavericks/Catalina/Mojave/Big Sur
   sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder
2. Mac Yosemite only (10.10-10.10.3)
   sudo discoveryutil mdnsflushcache
3. Mac Snow Leopard (10.6)
   sudo dscacheutil -flushcache

Method 7. Run a network script to reestablish a VPN

Sometimes a malfunctioning VPN service continues to run even when you remove it from Mac’s default interface. Even worse, it relaunches at every new startup. Here’s how to get rid of it through the command-line:

1. Run this command in Terminal:
   networksetup -listallnetworkservices
2. Find your VPN service on the list, and remember its exact name.
3. Paste this command now:
   networksetup -removenetworkservice “VPN name”
4. Replace the VPN name with the actual name of your VPN service.
5. Alternative. You can run a BASH script too:
   for service in $(/usr/sbin/networksetup -listallnetworkservices | grep “VPN name” ); do
   /usr/sbin/networksetup -deletepppoeservice “${service}”
   done

Method 8. Reset VPNs on Mac manually

Another way to reset all VPNs or a specific VPN is to either edit or delete .plist files that Mac computers use to keep track of network configurations. With that said, here are 2 ways to utilize .plist files to reset Mac VPNs:

1. Remove all network configurations on Mac

Have your Wi-Fi password handy just in case you need to re-enter it afterward. Then, proceed by doing this:

1. Open Finder in Mac.
2. Use the “Go to Folder” keyboard shortcut – Command + Shift + G.
3. Go to this file path: /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration
4. Find these 3 files:
   • Networkinterfaces.plist
   • preferences.plist
   • com.apple.airport.preferences.plist
5. Delete all of them and try to hide your IP with a VPN again.

2. Remove some VPNs from network configurations

The method above is simple, quick, and works great, but removes too much, and can force you to download Bluetooth and Thunderbolt-related drivers and .kext files. Luckily, there’s a more time-consuming alternative but a more precise one. If you know which VPNs are the culprits, do this:

1. Because the .plist is a binary XML file, you can use Xcode or TextMate, both popular text editors for Apple, to open it.
2. After opening any of the three files, expand the list of contents on the left to find configurations for your VPN.
3. Steps are different for each VPN, and each of the 3 files. We’ll give you an example to help.
4. When we opened preferences.plist, we expanded the NetworkServices key. After looking through every group under it, we found UserDefinedName, then our VPN provider’s name under it. We then marked the highlighted rows that belong to the specific VPN and clicked on the “-” button to delete them.