Turning off a VPN on a Mac is a 1-step task in System Settings: select the connected VPN service and switch it off.

Turn Off a VPN through System Settings

  1. Click the Apple menu  in the top-left corner.
  2. Select System Settings.
  3. Click VPN in the sidebar. Scroll down if needed.
  4. Select the VPN service marked as connected.
  5. Switch the VPN off or click Disconnect.

Disconnecting the VPN ends the connection to the VPN server but keeps the VPN service saved for later. Apple lists switching a VPN service on or off as the way to connect or disconnect it.

Turn Off a VPN from the Menu Bar

If the VPN status menu appears in the macOS menu bar:

  1. Click the VPN icon.
  2. Select the connected VPN service.
  3. Click Disconnect.

If the icon is missing, open System Settings > Menu Bar and turn on the VPN option if it appears there.

Turn Off a VPN App on Mac

For a VPN app such as NordVPN, ExpressVPN, Surfshark, or Proton VPN, open the app and click Disconnect, Stop, or the Power button.

If the VPN reconnects right away, check the app for settings such as:

  • Auto-connect
  • Connect on startup
  • Always-on VPN
  • Kill switch

Turn off automatic connection settings if you want the VPN to stay disconnected.

Remove a VPN Configuration Completely

Disconnecting a VPN does not delete its saved settings. To remove a built-in VPN configuration:

  1. Open Apple menu  > System Settings.
  2. Select VPN.
  3. Click the Info button next to the VPN service.
  4. Select Remove Configuration.
  5. Confirm the removal.

This removes the saved VPN service from the list of available connections. It does not uninstall a separate VPN app.

Quick Distinction

What you want to do Action
Stop using the VPN for now Turn the VPN off or choose Disconnect
Stop a VPN app from reconnecting Turn off auto-connect or always-on settings
Delete the built-in VPN connection Choose Remove Configuration
Uninstall a VPN app Quit the app, then remove it from Applications

After you disconnect, your Mac uses its normal Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection. If a work or school administrator manages the VPN, you might not be able to turn it off or remove it.