How to Change the Preferred WiFi Network in MacOS Ventura

This comprehensive guide will walk you through the step-by-step process of changing the preferred WiFi network on your macOS Ventura. Apple’s latest OS release has led to some controversy, leaving users frustrated with the removal of network locations and the ability to change network priority in Ventura.

Change the preferred WiFi network in macOS Ventura.

Before macOS Monterey, users could easily prioritize multiple WiFi networks based on their specific requirements through Network> WiFi> Advanced. However, Apple removed this functionality entirely for no apparent reason. Unfortunately, this feature is also absent in Sonoma so that it will not return in the next macOS version.

While some users suggest turning off Auto Join for all networks except the top one on the preference list, this workaround will not achieve the desired result. The goal is to have macOS “automatically” connect to the Network but in a specific order. Thankfully, there is a clever workaround that can help us achieve this. So, without further delay, let us dive into the process.

How to Change the Preferred WiFi Network in MacOS Ventura

Let us assume the current WiFi preferences on my list are A > B > C (where A, B, and C represent network SSIDs), but I want B to be at the top of the priority list. To accomplish this, follow the step-by-step instructions below:

1. Open Launchpad > Others > Terminal.
2. Obtain a list of all network codes with the following command:
   • networksetup -listnetworkserviceorder Typically, WiFi on a MacBook is assigned to network interface en0, while an iMac uses en1.
3. Now, type in the following command (replace network_interface with en0 or en1):
   • networksetup -listpreferredwirelessnetworks network_interface
   • In my case, using an iMac, the command would be:
     • networksetup -listpreferredwirelessnetworks en1
4. Let’s assume I want Network B to be at the top of my preferred network list. To remove it, execute the following command:
   • networksetup -removepreferredwirelessnetwork network_interface SSID
   • In my case, the command would be:
     • networksetup -removepreferredwirelessnetwork en1 B
5. Next, add it back with a higher index value (counting starts from 0, 1, 2, 3, and so on) and set the WPA2 security protocol:
   • networksetup -addpreferredwirelessnetworkatindex network_interface SSID index_value WPA2
   • In my case, the command would be:
     • networksetup -removepreferredwirelessnetwork en1 B 0 WPA2
6. Verify the changes using this command (replace the values accordingly):
   • networksetup -listpreferredwirelessnetworks network_interface
   • In my case, the command would be:
     • networksetup -listpreferredwirelessnetworks en1
7. After completing these steps, Network B will occupy the topmost position, replacing the previous Network A.

These steps are to change the preferred WiFi network on your macOS Ventura. If you have questions regarding the abovementioned steps, please share them in the comments. We will promptly respond with a suitable solution.

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