Recently, many users have encountered a “Wi-Fi no hardware installed” error on their Macs. Several individuals have reported the same issue, stating that they cannot connect to the internet because their Mac displays a message saying “Wi-Fi no hardware installed” when they click the Wi-Fi icon in the Control Center. If you see this message on your screen, it means your device is unable to detect Wi-Fi for unknown reasons. Regardless of the cause, here are steps to fix the “no hardware installed” error on any Mac.
Diagnose Wi-Fi Hardware Issues on Mac
Here are seven solutions to resolve the ‘Wi-Fi: No hardware installed’ error on Mac. However, before proceeding with these troubleshooting tips, let’s first examine the possible reasons for the issue on your Mac.
Causes for Mac says no wifi hardware is installed error on Mac
Before proceeding to the troubleshooting tips to resolve the issue, let’s go through the possible causes.
- Misconfigured wifi settings
- A bug within the macOS
- Serious issues with Mac hardware
- Problem with wifi adapter
- An issue with your saved wifi connection
Solution #1. Restart your Mac
One of the simplest ways to fix Mac wifi to reconnect properly is by restarting the Mac. Performing this will remove the temporary glitches that may affect the performance and functions of Mac at their maximum potential. To restart your Mac, follow the steps below.
Step 1: Click on the Apple Menu in the Mac’s top left corner.
Step 2: Select Restart from the prompted menu.

3. Further, click the Restart Button to initiate the restart procedure.

That’s It!
Solution #2. Reset SMC on your Mac
Resetting the System Management Control (SMC) will help you resolve the not-installed-wifi-hardware problem by clearing the persistent glitches associated with the battery and power capabilities. However, this procedure varies for Macs with Apple Silicon Chip and Intel Chip. Fuss not; we’ve covered steps for both.
Reset SMC on Mac with Apple Silicon, Luckily, it’s quite a simple procedure for the owners with Apple Silicon. To do so, all you need to do is turn off and on again using the steps mentioned above.
Reset SMC for T2 security chip Macs, Here is how to reset SMC if you have a Mac with a T2 chip.
- Switch off your Mac.
- Press the Control + Alt + Shift keys simultaneously for at least 7 seconds.
- Press and hold the Power Key and the three keys mentioned in the steps above.
- Switch on your Mac again.
Reset SMC on Non-T2 or Apple Silicon Macs,
- Press Control + Shift + Power Button + Option Button simultaneously for 10 seconds.
- Turn on your Mac once again after pressing every button.
Reset SMC on a Mac computer,
- Resetting SMC on a Desktop Mac is slightly different. To do this, simply switch off the Mac, unplug it from the wall adapter, and wait for 15 seconds.
- Then, plug your Mac computer into a wall adapter, wait for at least 15 seconds, and switch it on.
Solution #3. Reset PRAM or NVRAM (For Intel & T2 Chip)
The NVRAM/PRAM controls various functionalities, such as the volume of Mac speakers and other system settings. Nonetheless, the Mac with Apple Silicon doesn’t have this feature, so you no longer have to worry about resetting PRAM or NVRAM. For Mac with Apple Chip, follow the steps below.
- Switch off your Mac.
- Press Option + Command + P + R for 15-20 seconds.
- Wait for a while and switch on the Mac.
- Jot down the login credentials when you’re back on the screen.
That’s It!
Solution #4. Run Mac into maintenance
In this scenario, you can also try running the Mac to maintenance to delete folders and files that impact your Mac’s operation. As a result, you’ll be able to use wifi on your Mac. Here’s how you can do.
Step 1: Press the Command + Space to open spotlight search.
Step 2: Enter Terminal and click on it to open.

Step 3: In the Terminal screen, enter the command: sudo periodic daily weekly monthly.
Step 4: Press the Return Button.

Step 5: Enter your Mac login password ,then new command terminal on mac.

That’s It!
Solution #5. Forget saved network connections
Whether your Mac screen shows a Wi-Fi privacy warning or a hardware-installed error, forgetting network connections can enable your Mac to reconnect to the internet.
Step 1: Go to the Apple Menu at the screen’s left top corner.
Step 2: Select System Settings…

Step 3: Click on wifi.
Step 4: Scroll to last and Choose Advanced… from the right side.

Step 5: Click on the more icon next to your wifi name.
Step 6: From the prompted menu, click on Remove From List.

Step 7: At last, from the resulted prompt, select Remove.

Next, reconnect your Mac to the same wifi network and check the issue.
Solution #6. Verify the hardware fault
Verifying the hardware fault with your Mac computer helps check whether the problem lies with your computer or the network side. However, compiling the hardware diagnosis varies on Intel and Apple silicon Mac.
For Apple Silicon Owner
- Press and hold the Standby/Touch ID Button until your Mac screen shows startup options.
- Press the combination of keys Command + D and hold for the diagnosis results to return.
For Intel users
- Enable your Mac and press the D until you select the language or see a loading screen.
- Wait for the results of your Mac’s diagnosis.
Solution #7. Contact the Apple Support Team
If none of the solutions mentioned above in the article helped you out. Then, you must contact the Apple Support Team; as of now, no possible solutions are left. They are a dedicated team of professionals that will help you to find the cause behind the issue, and accordingly, they’ll offer you a solution. To do so, read our article on how to Contact the Apple Support Team.
Final Verdict!
That’s it, folks! This is how you can resolve the ‘Wi-Fi: No hardware installed’ error on Mac and MacBook. If the issue is continuous, it’s fair to say it lies on the network side. Try contacting the network service provider; they will assist you in removing it.