Can't delete NextDNS profile from macOS Network Preferences
I don't know why but I've mess something and now I'm unable to delete the nextdns profile from network prefs in macOS. I think I have deleted the profile without turning off the dns service, so I've found the plist file but I'm unable to delete it.
I've already tried to install a new profile, then delete it and see if it deletes both the new and old dns profile, but no, it deletes only the new profile and its related dns preference. Not the old, even if I made a new profile with the same details as the old one.
Any help? Thanks
26 replies
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Looks like a macOS bug. Which version of macOS are you running?
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Have you tried temporarily disabling SIP? That should allow you to delete any file.
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Giulio Magnifico
That type of profile is stored in a different location
Got to System Preferences>Profiles
and remove it from there ........
EDIT: sorry my bad you already tried that!
Have you simply tried restating the mac to see if it clears out the old network dns?
In your network screen when the NextDNS is selected what options do you get clicking on the down arrow along side the + and - to the bottom?
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Giulio Magnifico
HOW to manually remove a network service from a Mac
In Terminal type networksetup
-removenetworkservice “yournetworkservice”Instead of
yournetworkservice, type the name of the network service you want to remove from your macOS device, using quotation marks. If you are not sure about its correct name, you can find it in the list of your network services.To view this list, go to Terminal:
networksetup -listallnetworkservicesMake sure that you typed the name of the network service exactly in the same way as it appears in the list.
To ensure that the network service is removed on your macOS, you can view the list of network services again:
Terminal:
networksetup -listallnetworkservicesNote. Only Terminal is required, no XCode. The .plist will update automatically; you don’t need to copy or delete it. The remove command bypasses the GUI and removes the service whether or not the button is greyed out.
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Terry Webbs Thanks but I don't have the NextDNS profile listed, I don't know why...
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The software was deleted but the service can not be removed:
xxxxxxx@Mini-van-JEJ ~ % networksetup -listallnetworkservices
An asterisk (*) denotes that a network service is disabled.
Ethernet
Ethernet Adaptor (en4)
Ethernet Adaptor (en5)
Wi-Fi
Bluetooth PAN
Thunderbolt Bridge
NextDNS
xxxxxxx@Mini-van-JEJ ~ % networksetup -removenetworkservice "NextDNS"
You cannot remove NextDNS because there aren't any other network services on IPv4.
** Error: The parameters were not valid.
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Olivier Poitrey Please help resolve this problem?
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Shaun Campbell Lilac Kite Giulio Magnifico
Make sure System Preferences and any other software that may attempt to switch network locations is quit before beginning.
Make a backup of the preferences file.
cd /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration
sudo cp preferences.plist preferences.plist.oldGive yourself permissions to the preference file.
sudo chown $USER preferences.plist
sudo chmod u+w preferences.plistNow you should be able to remove the plist file as attempted in the first post!!!
if it still fails, you might need to remove it using terminal with the sudo command at the beginning...
Always use sudo with caution -
Giulio Magnifico
You will need to grant Terminal with Full Disk Access privileges in security & privacy
Open Security & Privacy in System Preferences. Click the Privacy tab, select Full Disk Access and add Terminal to the list of applications. You'll likely have to unlock that screen first by clicking the padlock at the lower left corner.
Another alternative: if you have Time Machine backup working
Try to restore the plist file back before the time the profile was updated-
Terry Webbs I've already done it, but the error is always there, I think I have to disable the SIP when in recovery mode, because the plist file is protected (I'm using an ARM MacBook and the filesystem is a bit different)
Home@Giulio-MacBook-Air ~ % sudo rm /Library/Preferences/com.apple.networkextension.plist Password: override rw-r--r-- root/wheel for /Library/Preferences/com.apple.networkextension.plist? yes rm: /Library/Preferences/com.apple.networkextension.plist: Operation not permitted Home@Giulio-MacBook-Air ~ % -
Giulio Magnifico
Yep disabling SIP would be the next step - hopefully that will sort it once and for all!
This method is shown in a link near the top of this thread - posted by Dan1234Lets us all know how you get on!
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Terry Webbs Since I've broken (
) the display of my M1 MBA, I'm waiting for a new one, then I'll use migration assistant to restore my old config and I'm curious to see if this "ghost networks pref" will be still there. I've to wait 10-15 days for a new MBA CTO (16GB ram) then I'll update the discussion here.
Thanks for you help untill now
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Same problem here, macOS 11.4 (20F71). Is there any fix for this?
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1 CMD+R —> Recovery —> Terminal —> csrutil disable
2 Reboot and delete the file com.apple.networkextension.plist and reboot again
3 Shutdown and boot into recovery CMD+R. —> Terminal —> csrutil enable
4 Reboot into normal os and swear on Apple’s bug.
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Daniel Giorgio yeah thanks, this worked, I've done it some weeks ago since restoring from Time Machine, also without import "Network Configuration" didn't fix it.
Anyway this will remove all your network VPN/other NextDNS settings/etc... (not the the Network preferences obviously)
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Daniel Giorgio Thank you so much, this worked for me too. I recently migrated my M1 MacBook to the new M1 Pro and somehow NextDNS was in the network settings without any profiles installed.
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Guys, you are looking at the wrong place. Instead of System Preferences > Network, go to System Preferences > Profiles. You will find your NextDNS profile there and there is a button to remove it (which is not disabled).
Not sure if there is any difference on previous macOS versions, but it is there on Monterey :)
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Unfortunately this bug is still present even today, more than a year later it is not fixed and some regular webpages like our company website not loading for me
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Still happening on macOS 13.5 beta on a M1 MacMini
Content aside
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