The Virtual Private Network Indicator
In macOS, the menu bar is designed to give you instant visibility into your system’s networking status. If you have configured a Virtual Private Network (VPN) through the native macOS network settings, Apple provides the option to display a dedicated VPN icon (which looks like a small slider switch or a lock, depending on your macOS version) directly in the menu bar. This icon allows you to quickly connect, disconnect, and verify that your traffic is securely routed without having to open the System Settings app.
However, if you rarely use your configured VPN, or if you primarily rely on a third-party VPN application (like NordVPN, ExpressVPN, or a corporate Cisco client) that provides its own proprietary menu bar icon, the native macOS VPN icon becomes completely redundant. Having two different VPN indicators at the top of your screen wastes valuable space and creates visual clutter. To keep your menu bar clean, you should hide the native macOS indicator.
How to Hide the Native VPN Icon
You can remove the native VPN status indicator via your System Settings.
- Click the Apple Logo in the top-left corner of your screen and select System Settings… (or System Preferences).
- In the left-hand sidebar, click on Control Center.
- Look at the right-hand pane under the Control Center Modules section.
- Locate the entry for VPN.
- Next to it, you will see a dropdown menu. If the icon is currently visible, it is likely set to “Show in Menu Bar”.
- Click the dropdown menu and change it to Don’t Show in Menu Bar.
The native VPN icon will immediately disappear from the top of your screen. (Note: Your VPN configurations are still saved, and you can still connect to them via the main Network settings panel).