macOS menu bar shows Wi-Fi glyph instead of Ethernet when VPN is active.

Troubleshooting: Ethernet icon changes to Wi-Fi glyph when VPN connects on macOS

This behaviour suggests a possible macOS menu bar display issue. The Ethernet glyph appears when the VPN is disconnected, then changes immediately to the Wi-Fi glyph when the VPN connects, even though Wi-Fi is switched off. That points to an interaction between macOS and the VPN's virtual network interface, rather than necessarily indicating an Ethernet fault.

Confirm Ethernet is still connected

With the VPN connected, open System Settings > Network. Confirm Ethernet shows as connected and Wi-Fi is off. Check that you can still access the internet.

If Ethernet remains connected and traffic works, the problem may be limited to the menu bar icon. Apple's Ethernet settings guide explains how to check the connection and its settings.

Check network service order

In System Settings > Network, open the More (…) menu and look for Set Service Order. If that option is available, try placing Ethernet above other physical network services.

This is a diagnostic test, not a guaranteed fix: VPN routing can take priority independently of the physical service order, and changing the order may not affect the menu bar glyph. See Apple's guide to changing network service order.

Compare the interfaces with the VPN on and off

Open Terminal and run these commands once with the VPN disconnected, then again with it connected:

networksetup -listallhardwareports

route -n get default

scutil --nwi

The first lists hardware ports and device names. The second shows the interface used for the default route (look for interface:). The third reports network interface and reachability information.

Compare the results. If Ethernet remains active but the default route or network-wide interface information changes when the VPN connects, that may help explain the icon change. A VPN can route traffic through a virtual tunnel while Ethernet continues to provide the underlying physical connection; a changed default route does not, by itself, mean Ethernet has disconnected.

Refresh the menu bar

You can restart the macOS menu bar process without restarting the Mac. In Terminal, run: killall SystemUIServer

It should relaunch automatically. This may refresh the displayed icon, but it is only a temporary test. If the glyph changes again when the VPN reconnects, the underlying behaviour remains.

Isolate the VPN

Check for updates to macOS and the VPN client. If practical, test another VPN client or a different protocol supported by your provider.

• If the issue occurs with only one VPN client, its virtual interface or network extension may be involved.
• If it occurs with multiple VPN clients, a macOS issue becomes more plausible.

You can also review Apple's Network settings guide for information about configuring network services.

Avoid disabling a VPN kill switch or security filter unless you understand the security consequences.

Report it to Apple if it persists

If Ethernet and internet access continue working and only the glyph is wrong, there is no reason to start by resetting network settings or reinstalling macOS.

Report the reproducible behaviour through Product Feedback .

Include:

MacBook Pro (M3 Pro, 2023), and the exact macOS version and build.

VPN client and version; protocol, if known.

Ethernet adapter or dock model.

A screen recording showing the icon before, during and after connecting the VPN.

The three Terminal command outputs from both VPN states.

Bottom line

The symptoms point more towards a menu bar interface identification issue than a loss of Ethernet connectivity, but the cause is not confirmed. Comparing the Terminal output with the VPN on and off is the best first diagnostic step. It should help establish whether the VPN changes macOS's routing/interface state while the physical Ethernet connection stays active, and provide useful evidence for Apple or the VPN provider.

This behavior occurs because macOS 27 Golden Gate introduced a new feature that dynamically switches the Wi-Fi menu bar icon into an Ethernet glyph when a wired connection is active.

However, when you connect to a virtual private network (VPN), the OS prioritizes the virtual interface created by your VPN software. Because macOS classifies many virtual VPN interfaces under the generic wireless/Wi-Fi network subsystem framework rather than a physical LAN line, the menu bar reverts to the Wi-Fi icon.

In other words, this behavior is expected...at least for now. You should ensure that your Ethernet connection is above your Wi-Fi connection in the service order.

Set Service Order with Ethernet at top

• Go to the Apple menu  > System Settings > Network.
• Click the Action pop-up menu (the three dots symbol ...) at the bottom of the list.
• Choose Set Service Order.
• Drag your Ethernet interface to the very top of the list (above everything except the VPN, which cannot be moved).

More info from Apple: https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/mac-help/mchlp2711/mac

I agree that it would make sense to categorize VPN over Ethernet as Ethernet, not Wi-Fi. Given that the change to the Ethernet icon is new, this may be a bug for Apple to address.

Bugs can be reported to Apple here:

Feedback - macOS - Apple

Incidentally, in case you're not aware commercial VPNs claim to hide your browsing activity from websites, and while that may be true those VPN providers just sell your browsing data to others. VPN software, unless provided by a school/employer to enable access to internal resources from a remote location, isn't providing the 'protection' you think it is and can also slow your internet speeds significantly.