Fix: “Wi-Fi No Hardware Installed” Error on Mac: 6 Fixes

Wi-Fi is a must if you’re working on an iMac or MacBook. Sometimes, your Mac won’t respond to Wi-Fi signals, or there might be a problem inside your Mac that prevents Wi-Fi from working. In this case, a message that says Fix “Wi-Fi No Hardware Installed” will show up on the screen.

There is a simple way to solve this issue. All you have to do is take care of your Mac’s System Management Controller (SMC), which is a subsystem. The SMC helps manage power, charge the battery, switch between videos, go to sleep and wake up, turn on and off LED lights, and light up the keyboard, among other things.

When your Mac goes to sleep or wakes up, SMC decides which devices to turn off to save power. Sometimes, this is what starts the problem. If SMC gets the wrong signal and thinks that the Wi-Fi adapter should stay off even after the Mac wakes up from sleep mode, the message above will appear. In this case, you’ll need to reset the System Management Controller to fix the problem. We offer three different solutions for the newest MacBooks that don’t have a battery that can be taken out, for older MacBook that do, and for the Mac Mini, Pro, or iMac. you can visit Apple support center for More information.

Fix “Wi-Fi No Hardware Installed” Error on Mac

Run some Mac maintenance

Running a set of maintenance scripts can help to fix application errors, resolve permissions and improve your drive performance. This can often solve hardware issues and, in many cases, prevent them from occurring.

Undoubtedly, the easiest way to do this is by using the Maintenace module from CleanMyMac X. It’s designed and built for exactly this, making it simple and effortless. Download the free version here, then follow the simple steps below.

Restart your Mac

Most of the time, restarting a Mac will fix 70% of the most common problems or errors. This method is very helpful and can solve a lot of problems that Mac users face every day. Check to see if the WiFi no hardware installed problem is still there after you have restarted your Mac. If it does, move on to the next option.

Change your Mac’s SMC.

System Management Controller, or SMC, is a part of your Mac that controls things like charging the battery and turning on the lights on your keyboard. In other words, SMC is a “power manager” that decides when to turn on or turn off certain parts of your Mac.

So, if SMC is the cause of the WiFi no hardware installed problem because it doesn’t turn on your Mac’s network adapter, you can reset SMC to fix the problem. Moreover, different Mac models require different methods. But don’t worry, we’ll explain what they mean below. Let’s look at them.

Forget saved network connections

1. From the main Apple menu > System Perferences > Network.
2. Locate your Wi-Fi network, then press Advanced.
3. Under the Preferred Network list, remove all saved networks by selecting them and pressing the ‘-‘ key.
4. Press OK once complete, and try connecting to your Wi-Fi network once again.

Reset your network settings

1. From the main Apple menu > System Preferences > Network
2. In the left hand list, select your Wi-Fi network, then press the additional options icon (circle with three dots).
3. Select Make Service Inactive and press Apply.
4. Now restart your Mac.
5. Repeat the above steps, this time selecting Make Service Active.

Check WiFi in Safe Mode

1. Turn OFF your Mac.
2. Start your Mac and immediately press and hold the Shift key. An Apple logo will appear.
3. Once you see the login window, release the Shift key.
4. Now you are in the Safe Mode.
5. Here check if your WiFi is working or not.
6. If yes, then you can reboot your PC normally.

What to do when my Mac says no Wi-Fi hardware installed?

“Wi-Fi: no hardware installed” is a macOS error that can happen when the computer wakes up from sleep. When the device can’t connect to Wi-Fi, the error shows up. But most problems with the connection can be fixed by turning the computer or laptop off and on again. If that doesn’t work, we recommend doing quick maintenance. There are a number of maintenance scripts that can be run to fix permission problems, fix application failures, and speed up the drive. Most of the time, this fixes hardware problems.

1. Open Setapp and type “CleanMyMacX” or “maintenance” in the search bar
2. Find CleanMyMac X in the search results and click Install
3. Once the app is installed, open it, click Maintenance in the sidebar
4. Select Run Maintenance Scripts from the list of tasks and click Run.