How to connect a Mac to Wi-Fi during setup

Follow these steps to connect your new Mac to a Wi-Fi network during the initial macOS Setup Assistant configuration process.

1. Power on your Mac. Press the power button or open the lid of your Mac to initiate the startup process. If the device is new, Setup Assistant will launch automatically after the initial language and region selection prompts.
2. Locate the Network pane. Proceed through the initial Setup Assistant screens by selecting your preferred language, country, and accessibility options. Stop when you reach the screen titled Network.
3. Select your wireless network. A list of available Wi-Fi networks will populate on the screen. Click the name of your local network from the list.
4. Enter your network password. Once you select your network, an authentication dialog will appear. Type your Wi-Fi password into the text field and click Join.
5. Confirm the connection. Wait for the network name to show a checkmark or the word Connected. Click Continue to proceed to the next step of the Setup Assistant.