[GH-ISSUE #4434] How to completely clear client config on Mac? #8674

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opened 2026-08-05 01:19:08 -04:00 by saavagebueno · 7 comments
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Originally created by @drewhemm on GitHub (Sep 2, 2025).
Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/netbirdio/netbird/issues/4434

Describe the problem

We have a Mac user who installed the Netbird client and initially used a setup key to connect to our self-hosted instance. We have now created a SSO user for them, but we seem unable to remove all traces of the previous configuration from the Mac. We have tried deleting /etc/netbird/config.json and /var/lib/netbird/*, uninstalled and reinstalled the client, but it still remembers things like previous profile names. What are we missing?

To Reproduce

Steps to reproduce the behavior:

  1. Install Netbird client
  2. Add and/or configure a profile
  3. Remove config files
  4. Uninstall and reinstall client
  5. You will still see the profiles from the previous install

Expected behavior

I expect a removal of config files and a reinstall of the app to produce a completely clean slate.

In this specific instance, the client is unable to connect, quite possibly because it still remembers details from the previous authentication method.

Are you using NetBird Cloud?

Self-hosted NetBird control plane.

NetBird version

v0.55.1

Is any other VPN software installed?

No

Debug output

To help us resolve the problem, please attach the following anonymized status output

netbird status -dA

Create and upload a debug bundle, and share the returned file key:

netbird debug for 1m -AS -U

Uploaded files are automatically deleted after 30 days.

Alternatively, create the file only and attach it here manually:

netbird debug for 1m -AS

Debug output to follow.

Screenshots

If applicable, add screenshots to help explain your problem.

Additional context

Add any other context about the problem here.

Have you tried these troubleshooting steps?

  • Reviewed client troubleshooting (if applicable)
  • Checked for newer NetBird versions
  • Searched for similar issues on GitHub (including closed ones)
  • Restarted the NetBird client
  • Disabled other VPN software
  • Checked firewall settings
Originally created by @drewhemm on GitHub (Sep 2, 2025). Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/netbirdio/netbird/issues/4434 **Describe the problem** We have a Mac user who installed the Netbird client and initially used a setup key to connect to our self-hosted instance. We have now created a SSO user for them, but we seem unable to remove all traces of the previous configuration from the Mac. We have tried deleting `/etc/netbird/config.json` and `/var/lib/netbird/*`, uninstalled and reinstalled the client, but it still remembers things like previous profile names. What are we missing? **To Reproduce** Steps to reproduce the behavior: 1. Install Netbird client 2. Add and/or configure a profile 3. Remove config files 4. Uninstall and reinstall client 5. You will still see the profiles from the previous install **Expected behavior** I expect a removal of config files and a reinstall of the app to produce a completely clean slate. In this specific instance, the client is unable to connect, quite possibly because it still remembers details from the previous authentication method. **Are you using NetBird Cloud?** Self-hosted NetBird control plane. **NetBird version** v0.55.1 **Is any other VPN software installed?** No **Debug output** To help us resolve the problem, please attach the following anonymized status output netbird status -dA Create and upload a debug bundle, and share the returned file key: netbird debug for 1m -AS -U *Uploaded files are automatically deleted after 30 days.* Alternatively, create the file only and attach it here manually: netbird debug for 1m -AS Debug output to follow. **Screenshots** If applicable, add screenshots to help explain your problem. **Additional context** Add any other context about the problem here. **Have you tried these troubleshooting steps?** - [x] Reviewed [client troubleshooting](https://docs.netbird.io/how-to/troubleshooting-client) (if applicable) - [x] Checked for newer NetBird versions - [x] Searched for similar issues on GitHub (including closed ones) - [x] Restarted the NetBird client - [ ] Disabled other VPN software - [ ] Checked firewall settings
saavagebueno added the triage-needed label 2026-08-05 01:19:08 -04:00
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@SamZekeria commented on GitHub (Sep 2, 2025):

Here is the netbird status -dA output:

2025-09-02T21:18:11+03:00 INFO ./caller_not_available:0: 2025/09/02 21:18:11 WARNING: [core] [Channel #1 SubChannel #2]grpc: addrConn.createTransport failed to connect to {Addr: "/var/run/netbird.sock", ServerName: "localhost", Attributes: {"<%!p(networktype.keyType=grpc.internal.transport.networktype)>": "unix" }, }. Err: connection error: desc = "transport: Error while dialing: dial unix /var/run/netbird.sock: connect: no such file or directory"
2025-09-02T21:18:12+03:00 INFO ./caller_not_available:0: 2025/09/02 21:18:12 WARNING: [core] [Channel #1 SubChannel #2]grpc: addrConn.createTransport failed to connect to {Addr: "/var/run/netbird.sock", ServerName: "localhost", Attributes: {"<%!p(networktype.keyType=grpc.internal.transport.networktype)>": "unix" }, }. Err: connection error: desc = "transport: Error while dialing: dial unix /var/run/netbird.sock: connect: no such file or directory"
2025-09-02T21:18:13+03:00 INFO ./caller_not_available:0: 2025/09/02 21:18:13 WARNING: [core] [Channel #1 SubChannel #2]grpc: addrConn.createTransport failed to connect to {Addr: "/var/run/netbird.sock", ServerName: "localhost", Attributes: {"<%!p(networktype.keyType=grpc.internal.transport.networktype)>": "unix" }, }. Err: connection error: desc = "transport: Error while dialing: dial unix /var/run/netbird.sock: connect: no such file or directory"
Error: failed to connect to daemon error: context deadline exceeded
If the daemon is not running please run:
netbird service install
netbird service start

<!-- gh-comment-id:3246354630 --> @SamZekeria commented on GitHub (Sep 2, 2025): Here is the `netbird status -dA` output: 2025-09-02T21:18:11+03:00 INFO ./caller_not_available:0: 2025/09/02 21:18:11 WARNING: [core] [Channel #1 SubChannel #2]grpc: addrConn.createTransport failed to connect to {Addr: "/var/run/netbird.sock", ServerName: "localhost", Attributes: {"<%!p(networktype.keyType=grpc.internal.transport.networktype)>": "unix" }, }. Err: connection error: desc = "transport: Error while dialing: dial unix /var/run/netbird.sock: connect: no such file or directory" 2025-09-02T21:18:12+03:00 INFO ./caller_not_available:0: 2025/09/02 21:18:12 WARNING: [core] [Channel #1 SubChannel #2]grpc: addrConn.createTransport failed to connect to {Addr: "/var/run/netbird.sock", ServerName: "localhost", Attributes: {"<%!p(networktype.keyType=grpc.internal.transport.networktype)>": "unix" }, }. Err: connection error: desc = "transport: Error while dialing: dial unix /var/run/netbird.sock: connect: no such file or directory" 2025-09-02T21:18:13+03:00 INFO ./caller_not_available:0: 2025/09/02 21:18:13 WARNING: [core] [Channel #1 SubChannel #2]grpc: addrConn.createTransport failed to connect to {Addr: "/var/run/netbird.sock", ServerName: "localhost", Attributes: {"<%!p(networktype.keyType=grpc.internal.transport.networktype)>": "unix" }, }. Err: connection error: desc = "transport: Error while dialing: dial unix /var/run/netbird.sock: connect: no such file or directory" Error: failed to connect to daemon error: context deadline exceeded If the daemon is not running please run: netbird service install netbird service start
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@nazarewk commented on GitHub (Sep 2, 2025):

@drewhemm Are you sure you have stopped the client service with netbird service stop and closed/killed all the NetBird UI apps that might be running before deleting the configuration? I did similar "clean slate" setups a few times this week without any issues.

<!-- gh-comment-id:3246541632 --> @nazarewk commented on GitHub (Sep 2, 2025): @drewhemm Are you sure you have stopped the client service with `netbird service stop` and closed/killed all the NetBird UI apps that might be running before deleting the configuration? I did similar "clean slate" setups a few times this week without any issues.
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@clarkmcc commented on GitHub (Oct 8, 2025):

Noticed this as well on Linux. Is there a reason that apt-get remove -y netbird doesn't clear everything out? I found on Linux that even after uninstallation and re-installation, the agent would remember the previously used management URL so I couldn't change it.

<!-- gh-comment-id:3383383284 --> @clarkmcc commented on GitHub (Oct 8, 2025): Noticed this as well on Linux. Is there a reason that `apt-get remove -y netbird` doesn't clear everything out? I found on Linux that even after uninstallation and re-installation, the agent would remember the previously used management URL so I couldn't change it.
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@PhilRW commented on GitHub (Jan 21, 2026):

On Mac OS I found /Library/LaunchDaemons/netbird.plist was pointing to the wrong binary file. I did a netbird service uninstall and then netbird service install and that helped.

<!-- gh-comment-id:3781575926 --> @PhilRW commented on GitHub (Jan 21, 2026): On Mac OS I found `/Library/LaunchDaemons/netbird.plist` was pointing to the wrong binary file. I did a `netbird service uninstall` and then `netbird service install` and that helped.
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@kleo commented on GitHub (Jan 24, 2026):

removing this file /System/Volumes/Data/private/var/lib/netbird/default.json worked for me

<!-- gh-comment-id:3795316082 --> @kleo commented on GitHub (Jan 24, 2026): removing this file /System/Volumes/Data/private/var/lib/netbird/default.json worked for me
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@mrleblanc101 commented on GitHub (Feb 2, 2026):

Same issue, I've uninstall Netbird completely, removed the default.json file and if I reinstall the previous config is still there.

<!-- gh-comment-id:3837317489 --> @mrleblanc101 commented on GitHub (Feb 2, 2026): Same issue, I've uninstall Netbird completely, removed the `default.json` file and if I reinstall the previous config is still there.
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@ggffggg00 commented on GitHub (Apr 19, 2026):

This worked for me (I've installed netbird via .pkg):

  1. Shutdown netbird with existing configuration(s)
  2. Uninstall via cli sudo netbird service uninstall and drop netbird from /Applications to trash
  3. sudo rm -rf /var/lib/netbird
  4. rm -rf ~/Library/Application\ Support/netbird
  5. (optional, drop logs) sudo rm -rf /var/log/netbird
  6. sudo pkgutil --forget io.netbird.client

After that I ran the installer again and it created all the necessary standard configuration files out of the box.

<!-- gh-comment-id:4275787517 --> @ggffggg00 commented on GitHub (Apr 19, 2026): This worked for me (I've installed netbird via .pkg): 1. Shutdown netbird with existing configuration(s) 2. Uninstall via cli `sudo netbird service uninstall` and drop netbird from /Applications to trash 3. `sudo rm -rf /var/lib/netbird` 4. `rm -rf ~/Library/Application\ Support/netbird` 5. (optional, drop logs) `sudo rm -rf /var/log/netbird` 6. `sudo pkgutil --forget io.netbird.client` After that I ran the installer again and it created all the necessary standard configuration files out of the box.
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Reference: DYNR/netbird#8674