How to Connect to McDonald’s Wi-Fi

Next time you're at a McDonald’s grabbing a cheeseburger, be sure to check out the new item on the menu: McInternet.

Yes, over 11,500 McDonald’s locations have totally free Wi-Fi  internet that you can use while you chomp down those irresistible fries.

McDonald’s internet is relatively fast, easy to connect to, and (usually) there’s no time limit for how long you can use it. This makes it a great alternative to the overpriced coffee shop for digital nomads who want to supersize their free internet game.

Here’s everything you need to know about connecting to McDonald’s Wi-Fi.

Thankfully, you don’t need a username or password to log in to McDonald’s Wi-Fi. You don’t even need to download an app. All you need is a Wi-Fi capable device, like a smartphone or a computer.

To access McDonald’s Wi-Fi, just follow these simple steps:

1. Go to the Wi-Fi settings of your device. If you’re within range of the McDonald’s Wi-Fi network then it should be available to connect. The network should be named McDonald’s Free Wi-Fi or something similar. If you don’t see that, look for att-wifi or a similar network name.
2. Once you select the network, your device will automatically connect. There’s no need for a password or any kind of encryption.
3. Once you’re connected to the network, open a browser to agree to McDonald’s Wi-Fi user agreement (like Safari on an iPhone or Explorer on an Android device).
4. In your browser, you should automatically see a big red “Get Connected” button. Tap the red “Get Connected” button. By clicking this button, you are agreeing to the user agreement (you can read the full agreement by clicking the blue hyperlink).
5. Once you’ve clicked the “Get Connected” button you will be able to use the internet to surf the web, download apps, stream music, scroll through Instagram, troll your enemies on Twitter, and pretty much anything else (but remember, this is a public Wi-Fi).

McDonald’s has teamed up with AT&T internet to offer its free Wi-Fi service. And yes, it is really free. While you might need to purchase food to remain inside the McDonald’s, you don’t need to pay a separate fee to access the Wi-Fi.

That said, McDonald’s Wi-Fi might not be the best way to get consistently free or cheap internet. For that, we recommend these affordable internet service providers.

You can learn more about different internet options and how much they cost in this handy internet pricing breakdown.

While McDonald’s free Wi-Fi service is considered pretty secure, it is still a public Wi-Fi network, which means you should take some basic precautions.

Ways to stay safe on McDonald’s free public Wi-Fi:

• Consider using a virtual private network, or a VPN. A VPN service can anonymise your IP address, making it harder for people to track you and hack into your device. VPN’s also offer a bunch of other security features, like malware protection.
• Don’t input any sensitive information, like your bank account numbers, social security number, or passwords to important accounts when using public Wi-Fi. If you do want to access your bank account, use your bank's app rather than your browser.
• Make sure that all of your phone, computer, or other device’s software is totally up-to-date. Manufacturers are constantly updating their security to fight hackers, phishing schemes, and other security issues.
• Pay attention to the sites you’re visiting. Make sure that they begin with “https,” which indicates that the site is secure.

McDonald’s restaurants are literally everywhere. Well, not literally, but you know what we mean. This makes them a great pitstop for digital nomads. You can grab a latte (yes, McDonald’s does serve lattes) and crank out that grant proposal you need to finish or even Zoom into a work meeting (maybe keep the camera off though).

With a mobile hotspot you don’t need to sit down on a greasy plastic seat and work under fluorescent lighting. Instead, you can create your own Wi-Fi network pretty much anywhere, whether it’s by the fire in your campsite or a weird rest stop in Kansas.