“iCloud Private Relay is not available on this network”

Some networks block iCloud Private Relay on purpose. Your device then asks you to turn Private Relay off for that network or to use another network. This guide explains how the block works and what you control.

Fix this with your agentCopies a prompt for Claude Code, Codex or any agent that can use Terminal.

My Mac has this problem: “iCloud Private Relay is not available on this network”. Read https://kilobat.app/guides/private-relay-not-available-network.md and work through it with me. Install the Kilobat CLI if it’s missing: brew install seifip/kilobat/kilobat. Run the guide’s Terminal and kilobat checks yourself and tell me what you find. List the steps only I can do. Ask before you change any setting.

Applies to: Private Relay needs an iCloud+ or Apple One subscription. Mac steps are for macOS 14 Sonoma and later.Checked: 7 November 2026

Symptoms

An alert says that the network is not compatible with Private Relay, or that Private Relay is not available.
Private Relay works on mobile data but not on one Wi-Fi network.
Private Relay works at home, but not at work, at school or on a hotel network.
The Mac says that some system settings prevent Private Relay from working.

Likely causes

The network blocks Private Relay through DNS. Apple tells network operators to answer DNS queries for mask.icloud.com and mask-h2.icloud.com with no address. The device then shows the alert.
The network must audit or filter traffic. Apple says that business and school networks may need to audit traffic, so they may not work with Private Relay.
A DNS filter on your own network. A home DNS filter or router feature can block the same two names. Check its block list.
The network drops QUIC traffic. Private Relay uses QUIC on UDP port 443. Apple asks operators not to drop these packets silently, because devices then wait.
A VPN or filter app on the Mac. Apple says that VPN or internet filtering software can prevent Private Relay from working.
The country or region. Private Relay is not available in all countries or regions. It turns off when you travel to one of them.

How to check

Join another network, such as your phone’s hotspot. If Private Relay works there, the first network blocks it.
Look up the Private Relay names. An answer with no address can mean that the network blocks them.
```
dscacheutil -q host -a name mask.icloud.com
```
Show which DNS servers the Mac uses on this network.
```
scutil --dns | grep nameserver
```
If you manage a DNS filter or router, search its query log for mask.icloud.com.
Choose Apple menu > System Settings. Click your name, then iCloud, then Private Relay. Look at its state.

How to fix it

To use this network without Private Relay, choose Apple menu > System Settings, then click Network.
Click the service you use, such as Wi-Fi. Click Details next to the network.
Turn off Limit IP address tracking. This turns Private Relay off for this network on all your devices.
To keep Private Relay, use another network, such as mobile data.
On your own network, remove mask.icloud.com and mask-h2.icloud.com from the DNS block list.
If a VPN or filter app stops Private Relay, turn off that app or remove it.
On a work or school network, ask the administrator. The network may block Private Relay by policy.

With Kilobat

Find which DNS servers each network uses and whether they answer.
```
kilobat dns
```
Check whether a VPN carries your traffic. A VPN can stop Private Relay.
```
kilobat vpn
```
Run the Wi-Fi, router, internet, DNS and sign-in page checks on this network.
```
kilobat diagnose
```

Questions

Does turning off Private Relay for one network turn it off everywhere?

No. It turns off only for that network, on all your devices that use Private Relay.

Why does Private Relay work on mobile data but not on my home Wi-Fi?

The home network, its router or a DNS filter on it can block the Private Relay names. Check the DNS filter first.

Sources

Apple Support: Manage iCloud Private Relay for specific websites, networks, or system settings
Apple Developer: Prepare your network or web server for iCloud Private Relay
Apple Support: About iCloud Private Relay
Apple Support: Use iCloud Private Relay on Mac
dscacheutil(1) and scutil(8), man pages installed with macOS 27.2

Checked on 7 November 2026.