Windows 11 Wi-Fi Not Working? Try These Fixes

Common causes

• Wi-Fi turned off or airplane mode turned on
• A physical Wi-Fi switch on your laptop turned off
• A Wi-Fi password that doesn’t match the router’s configuration
• A modem or router that needs a fresh connection
• A network band your Wi-Fi adapter doesn’t support
• A disabled Wi-Fi adapter
• A network adapter driver problem, sometimes after an update

Step-by-Step Solutions

Start with the quick checks at the top, try to connect after each step, and leave network reset for last.

1. 1

   Step 1: Check that Wi-Fi is on

   Wi-Fi and airplane mode can both be checked from the taskbar.

   Select the Network, Sound, or Battery icons on the taskbar and make sure that Wi-Fi is turned on. Check that your network name shows Connected below it. If it shows a different status, select a Wi-Fi network you recognize from the list of available networks and try to connect.

   Airplane mode turns off all wireless communications on your PC, including Wi-Fi. Make sure it’s off: select the same taskbar icons, then select Airplane mode, or open Network & internet settings, select Airplane mode and use the toggle.

   Some laptops and tablets have a physical Wi-Fi switch. Make sure it’s turned on.

2. 2

   Step 2: Run the network troubleshooter

   On Windows 11, Microsoft recommends starting with the automated troubleshooter.

   Run the Network and Internet troubleshooter in the Get Help app. It runs diagnostics automatically and attempts to fix most problems.

3. 3

   Step 3: Forget the network and reconnect

   Removing a saved network and joining it again makes you enter the password fresh.

   Open Settings, select Network & internet, then Wi-Fi, then Manage known networks. Select your Wi-Fi network and select Forget.

   Reconnect by selecting the network and entering the password. On the Wi-Fi quick setting on the taskbar, select Manage Wi-Fi connections, choose the network, select Connect, type the password and select Next.

   If you don’t see the network you expect, select the Refresh network list button to start a new Wi-Fi scan.

   Good to know

   If Windows says the password is incorrect even though you entered the right one, check that the password matches the router’s configuration.

4. 4

   Step 4: Restart your modem and router

   This creates a new connection to your internet service provider.

   Everyone connected to your Wi-Fi network is disconnected for a short time while you do this. If you have a combined cable modem and Wi-Fi router, follow the steps for that single device.

   Unplug the power cable for the router, then unplug the power cable for the modem. Wait at least 30 seconds or so.

   Plug the modem back in. Its lights blink; wait for them to stop blinking. Then plug the router back in, wait a few minutes for both to fully power on, and try to connect again on your PC.

   Good to know

   Some modems have a backup battery. If the modem’s lights stay on after you unplug it, remove the battery, and put it back before you plug the modem in again.

5. 5

   Step 5: Try another band or another device

   If both bands are listed, try the other one, then try the same network on another device.

   Many home routers broadcast two networks, on the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, and both show in the list of available networks. If you see both, try connecting to the other one. Some Wi-Fi adapters only support the 2.4 GHz band.

   Try connecting to the same network on another laptop or phone. If it connects, the problem is likely with your PC.

6. 6

   Step 6: Turn the Wi-Fi adapter back on

   If the Wi-Fi option is missing from Settings, the adapter may be disabled or the WLAN AutoConfig service may need a restart.

   Search for Device Manager on the taskbar and open it. Expand Network adapters, right-click your Wi-Fi adapter and select Enable device.

   You can also restart the Wi-Fi service. Press Win + R, type services.msc and press Enter. Find WLAN AutoConfig, right-click it and select Restart.

7. 7

   Step 7: Update Windows and restart

   Windows Update also delivers driver updates for network adapters.

   Select Start, then Settings, then Windows Update, then Check for updates. Download and install any new updates.

   Many updates need a restart. Save your work, close your apps, then select Start, then Power, then Restart.

8. 8

   Step 8: Run the network commands

   These commands reset the TCP/IP stack, renew your IP address and clear the DNS cache.

   Select Search on the taskbar and type command prompt. To the right of Command Prompt, select Run as administrator, then Yes.

   Run these commands in this order, pressing Enter after each one, then check your connection:

   • netsh winsock reset
   • netsh int ip reset
   • ipconfig /release
   • ipconfig /renew
   • ipconfig /flushdns
9. 9

   Step 9: Reinstall the network adapter driver

   Uninstalling the driver and restarting lets Windows install it again.

   Try this if the steps above didn’t help, especially if Wi-Fi stopped working after a recent update.

   First save a backup driver. Download the latest network adapter driver from your PC manufacturer’s website; you’ll need the manufacturer and model name or number. If your PC can’t get online, download it on a different PC and save it to a USB flash drive.

   Open Device Manager, expand Network adapters and find your adapter. Right-click it, select Uninstall device, check Attempt to remove the driver for this device, then select Uninstall. Restart your PC.

   After the restart, Windows looks for and installs the driver. If it doesn’t, install the backup driver you saved.

   Good to know

   Only download drivers from the manufacturer’s official site.

10. 10

    Step 10: Reset your network settings

    Network reset is the last step to try.

    Network reset removes your network adapters and their settings. After your PC restarts, the adapters are reinstalled with default settings. It can also help with connection problems after upgrading from Windows 10 to Windows 11.

    Open Settings, select Network & internet, then Advanced network settings, then Network reset. Select Reset now, then Yes, and wait for your PC to restart.

    Good to know

    Before you reset, know that you might need to reinstall and set up other networking software afterward, such as VPN client software. Your known networks might also be set to a public network profile.

Frequently Asked Questions