There are also countless users complaining about the fact that their Windows 11 network adapter is missing. This can be caused by a bunch of issues, both related to the hardware and software. If you started encountering it after upgrading to Windows 11 or updating to the latest build, it’s most likely the software at fault. However, if you noticed a gradual reduction in the Wi-Fi strength over time or have run into trivial issues, it could be the failure of the hardware as well.
Why my WIFI option is not showing in Windows 11?
Problems with the Wi-Fi can be caused by a plethora of other issues and it’s difficult pinpointing one. For a better understanding, we have listed the most common causes below:
Issues with the Wi-Fi adapter or its driver Applications conflicting with Wi-Fi Misconfigured settings Wi-Fi icon hidden Problems with the current version of Windows 11
And the list goes on. However, the ones mentioned above are most likely to lead to this inconvenience, and we will list the fixes for each in the sections to follow. Before moving on, our users reported similar errors that we will address in this article as well. The most common ones are the following:
Wi-Fi adapter disappeared from Windows 11 – Windows 11 WIFI keeps disappearing – Start the Network Adapter troubleshooter on your Windows PC if you can’t find your Wi-Fi adapter on that machine. No Wi-Fi option only Ethernet in Windows 11 – WIFI button not showing or working in Windows 11 – If the Wi-Fi adapter is turned off, Windows 11 will not show the Wi-Fi option in the settings menu. In the Control Panel, you have the option to manually enable or disable the various network devices. Wi-Fi icon disappeared from Windows 11 – WIFI icon missing in Windows 11 – In most cases, the problem of a missing Wi-Fi icon is brought on by the fact that your system does not have the necessary drivers loaded. Wi-Fi not working in Windows 11 – It’s conceivable that the issue with Windows 11 Wi-Fi is due to missing, obsolete, or damaged wireless network drivers. These drivers typically have a tendency to be incompatible with the devices or the operating system. Windows 11 Network Adapter missing – Launch the Device Manager, go to the Network Adapters area, and look for any modifications to the hardware. WiFi option suddenly disappeared from Windows 11 – WIFI option not showing or displaying in Windows 11 – In addition to this, if the Wi-Fi adapter on your computer is broken or disabled, you will not be able to see the symbol for Wi-Fi on the taskbar of your computer. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth disappeared from Windows 11 – Besides the network driver, you should also update or reinstall the Bluetooth one from Device Manager. There might be a problem with the driver for the WIFI adapter in Windows 11 – Update the WIFI drivers in order for the adapter to be brought to the latest version available. WIFI option not showing in Windows 11 Dell, HP laptop – Make sure Airplane mode isn’t turned on on these devices.
By trying out our solutions, one by one, you will be able to get out of the mud and resume your daily activities.
How do I get my Wi-Fi back on Windows 11?
Before moving on to more complex solutions, make sure to do the following:
With the Wi-Fi missing, you might face trouble connecting to the Internet. In this situation, you can boot Windows 11 in Safe Mode. Switch to a wired connection, i.e. Ethernet. These are less prone to errors and offer a higher level of security. After securing access to the Internet, you can now start executing the fixes listed here. You can make things even more simple if you get Windows 11 to auto-login and forget about entering the password after booting.
1. Check for a physical switch to turn on Wi-Fi
Many new computers, and laptops, in particular, have a built-in switch to enable/disable the Wi-Fi. You will find it either on the side or around the keyboard. After locating the switch, make sure it’s turned on and check if the Wi-Fi icon and settings reappear.
3. Verify that Airplane mode is disabled
4. Turn on the Airplane mode and then disable it
When airplane mode is enabled on your PC, you will encounter a Windows 11 WiFi not showing up in the settings issue. Make sure you have not mistakenly activated it. There are three ways you can update a driver, namely, using the Device Manager, from the Windows Update settings, and manually downloading and installing it from the official manufacturer’s website. Let’s see all three methods:
2.1 Via Device Manager
2.2 Via Windows Update
After the update is installed, restart the computer for the changes to come into effect and check if the Wi-Fi icon appears. In case a newer version of the driver was not available in Windows Update, you could always look for it on the manufacturer’s website. An up-to-date driver version will allow you to connect to an up-to-standard broadband network. It can successfully remediate the 5Ghz WiFi not showing up in Windows 11 problem.
2.3 Via manufacturer’s website
The last process can be a little intricate and time-consuming and carries a considerable amount of risk in case of a serious lapse on your end. However, the three methods can be used to update any driver on your computer and with a little caution and patience, they are bound to deliver results. In case you are looking for simpler ways to keep your drivers up-to-date, we recommend using DriverFix, a dedicated third-party tool. It automatically scans for driver updates and installs them to your PC, thus making the whole process simpler and more convenient. Quick Settings allow you to make modifications to the system and enable or disable features without having to navigate to their actual location. You can also customize the Action Center and only keep the tiles you often use, for a finer experience.
5. Restart the PC
We hope this helped you solve the Windows 11 no WiFi option situation. If you have trouble with the account after the restart, learn how to change your password and username in Windows 11.
6. Check if Wi-Fi adapter is enabled
How to enable the WIFI adapter in Windows 11? If the Windows 11 WiFi adapter is disabled, you wouldn’t be able to connect to any network and it would seem like there would be no Windows 11 WiFi option due to the change in icon in the system tray. After enabling, check if you are able to establish a secure Wi-Fi connection. This will help with Windows 11 WiFi not showing up in network connections. The icon should appear as usual and users should be able to easily connect with the correct credentials.
7. Use the Roll Back Driver option
Windows will take a few seconds (or minutes, as the case may be) to reinstall the previous version of the driver but you wouldn’t receive a prompt or confirmation on its completion. It’s recommended that you restart the computer after a few minutes for the changes to come into effect. In case the Wi-Fi disappeared after you updated the Wi-Fi driver, rolling back the update could work. Windows keeps the files for the previous version if you want to revert to it.
8. Reinstall the Wi-Fi driver
Corrupt drivers are known to cause a lot of problems, your current one being a prominent example. In this case, reinstalling the corrupt driver will fix the issue. In case Windows 11 is not detecting the WiFi adapter, sometimes the driver reinstall can help, so be sure to try it.
9. Update Windows 11
Sometimes, running an older version of Windows is also likely to cause a bunch of issues. In the updates released by Microsoft, there are patches for various problems along with other new features for your computer. It’s the former part that you should be concerned with here. SPONSORED After installing the latest updates, the problem with no WiFi option in Settings on Windows 11 should be resolved.
10. Uninstall Windows 11 updates
In case the Wi-Fi disappeared on Windows 11 after updating, the problem could very well lie in the current version/build itself. If you couldn’t find a new update from Microsoft in the previous fix, it’s best that you uninstall the last update and revert to the previous version, one that was stable and worked fine.
11. Run the Network Adapter troubleshooter
Microsoft offers a bunch of built-in troubleshooters to easily identify and fix issues affecting the performance of Windows. However, these can only solve the already known problems. If running the Network Adapter troubleshooter doesn’t help, head to the next fix.
12. Run File Explorer
This is a known workaround to fix issues with the Wi-Fi in all versions of Windows. Running the File Explorer eliminates or removes any bug preventing the Wi-Fi icon from appearing, thus making it accessible.
13. Modify the Group Policy
14. Perform a clean boot
When the PC restarts, it will load just the basic services, drivers, and startup programs. The clean boot environment is similar to Safe Mode but offers a lot more options to troubleshoot issues. On clean booting the Windows, you should have the Wi-Fi icon present. Now, launch the services and programs one at a time to identify which one is causing the issue. The app or service you started just before the Wi-Fi icon disappears is likely to be behind the error. If it’s a program that’s leading to the error, you can simply uninstall the app. In the case of services, keep it disabled until an update for Windows is available for download. After you ended the troubleshooting, you can safely relaunch/start the other items that you had disabled earlier. The clean boot process is fairly intricate and time-consuming, thus we recommended that you go for it near the end when nothing else works. For any problems logging in after the clean boot, learn how to remove your login password in Windows 11.
15. Perform a system restore
System restore has been present on the previous versions of Windows as well and is an effective troubleshooting method. It takes the computer back in time to a point where the error did not exist by modifying the settings and uninstalling apps. The restore process, however, does not affect the files stored on the system. But the condition here is that you must have created the restore point before the time you first encountered the error. And in all likelihood, such a point should exist on your computer. Windows automatically creates a restore point before any critical tasks, say, updating the Windows or installing a major application. This way, you can be sure of a restore point present at your disposal. After restoring your system, be sure to check if Windows 11 still has no Wi-Fi option.
What can I do if Windows 11’s Wi-Fi icon is missing?
Although this is a less likely occurrence, the Windows 11 Wi-Fi icon missing error can be triggered by a corrupt user account. So, the obvious solution here is to create a new one in the hope that logging into it will make the Wi-Fi icon show up as intended. There are a few methods through which you can fix a corrupt user profile. Though the guide is for Windows 10, the fixes listed have been duly checked and found to be as effective in Windows 11. While some would go for fixing the corrupt profile, a simple and quick alternative is to create another one in order to work efficiently without encountering any errors. Once done, you have all the time to work on the corrupted one.
What do I do if the fixes listed here don’t work?
While the above fixes cater to all kinds of problems, there is a small possibility that these won’t resolve the Wi-Fi disappearing issue. In this situation, you can reset Windows 11 to the factory settings. This should do the trick, given it removes all files, apps, and configured settings from the computer. If resetting doesn’t work, the problem, in all likelihood, lies with the hardware, in which case, it’s recommended that you seek professional help. The fixes listed above are found to have resolved the error for most of the users, so be sure to try them all if there’s no Wi-Fi option on Windows 11. If you are facing trouble with the connection, check our guide on how to increase the Internet speed on Wi-Fi. Also, find out the best browsers for Windows 11 to seamlessly surf the web while ensuring privacy and security. Lastly, if your WiFi symbol is not showing on laptop, check out our dedicated guide for help. Let us know which fix worked for you in the comments section below.
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