Laptop Wi-Fi Not Showing Any Networks? Fixes in Order

You open the Wi-Fi list and it's empty, or it says "No Wi-Fi networks found." Or the Wi-Fi icon and the Wi-Fi toggle are gone completely, and you only see an Ethernet or globe icon. Either way, Windows either has the radio turned off, can't see the Wi-Fi adapter, or can't see your network. Start with the quick checks below. A lot of the time it's airplane mode or the Wi-Fi key.

If you can see and join your network but it keeps dropping, see laptop Wi-Fi keeps disconnecting. If it connects but nothing loads, see laptop connected to Wi-Fi but no internet.

Step 1: Turn off airplane mode and check the Wi-Fi key or switch

• Click the network icon on the taskbar (bottom right). Make sure Airplane mode is off and Wi-Fi is on.
• You can also check Settings > Network & internet > Airplane mode. Turn it off, and make sure Wi-Fi is on under it. (Same path on Windows 10 and 11.)
• Look on your keyboard for a key with an antenna, wave, or airplane symbol, usually on the F keys. Press it, or hold Fn and press it. Watch for a Wi-Fi or airplane light to change.
• Some older laptops have a small slide switch on the front or side edge. Make sure it's on.

If Wi-Fi was off because of a hardware key or switch, Windows may say the radio is turned off and the toggle won't help until you flip the key or switch.

Step 2: Restart the laptop

Choose Start > Power > Restart. Don't just close the lid or choose Shut down. On many laptops Shut down uses Fast startup and doesn't fully reset the hardware, but Restart does.

Step 3: Check if other devices can see your network

Look at your phone's Wi-Fi list in the same spot.

• Phone can't see it either: The router is off, restarting, or hiding its name. Unplug the router for 30 seconds, plug it back in, and wait a few minutes.
• Phone sees it but the laptop sees no networks at all: It's the laptop. Keep going.
• Laptop sees your neighbors' networks but not yours: Skip to Step 6.

Step 4: Find the Wi-Fi adapter in Device Manager

If the Wi-Fi icon or toggle is missing, this is the most likely place to find out why.

• Search for Device Manager and open it.
• Expand Network adapters. Look for an adapter with Wireless, Wi-Fi, WLAN, or 802.11 in the name.

What you see tells you what to do:

• It has a down-arrow icon: It's disabled. Right-click it and choose Enable device.
• It has a yellow warning triangle: Right-click > Properties and read the Device status box. Usually it means a driver problem. Go to Step 7.
• It's not there: Click View > Show hidden devices and look again. Then click Action > Scan for hardware changes. Also check under Other devices for an unknown "Network Controller", which means the card is there but has no driver (go to Step 7).
• Still nowhere: Windows can't see the card at all. Go to Steps 9 to 11.

You can also check the adapter is turned on in Network Connections. Press Windows key + R, type ncpa.cpl, and press Enter. If the Wi-Fi adapter is gray and says Disabled, right-click it and choose Enable. This works on Windows 10 and 11.

Step 5: Check the WLAN AutoConfig service

WLAN AutoConfig is the Windows service that scans for and connects to Wi-Fi. Microsoft says if it's stopped, the Wi-Fi control is hidden.

• Press Windows key + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
• Scroll down to WLAN AutoConfig and double-click it.
• Set Startup type to Automatic. If the status says Stopped, click Start. Click OK.
• If it's already running, right-click it and choose Restart.

Some "speed up your PC" or cleanup tools turn this service off. If you used one, that could be why.

Step 6: Check for a 5 GHz-only network or a channel your laptop can't use

If the laptop sees other networks but not yours, the problem is usually the band or channel.

• 5 GHz only, or 6 GHz only: Older or cheaper Wi-Fi adapters only do 2.4 GHz, so they can't see a 5 GHz network at all. A Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7 router can also put a network on 6 GHz, which only a 6E or Wi-Fi 7 adapter can see. To check yours, open Command Prompt and type netsh wlan show drivers. Look at "Radio types supported." 802.11b and g are 2.4 GHz. 802.11a, ac, and ax mean it does 5 GHz. 802.11n can be either band. The quickest fix is to turn on the 2.4 GHz network on the router, or use a dual-band USB Wi-Fi adapter.
• Channels 12 to 14: In the US, 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi only uses channels 1 to 11. Many other countries also allow 12 and 13, and Japan allows 14 on the oldest Wi-Fi standard. A laptop set for the US won't list a network sitting on 12, 13, or 14. In the router's wireless settings, set 2.4 GHz to channel 1, 6, or 11.
• 5 GHz DFS channels: Channels in the middle of the 5 GHz band (about 52 through 144) are DFS channels. The router has to check them for radar, and some laptop adapters never list a network there. In the US, the non-DFS channels are 36, 40, 44, and 48, plus 149, 153, 157, 161, and 165. Other countries differ, and 149 and up isn't available everywhere. Set the router to a non-DFS channel it actually offers, then look for the network again.
• Router region: If the router has a country or region setting, set it to where you actually are. A wrong region is a common reason it picks a channel your laptop isn't allowed to use.
• Hidden name: If the router is set not to broadcast its name, that network won't appear in the list even when others do. On Windows 11, go to Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi > Manage known networks > Add network, and type the name and password. On Windows 10, the Wi-Fi list shows a "Hidden network" entry you can select, or use Manage known networks > Add a new network.

You can also look in Device Manager > your Wi-Fi adapter > Properties > Advanced tab. Some adapters have a band or "Wireless Mode" setting. Make sure it isn't set to 2.4 GHz only (or 5 GHz only) by mistake. The names depend on who made the chip.

Step 7: Reinstall the Wi-Fi driver

Before you start, download the Wi-Fi driver from your laptop maker's support page (search your exact model). If you have no internet, use another computer or your phone and copy it over on a USB drive, or plug in a USB Ethernet adapter.

• In Device Manager, right-click your Wi-Fi adapter and choose Properties > Driver tab.
• If it stopped working after an update and Roll Back Driver isn't grayed out, click it.
• Otherwise, right-click the adapter and choose Uninstall device. Check "Attempt to remove the driver for this device" if you see it, then click Uninstall.
• Restart. Windows usually reinstalls the adapter on its own. If it doesn't, run the driver installer you downloaded.

Step 8: Do a network reset

Microsoft says to save this for last. It removes your network adapters and sets them back to default, and you'll have to rejoin your Wi-Fi networks. VPN software may also need to be set up again.

• Windows 11: Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings > Network reset > Reset now.
• Windows 10: Settings > Network & Internet > Status > Network reset > Reset now.

The laptop restarts on its own after a few minutes. If you can't find the setting, you can also run these in Command Prompt (Run as administrator), then restart: netsh winsock reset, then netsh int ip reset.

More useful commands for a sick PC: commands on a sick PC.

Step 9: Check that wireless is enabled in the BIOS

If the Wi-Fi adapter doesn't show up anywhere in Device Manager, check the BIOS. Some laptops let you turn off the wireless card there, and a BIOS reset or update can change it.

• Restart and press the BIOS key as the laptop starts. It's often F2, F10, F1, or Del, depending on the brand. On Windows 10 and 11 you can also go to Settings > System > Recovery (Windows 10: Update & Security > Recovery) > Advanced startup > Restart now, then Troubleshoot > Advanced options > UEFI Firmware Settings.
• Look for a setting like Wireless, WLAN, or Wireless LAN, often under Advanced, Security, or Devices. Make sure it's enabled.
• Save and exit.

The menus differ a lot by brand. If you're not sure about a setting, leave it alone.

Step 10: Do a hard power drain

Sometimes the Wi-Fi card gets stuck and a normal restart doesn't clear it.

• Shut down the laptop and unplug the charger.
• If the battery comes out, take it out. If it doesn't, some laptops have a tiny reset pinhole on the bottom. Check your maker's support page for your model.
• Hold the power button for about 30 seconds.
• Put the battery back, plug in, and turn it on.

Step 11: Test with a USB Wi-Fi adapter, then check the card and antenna

If the built-in Wi-Fi still doesn't show networks, plug in a USB Wi-Fi adapter.

• USB adapter sees networks: The built-in card, its antenna, or its driver is the problem. You can just keep using the USB adapter.
• USB adapter sees nothing either: It's more likely the router, the band or channel from Step 6, or Windows itself.

Signs the built-in card is loose or dead:

• It disappeared from Device Manager after the laptop was opened up, dropped, or had a spill.
• It sees only one or two networks, and only right next to the router. That often means an antenna wire is loose.

On many laptops the Wi-Fi card is a small M.2 card that can be swapped. iFixit has replacement guides for a lot of models. Check that the card is seated and the antenna wires are clicked on tight. Some thin laptops and all recent MacBooks have Wi-Fi built onto the board, so it can't be swapped. A few laptop makers also only accept certain cards. Check your model before you buy one. Use a USB adapter or the warranty if you can't swap it. If yours can be swapped, see how to replace or upgrade the Wi-Fi card.

If you open the laptop, unplug it, follow anti-static habits that matter, and use a good screwdriver set: precision screwdriver set.

Had a spill before the Wi-Fi died? See spilled water on a laptop keyboard.

Running out of USB ports for the adapter? See USB-C hub that doesn't kill the port.