7 Ways to Fix No Wi-Fi Option in Windows 11

Quick Tips

• In most cases, running the network troubleshooter and restarting the WLAN AutoConfig service on your PC should help.
• Consider updating or reinstalling the Wi-Fi drivers to see if that restores the Wi-Fi option in Windows.
• If the issue persists, you may need to reset all network settings or perform a system restore.

Try Basic Fixes

• Perform a power cycle: Performing a power cycle can help discharge residual power from the capacitor and reset all the temporary configurations. First, power off your computer and unplug all the external devices. Then, press and hold the physical power button for around 15 seconds. After that, turn on your computer and see if Windows shows the Wi-Fi option.
• Install Windows updates: If you’re using an outdated build of Windows 11, you’re highly likely to face such issues. Go ahead and install any pending updates by heading over to Settings > Windows Update.

Fix 1: Enable Wi-Fi Adapter

One of the most prominent reasons why the Wi-Fi option may go missing is if the Wi-Fi adapter on your PC is disabled. Here’s how to enable it.

Step 1: Press the Windows key + I to open the Settings app and head to Network & internet > Advanced network settings.

Step 2: Under Related settings, click on More network adapter options.

Step 3: If the Wi-Fi adapter is disabled, it’ll be grayed out. Right-click on it and select Enable from the resulting menu.

Fix 2: Run Network Adapter Troubleshooter

Windows 11 carries a bunch of troubleshooters that can diagnose and fix minor issues on their own. You can try running the network adapter troubleshooter and allow it to fix the missing Wi-Fi option in Windows 11. Here’s how:

Step 1: Click the search icon on the taskbar, type in troubleshoot settings, and press Enter.

Step 2: Go to Other troubleshooters.

Step 3: Locate Network and Internet and click the Run button next to it.

Wait for the troubleshooter to detect any issues and then follow the on-screen instructions to resolve them.

Fix 3: Restart the WLAN AutoConfig Service

WLAN AutoConfig is a system service responsible for managing Wi-Fi networks on Windows. If this service is not running on your Windows 11 PC, the Wi-Fi option may not appear. Here’s how you can fix that.

Step 1: Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog. Type services.msc in the box and press Enter.

Step 2: Locate and double-click the WLAN AutoConfig service to open its properties.

Step 3: Use the drop-down menu to change the Startup type to Automatic and hit Apply followed by OK.

Restart your PC after this and check if the Wi-Fi option appears.

Fix 4: Update or Reinstall Drivers

Malfunctioning or outdated drivers can lead to all kinds of Wi-Fi issues on Windows 11. If that seems to be the case, you can try updating them to see if that brings back the missing Wi-Fi option.

Step 1: Press the Windows key + S, type in device manager, and select the first result that appears.

Step 2: Find and expand the Network adapters. Right-click on the Wi-Fi driver and choose the Update driver option.

After updating the driver, see if the Wi-Fi icon is back. If that doesn’t work, follow the same steps above to uninstall the Wi-Fi driver. Once removed, restart your PC and Windows will automatically reinstall the Wi-Fi drivers again.

Fix 5: Reset Network Settings

If updating the drivers doesn’t help, it’s time to reset the current network settings on your PC. Doing so will remove all the network adapters from your PC and reinstate all your network settings to their default values. Here’s how to do it.

Step 1: Press the Windows key + I to open the Settings app and head to Network & internet > Advanced network settings.

Step 2: Under More settings, click on Network reset.

Step 3: Click the Reset now button.

Fix 6: Reset Network Devices and Network Stack

Another thing you can do to restore the missing Wi-Fi option is reset all the network devices, TCP/IP, and flush the DNS cache. Here are the steps for the same.

Step 1: Right-click on the Start icon and select Terminal (Admin) from the list.

Step 2: Run the following commands in the console and press Enter after each one:

netsh int ip reset
netsh advfirewall reset
netsh winsock reset
ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew

Once all the commands are executed, restart your computer, and check if the Wi-Fi option is restored.

Fix 7: Try System Restore

If you can’t seem to pin down a particular reason behind the disappearance of the Wi-Fi option, you can perform a system restore as a last resort.

Step 1: Open the search menu, type in create a restore point and press Enter.

Step 2: Under the System Protection tab, click the System Restore button.

Step 3: Pick the restore point before the problem first appeared and hit Next.

Step 4: Click Finish.