7 Ways to Fix Windows 11 Not Connecting to Wi-Fi Automatically

Quick Tips

• Ensure you have configured Windows to connect to your Wi-Fi networks automatically.
• Running the Windows troubleshooter and updating the network adapter driver effectively fixes this issue.
• You may have to reset all the network settings if the issue remains.

Fix 1: Enable Connect to Wi-Fi Automatically

Windows 11 may not connect to a known network automatically if you haven’t configured it to do so. Hence, it’s the first thing you should check.

Step 1: Click on the search icon on the taskbar, type Wi-Fi settings, and press Enter.

Step 2: Click on Manage known networks.

Step 3: Select the network to which you want your Windows PC to connect automatically.

Step 4: Check the box for Connect automatically when in range.

Fix 2: Use the Updated Wi-Fi Password

Windows may fail to connect to a Wi-Fi network automatically if the password is incorrect. It’s possible that the Wi-Fi password for your office or cafe’s network has changed and you haven’t updated it yet. To fix this, disconnect from that particular network and connect to it again.

Step 1: Open the Wi-Fi settings menu and go to Manage known networks.

Step 2: Click the Forget button next to the Wi-Fi’s name to remove it.

Step 3: Head back to Wi-Fi settings and click on Show available networks to expand it. Select your Wi-Fi network, check the box for Connect automatically, and click Connect.

Type the updated password to connect to the network. Windows will connect your computer to that network automatically whenever it is in range.

Fix 3: Run the Network and Internet Troubleshooter

Another thing you can do is run the Network and internet troubleshooter. It will look for any network-related issues that may prevent Windows from connecting to the network automatically and try to fix them.

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

Step 2: Go to Other troubleshooters.

Step 3: Click the Run button next to the Network and Internet.

Follow the on-screen prompts to allow the troubleshooter to detect and fix any network connection issues.

Fix 4: Modify Network Adapter Properties

Selecting a stricter power usage profile can sometimes prevent Windows from connecting to a Wi-Fi network automatically after waking up from sleep or hibernation. Here’s how to fix it.

Step 1: Right-click on the Start icon and select Device Manager from the list.

Step 2: Double-click on Network adapters to expand it. Right-click on your Wireless Network Adapter and select Properties.

Step 3: Navigate to the Power Management tab and uncheck Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power. Then, click OK.

Fix 5: Update Wi-Fi Network Adapter Drivers

You’ll likely face such Wi-Fi problems on Windows with outdated network adapter drivers. To fix them, you must update the Wi-Fi drivers on your PC by following the steps below.

Step 1: Open Device Manager on your PC.

Step 2: Expand Network adapters, right-click on the relevant Wireless Network Adapter from the list, and select Update driver.

From there, follow the on-screen instructions to update the wireless network driver and see if Windows 11 can connect to Wi-Fi networks automatically.

Fix 6: Configure Windows Services

Windows 11 relies on certain system services to connect to nearby Wi-Fi networks automatically. If these services are not running on your PC, Windows 11 may not connect to Wi-Fi networks automatically. Here’s how to 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.

Similarly, configure the WWAN Auto Config service to start automatically on your PC. After that, check if the issue is resolved.

Fix 7: Reset Network Settings

If nothing works, resetting network settings on your Windows PC may be your last option. Here’s how to go about it.

Step 1: Press the Windows key + I to launch the Settings app. In the Network & internet tab, click on Advanced network settings.

Step 2: Click Network reset.

Step 3: Click on Reset now next to Network reset.