Where Is The Wi-Fi Switch On An HP Pavilion Laptop? | Fast How-To Guide

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On most HP Pavilion laptops, the Wi-Fi control is the F12 (airplane) key with an LED; older units use a small side or front slider.

You came here to find the wireless toggle on a Pavilion. Good news: there are only a few places to check. Newer keyboards use the top-row airplane key, while some older shells include a tiny hardware slider along the edge. If neither is present, Windows offers a software toggle that does the same job.

Wi-Fi Button On HP Pavilion: Common Spots

HP uses two styles across the Pavilion line. One sits on the keyboard; the other lives on the case. Walk through these quick checks in order.

Check The F12 Airplane Key

Look at the top row for an airplane or wireless icon. Press it once. On many keyboards it’s the F12 key. Some layouts require holding Fn + that key. A small light near the key tells you the state: white or blue means wireless is on; amber/orange means it’s off.

HP documents this behavior in its wireless help, which mentions the airplane or wireless symbol and the status light. See the section on the wireless key in HP’s Windows networking guide.

Check For A Physical Slider

Some Pavilion models from earlier years ship with a tiny switch on the front edge or side. It may sit near the audio jack or SD slot. Slide it once and watch the wireless icon in the taskbar. If the chassis has no slider and you only see the airplane key, skip to the next step.

Use Windows Toggles If No Hardware Key

Every Pavilion can switch radios from software. Open the Quick Settings panel, tap the Wi-Fi tile, or open the full Settings app to the Wi-Fi page. Microsoft walks through both routes with clear steps; see Connect to a Wi-Fi network.

Model Clues That Speed Things Up

Pavilion names repeat across years, so the quickest hint comes from the design. These pointers narrow the search.

Pavilion x360 And Other Recent Designs

Convertible and thin-bezel units place the wireless toggle on the keyboard. The airplane icon shares a function key, commonly F12. If nothing happens, try Fn + that key once. Some units let you flip “Action Keys” in BIOS so the F-keys work without pressing Fn. After changing that BIOS setting, press the airplane key again and watch the taskbar Wi-Fi icon.

Pavilion 15 And 14 Clamshells (2018–present)

These also rely on the keyboard key. The LED near that key helps: white or blue means radios are enabled; amber means radios are off. A single press toggles the state. If the LED stays amber, open Quick Settings, tap the Airplane tile off, then try the key one more time.

Pavilion g6 / dv6 Era (Older Chassis)

Many of these include a hardware slider or a capacitive strip above the keyboard. The slider often sits near the audio jack or front edge. Move it toward the wireless icon to enable. Some models used a touch-sensitive bar with a radio symbol; tap to toggle, then wait a few seconds for the adapter to wake up.

What The Light Means

HP uses a simple color code near the wireless control:

  • White/Blue: radios are on and the adapter is enabled.
  • Amber/Orange: radios are off or airplane mode is active.

If the light won’t change after a press, move to the fixes below.

Where To Look On The Keyboard

Keycaps vary, yet the symbols are consistent. Here’s what to scan for along the top row:

  • Airplane icon: toggles all radios. This is common on F12.
  • Radio waves/fan icon: older layouts use a classic wireless symbol.
  • LED near the key: lights up when radios flip state.

If your F-keys default to media actions, hold Fn while pressing the airplane key. If the key still appears inactive, try the on-screen keyboard: press Win, type “On-Screen Keyboard,” launch it, then click the F12 tile there to test the toggle.

Windows Paths That Do The Same Job

No switch in sight? The software path is quick:

Quick Settings

  1. Press Win + A to open Quick Settings.
  2. Click the Wi-Fi tile to turn radios on or off.
  3. If you see a plane icon lit, click the Airplane tile to disable that mode.

Settings App

  1. Press Win + I to open Settings.
  2. Go to Network & Internet → Wi-Fi.
  3. Toggle Wi-Fi on. Pick your network and connect.

Microsoft’s guide linked above shows both paths with screenshots and extra tips.

If The Toggle Doesn’t Respond

Sometimes the key or slider looks fine yet the radio stays off. Work through these steps, top to bottom. They’re quick and safe.

Turn Off Airplane Mode

Tap the airplane key once. If the plane icon shows in the taskbar, open Quick Settings and switch off Airplane mode. You can also open Settings → Network & Internet → Airplane mode. This alone fixes many cases where the light stays amber.

Re-Enable The Adapter

  1. Right-click the Start button and open Device Manager.
  2. Expand Network adapters.
  3. Right-click your wireless adapter → Disable. Wait five seconds → Enable.
  4. Watch the keyboard light and taskbar icon for a change.

Update The Wireless And Keyboard Drivers

Open the HP Support Assistant app and run a check. Install any network, chipset, or keyboard updates. HP’s help hub also offers a “Network Check” tool under HP internet & network issues. After updates, press the airplane key again.

Run The Windows Network Troubleshooter

  1. Open Settings → System → Troubleshoot → Other troubleshooters.
  2. Run Network Adapter. Follow the prompts.
  3. When it finishes, try your key or slider once more.

Check BIOS Action Keys (Only If The Key Seems Dead)

  1. Restart and tap Esc at the logo screen.
  2. Enter BIOS/UEFI → look for “Action Keys Mode.”
  3. Switch the setting, save, and reboot.
  4. Test the airplane key with and without Fn.

Fast Open Shortcuts

Copy any of these into the Run box (Win + R) or a browser address bar. They jump straight to the right Windows pages.

ms-settings:network-wifi
ms-settings:network-airplanemode
ms-settings:network
control.exe /name Microsoft.NetworkAndSharingCenter

Where You’ll Usually Find It

Here’s a quick cheat-sheet that matches common Pavilion eras with the most likely wireless control. If your unit looks different, the Windows paths above always work.

Pavilion Era/Style Toggle Location What To Look For
x360 and thin-bezel (2019–present) Top row function key Airplane symbol on F12; white/blue light when on
Pavilion 14/15 clamshell (2018–present) Keyboard function key Press F12 or Fn+F12 once to toggle
g6 / dv6 and older shells Chassis slider or capacitive strip Small side/front switch; move toward the icon

Extra Tips That Save Time

  • If the airplane light stays amber after a key press, give it ten seconds. Some adapters take a moment to power up.
  • No light at all? Many newer keyboards dropped the LED. Use the taskbar Wi-Fi icon to confirm state.
  • Seeing “No Wi-Fi adapter”? Reinstall the driver from HP’s support page for your exact model and BIOS. Then try the toggle again.
  • Air travel coming up? Crew often asks for radios off. The airplane key is the fastest way to comply during boarding.

Why This Works Across Models

HP keeps the radio toggle close to your hands. A single key press is faster than diving through menus, so the airplane icon gets a prime spot on the top row. On older shells, a slider offered the same quick control even when the system UI was slow to load. Windows now mirrors that control in Quick Settings and in the Wi-Fi page, so you always have a backup when the key feels unresponsive.

The LED near the key gives instant feedback. White or blue means the adapter is awake and ready to scan. Amber means the radio is blocked. That block can come from airplane mode, a hardware kill switch, a BIOS setting, or a driver state. Toggling the key, flipping the Windows switch, or cycling the adapter in Device Manager clears most of these states in a few seconds.

Simple Test To Confirm You’re Done

  1. After you press the key or move the slider, wait ten seconds.
  2. Click the taskbar network icon.
  3. Do you see a list of networks? If yes, the radio is on. Pick yours and connect.
  4. If the list is empty, open Settings → Network & Internet → Wi-Fi and toggle it on there.
  5. Still nothing? Run the Network Adapter troubleshooter and install any pending HP updates.

Common Mix-Ups (And Quick Fixes)

  • Pressing F12 does nothing: your F-keys may be mapped to media actions. Hold Fn or change Action Keys in BIOS.
  • Light flips but Wi-Fi stays off: airplane mode may still be on. Toggle it off in Quick Settings.
  • Light is always amber: the adapter might be disabled. Re-enable it in Device Manager or reinstall the driver.
  • No airplane symbol on the keyboard: your layout may use the wireless wave icon instead. Try that key.
  • No symbols at all: skip to the Windows paths; they work on every build.

Quick Recap

Most Pavilions use the F12 airplane key. Older ones add a tiny slider on the case. If a hardware control isn’t present or won’t respond, use Windows Wi-Fi toggles, as shown in Microsoft’s guide. Follow the steps above and you’ll have the radio back on in minutes.