Most laptops have Wi-Fi; if yours shows none, the adapter is off, missing, disabled, or its driver or router settings need a quick check.
You sit down, open the lid, and the Wi-Fi icon is gone. Or it’s gray. Or your laptop says “No networks found” while your phone streams just fine. This guide pinpoints the common reasons a laptop shows no Wi-Fi and gives fast, safe fixes you can run right away.
Why My Laptop Has No Wi-Fi: Quick Reasons
Wi-Fi can vanish for simple toggles, flaky drivers, or router settings. Here are the usual suspects you can check in minutes:
- Airplane mode or a wireless switch is on.
- The Wi-Fi adapter is disabled in software.
- A missing or corrupt driver hides the adapter.
- Router settings block older radios or use bands your adapter can’t see.
- A VPN, firewall, or security suite blocks network services.
- Power saving or BIOS settings turn radios off.
- The adapter failed and needs a replacement dongle or repair.
Fast symptom map
Match what you see with a likely cause and a quick check. Start here before deeper steps.
| Symptom | Likely cause | Quick check |
|---|---|---|
| No Wi-Fi toggle anywhere | Adapter disabled, missing driver, or radio switch off | Look for a keyboard Wi-Fi key or side switch; then check Device Manager or System Settings |
| “No networks found” near a working router | Band mismatch, antenna off, or WLAN service stopped | Stand next to the router; restart Wi-Fi and the laptop; confirm the router isn’t set to 5 GHz-only |
| Connects on phone, not on laptop | Security mode mismatch or saved profile glitch | Forget the network and join fresh; try WPA2/WPA3 mixed on the router |
| Wi-Fi drops after sleep | Power saving or driver issue | Disable adapter power saving; update or reinstall the driver |
| Only Ethernet works | Airplane mode or disabled adapter | Toggle Airplane mode off; enable the adapter |
| Network name not visible | Hidden SSID or wrong country/channel | Join manually with exact name and password; check router channel plan |
One-minute Checks Before You Go Deeper
- Toggle Airplane mode off, then on, then off again.
- Press your laptop’s wireless hotkey. Many models use Fn plus a key with a radio icon.
- Look for a tiny slide switch along the case on older models.
- Restart the laptop. Cold boots clear driver hiccups fast.
- Power-cycle the router and modem: unplug for 20 seconds, then plug back in and wait two minutes.
- Move within two meters of the router and try again.
Fix Steps On Windows
Turn Wi-Fi Back On
Open Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi and flip Wi-Fi on. If the tile is missing, click the taskbar Quick Settings panel and add the Wi-Fi button, then try again.
Enable Or Reinstall The Adapter
Open Device Manager and expand Network adapters. If you see your wireless card with a down arrow, right-click and choose Enable. If it’s missing or shows a warning, right-click > Uninstall device, check “Delete the driver,” restart, and let Windows load a clean driver. If Windows doesn’t find one, install the vendor package from your laptop support page.
Restart The WLAN Service
Type services.msc in the Start menu, open it, and restart “WLAN AutoConfig.” That service manages Wi-Fi profiles and scans.
Run A Network Reset
Go to Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings > Network reset. This removes and reinstalls adapters and clears policies that can hide Wi-Fi. For more detail on the screens, see Microsoft’s Wi-Fi connection fixes.
Check BIOS And Power Saving
Some laptops can disable the radio in BIOS/UEFI or through “wireless radio control.” Enter BIOS at boot (often F2 or Del), confirm wireless is enabled, then in Windows open your adapter’s Power Management tab and uncheck the box that lets the computer turn off the device to save power.
Fix Steps On Mac
Make Sure Wi-Fi Is On
From the menu bar, click the Wi-Fi icon and turn it on. If the icon is missing, open System Settings > Wi-Fi and enable it.
Forget And Rejoin
In System Settings > Wi-Fi, click Details next to your network, choose Forget This Network, then rejoin and enter the password. This clears a bad profile. Apple’s step-by-step Wi-Fi guide walks through more checks.
Remove And Re-add The Wi-Fi Service
Open System Settings > Network. Select Wi-Fi, click the i button or Advanced, remove Wi-Fi, then add it back. This refreshes the service if it vanished from the list.
Use Diagnostics
Hold Option, click the Wi-Fi icon, and run Wireless Diagnostics. Save the report for support if the tool flags hardware.
Router Settings That Make Wi-Fi “Disappear”
Band And Channel Choices
Many older adapters only see 2.4 GHz. If your router is set to 5 GHz-only, the laptop won’t list your network. Offer both bands with distinct names, like “Home-2G” and “Home-5G,” and try the 2.4 GHz one from the laptop.
Security Mode Mismatch
WPA3-only mode can block older clients. Pick a mixed WPA2/WPA3 setting if your router offers it. Then try connecting again.
Hidden SSID And Filters
Hidden SSIDs don’t show up in scans. You can still join by typing the exact name. If the router uses MAC filtering, add your laptop’s Wi-Fi MAC to the allow list or turn the filter off while you test.
Software That Interferes
Security Suites And VPNs
Third-party firewalls and VPNs can block adapter control or captive portal pages. Quit the app, then test again. If Wi-Fi returns, reinstall or update that software.
Out-of-date Drivers
Laptops often ship with vendor Wi-Fi drivers that lag Windows Update. Get the latest package from your model’s support page or your adapter vendor.
Profile And Cache Glitches
On Windows, delete stale networks under Settings > Wi-Fi > Manage known networks. On a Mac, remove the network in Wi-Fi settings, then join fresh. These small resets fix a lot of “it was fine yesterday” cases.
Step-By-Step Fix Matrix
Work top to bottom. After each step, check if Wi-Fi returns.
| Step | Windows path | macOS path |
|---|---|---|
| Toggle Wi-Fi and Airplane mode | Quick Settings > Wi-Fi and Airplane | Menu bar > Wi-Fi icon |
| Forget and rejoin network | Settings > Wi-Fi > Manage known networks | Settings > Wi-Fi > Details > Forget |
| Enable adapter | Device Manager > Network adapters | Settings > Network > Wi-Fi |
| Restart Wi-Fi service | services.msc > WLAN AutoConfig |
Wireless Diagnostics |
| Update or reinstall driver | Device Manager > Driver > Update | macOS Software Update |
| Network reset | Settings > Network reset | Remove and re-add Wi-Fi service |
| Router settings check | Use 2.4 GHz or mixed WPA2/WPA3 | Use 2.4 GHz or mixed WPA2/WPA3 |
| Hardware fallback | USB Wi-Fi adapter | USB Wi-Fi adapter |
When Hardware Fails
If Device Manager or System Settings never shows a wireless adapter, and no driver brings it back, the card may be dead or disconnected. A tiny USB Wi-Fi adapter gets you online right away and costs little. For built-in repair, check warranty status, since many laptops allow quick card swaps under a bottom cover.
Smart Habits That Prevent Repeat Wi-Fi Woes
Keep Drivers And OS Current
Install platform updates, then grab the latest Wi-Fi package from your laptop’s support page. That keeps radios stable and compatible with newer routers.
Update Router Firmware
Vendors fix bugs and improve band steering and security in firmware. Log in to the router admin page and run its update tool.
Name Bands Clearly
Use distinct names for 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. When a laptop can only see one, you’ll know which one to pick.
Save A Tiny Toolkit
Keep a USB Wi-Fi adapter and a short Ethernet cable in your bag. When things go sideways, you’ll still get work done while you sort the root cause.
Last Notes
Wi-Fi vanishing rarely means a lost cause. Start with the easy toggles. If a setting or driver isn’t the culprit, a quick router tweak or a cheap USB adapter gets you back online while you plan a permanent fix.