Are you having problems with your Wi-Fi on Windows 10? Is your Windows 10 PC unable to connect to Wi-Fi networks? In this guide, we will see how to fix common Wi-Fi issues by reinstalling the Wi-Fi driver.
On your Windows 10 PC, you might encounter issues while connecting to a Wi-Fi network or Windows 10 might intermittently disconnect from the connected Wi-Fi network. Your PC might not detect available Wi-Fi networks or fail to connect to a wireless network. At times, the Wi-Fi adapter might refuse to turn on or off.
Most of the Wi-Fi related issues on your PC can be fixed by reinstalling the Wi-Fi driver on your PC. In fact, it’s the ultimate solution out there to fix Wi-Fi issues. Reinstalling the wireless driver includes downloading a fresh copy of the driver, uninstalling the current driver from your PC, and then installing the fresh copy of the driver.
Complete the given below directions to reinstall the wireless or Wi-Fi driver on your Windows 10 PC.
IMPORTANT: When you reinstall the Wi-Fi driver, Windows will delete all saved Wi-Fi network passwords. That means, after installing the Wi-Fi driver, you will have to enter the password again to connect to a wireless network. If you have forgotten the Wi-Fi password, please refer to our how to view saved Wi-Fi password in Windows 10 guide to back up all Wi-Fi passwords before uninstalling the driver.
Reinstalling the Wi-Fi driver in Windows 10
Step 1: Open Device Manager. To do so, right-click on the Start button and then click Device Manager.
Step 2: In the Device Manager, expand Network Adapters to see all network adapters, including the wireless adapter. The Wi-Fi adapter usually has the term “wireless” in its entry.
Note down the wireless adapter name and number as you will need to download the adapter driver before uninstalling the present driver. Once you uninstall the present wireless driver, your Wi-Fi adapter will stop working, so you cannot download the new driver unless you have an Ethernet connection.
To check the version number of the driver, right-click on the wireless driver entry in Device Manager, click Network adapters, click Properties, click the Driver tab.
Step 3: Visit the wireless adapter’s official website or your PC manufacturer’s website, and download the right Wi-Fi driver. We repeat, make sure that you have downloaded the right wireless adapter driver.
Step 4: Now that you have downloaded the Wi-Fi driver, it’s time to uninstall the current driver. In the Device Manager, right-click on the wireless adapter entry, and click the Uninstall device option.
In the older versions of Windows 10 (build 10240), you will see only Uninstall instead of Uninstall device option.
Step 5: When you see the following confirmation dialog, please select Delete driver software for this device checkbox and then click the Uninstall button to uninstall the driver as well as the device.
Step 6: Once the driver is uninstalled, save your work, and restart your PC once. Please reboot your PC once to avoid driver issues later.
Step 7: Launch the setup of the new driver that you downloaded previously (as mentioned in Step 3), and follow the on-screen directions to install the driver. That’s it!
If asked, perform a reboot to complete the driver installation.
You can now click on the Wi-Fi or wireless icon on the taskbar to see all available wireless networks. If the icon is missing, please refer to our fix to wireless icon missing from Windows 10 taskbar guide.
Also, learn how to delete old drivers in Windows 10.
Dora Smith says
You didn’t tell us how to download a MICROSOFT driver.
Manufacturer’s web site doesn’t have the driver. It says one isn’t needed for Windows 10. The adapter, a model that came out in 2020, is using a 2015 Windows driver.
Kelvin Mburu says
Wow this was quite helpful, followed all the steps only to notice that it was disabled this whole time.
Thanks
Abubakar Kabiru says
I tried all the options started here unfortunately i could not even see anything like wifi in the whole system. Please help.
vijaypatel says
can you solve the problem of mine? I downloaded a setup WiFi_22.10.0_Driver64_Win10.exe i got installed but i didt got the location.
Wilma Washington says
My wireless HP printer 8100 is offline and I cannot get it on line. What can I do to fix the problem so I can print?
Mannie says
The wifi is missing from the laptop, only ethernet. In the settings, there is no wifi option there. Device manager, the Broadcom 802.11n network adapter is hidden. You have to tap on view and show hidden devices before you can find it. I have uninstalled, downloaded and installed again and it still went back to hidden. The frustration! As I’m typing now, I’m actually creating a windows creation tool on my flashdrive to reinstall it again. I don’t even know why Microsoft wouldn’t sit their behind down and solve this issue after hundredths of complains given.
Ahsan Khalid says
My home WiFi is not seen in the WiFi list in my Dell laptop with Windows 10 .But it is working in all other devices like mobiles and notepads . What is the problem
Michael says
I have made the mistake of deleting the (old) wireless adaptor, before trying to download the updated version, which I cannot do because I am offline.
3DP cannot, of course, find the old adaptor, and so states that it cannot update it.
Can it be persuaded to install the new wireless adaptor in the blank space of the old one, please?
Toryn says
When I go to settings and try to go to network the whole app just freezes and I can’t do anything about the WiFi and nothing works
Jason Vogel says
I believe Windows Defender removed all wifi drivers from my computer. WD recognized a threat and executed an action. Now I have no wifi drivers whatsoever. I can’t replace the drivers because they cannot be updated. Please help!
Wayne Premiere says
When I used Windows7 Network adapter automatically installed but when used windows10 I think it must manually installed? Which different ? Thank you
Steve says
You state ensure you have downloaded the ‘right’ wireless adapter drive….I can’t get on the bloody internet which is why I’m here…..
I have lost 13 years worth of photos my daughters birth precious moment and because of your incompetence and you wonder why people move to other providers….Not to mention the Work issues this has cause as a Home worker…….idiots absolute idiots.
If you wondering how I’m sending this I’m now on an Apple iPad….not throug choice through necessity.
admin says
@ Alan
You should be able to find out the brand and model of the Wi-Fi adapter in Device Manager. If you cannot find, use third-party specs tools such Speccy (free)
Alan says
I would like to find out if I have a custom assembled PC without knowing what brand those parts are from, how can I search within the computer in order to download the right driver? Will I be able to find out what I am using by searching the PC?
Utsav bhandari says
My home WiFi is not seen in the WiFi list in my Dell laptop with Windows 10 .But it is working in all other devices like mobiles and notepads . What is the problem ?