Fix: Wifi Option Not Showing in Settings on Windows 11

Sometimes, out of nowhere you discover that the Wifi option not showing in the Windows 11 Settings app. For instance, when you go to Settings > Network & internet, you find no Wifi option listed on the right side. This can be annoying since you may want to enable or disable the Wifi connection on your PC or make any changes to the WiFi properties, etc.

Mostly, the issue arises due to outdated WiFi drivers or when the related service has stopped running. While we choose to use a Wifi card mostly instead of a wired connection, there’s not much of a difference in the internet speed. However, the Wifi option missing issue could be due to an issue with the operating system. There can be a possibility that Windows is unable to find the Wifi card.

Moreover, with a lot of changes in the Windows 11, users are perplexed and they may find it difficult to deal with the issue. Hence, we have created a guide on how to fix the Wifi option missing on your Windows 11 PC. Let’s see how:

 

Method 1: By Restarting the WLAN Autoconfig Service

 

Sometimes the issue could be simply because the WLAN AutoConfig service has stopped running. Hence, it’s recommended to start the required service and check if it helps fix the issue. Here’s how:

 

Step 1: Press the Win + R keys simultaneously on your keyboard to launch the Run command window.

Step 2: In the Run command window, type services.msc in the search bar and hit Enter to open the Service manager.

Windows 11 Services.msc

Step 3: In the Services window, go to the right side and under the Name column, look for WLAN AutoConfig service.

Double-click on it to open its Properties window.



Step 4: In the WLAN AutoConfig Properties window, under the General tab, go to the Service status section and check if it’s running already.

If not, then click on the Start button to start the service.

Step 5: Now, go to the Startup type field and select Automatic from the drop-down.

Press Apply and then OK to save the changes and exit.

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Now, check if the Wifi option is showing in the Settings app.

Method 2: By Updating the Network Driver

An outdated network driver can often be the reason behind the Wifi not showing in Settings issue. Follow the below instructions to update the network driver and possibly fix the glitch:

 

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

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Step 2: In the Device Manager window that opens, navigate to the Network adapter section and click to expand it.

Now, right-click on the network driver of your PC and select Update driver.

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Step 3: Next, in the Update Drivers window, click on Browse my computer for drivers.

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Step 4: In the next window, select Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer option.

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Step 5: Now, in the next screen, check the box next to Show compatible hardware.

Select the Model from the list and click on Next.

Note that ,

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Windows will now update the driver to the selected model.

Once done, close the Device Manager window and restart your PC.

Method 3: By Setting IP Assignment to Automatic in the Settings App

 

If the hardware settings of the Wifi is not configured correcty, it may cause issues like Wifi network not showing in the Settings app even though it’s enabled. Let’s see how to possibly fix this issue;

 

Step 1: Press the Win + I  keys together on your keyboard to open the Settings app.

Step 2: In thee Settings app, click on Network & internet on the left side of the pane.

Step 3; now, travel to the right side and check if the WiFi option is enabled

Now, click on it.

Wifi On Min 1 Min

 

Step 4: Next, in the WiFi screen, click on the Hardware properties option at the bottom.

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Step 5: Now, under WiFi properties om the right, go to IP assignment and click on Edit next to it.

 

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Step 6: In the Edit IP settings pop up, click on the drop-down to select Automatic (DHCP).

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Press Save to save the changes and return to the WiFi window.

Step 7: Now, go to the DNS server assignment option and click on the Edit button next to it.

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Step 8: Same as Step 6, in the Edit DNS settings pop up, select Automatic (DHCP) from the drop-down and click on Save to apply the changes.

Now, you should be able to see the WiFi option in the Settings window.

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In addition to the above methods, you can also start with checking the wireless card if your PC motherboard comes with one or if you have bought an individual Wifi card. Make sure that the WiFi card is seated properly in the motherboard, because if it doesn’t, then it would not be identified by Windows and you will encounter the missing WiFi option issue.

The next most common fix would be to simply restart your device and check if this helps get back the WiFi option because in most cases restarting helps fix the issue. If it doesn’t, then take the power cable off from the power switch to completely turn off your WiFi router. Next, wait for around 10 minutes and then connect the cable back and turn on the router. Now, check if you can see the WiFi option.

Method 4: By Uninstalling/Re-Installing the Network Driver

 

If the driver has gone corrupt or damaged, simply updating the driver will not fix the issue and hence, you can try uninstalling and installing the driver again to check if it shows the Wifi icon back in the Settings app. Let’s see how:

 

Step 1: Press the Win + R shortcut keys on your keyboard to open the Run command window.

Step 2: In the search field, type devmgmt.msc and hit Enter to open the Device Manager window.

K 3 New Task Devmgmt Optimized

 

Step 3: In the Device Manager window, expand the Network adapter section.

Now, locate your wireless device, right-click on it and select Uninstall device.

 

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Step 4: You will now see an Uninstall Device prompt.

Check the box next to Attempt to remove the driver for this device and press the Uninstall button to confirm the action.

Once the uninstallation is complete, exit the Device Manager window and reboot your PC.

As you reboot, the device gets re-installed automatically.

Now, check for the Wifi icon in the Settings app and it should be back.

Method 5: By Making Changes to Power Management

Chances are, the missing Wifi option in the Settings app could also be due to a change in the driver’s power settings. Here’s how you can make changes to it to see if it helps fix the issue:

 

Step 1: Press the Win + X keys simultaneously on your keyboard to open the context menu and select Device Manager from the list.

Device Manager Min

Step 2: It open the Device Manager window.

Here, click on Network adapters to expand the section.

Now, right-click on your network driver and select Properties.

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Step 3: In the Properties dialogue box, select the Power Management tab.

Now, uncheck the box next to Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.

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Press OK to save the changes and return to Device Manager. Now, close the Device Manager window and restart your device.

You should now be able to find the Wifi option in the Settings app on your Windows 11 PC.

Method 6: By Enabling All Services in System Configuration

 

You can also try enabling all the Windows services to check if it helps resolve the missing Wifi option issue. Here’s how:



 

Step 1: Press the Win + R hotkeys to open the Run command box.

Step 2: In the Run command search field, type msconfig and press OK to open the System Configuration window.

 

9 Run Msconfig Optimized

 

Step 3: In the System Configuration window, go to the Services tab.

Now, navigate to the bottom right of the window and press the Enable all button.

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Press Apply and then OK to save the changes and exit.



Now, go to your Settings app and check if the WiFi option is showing.

Method 7: By Resetting Network Adapter Through Command Prompt

If the above methods fail to work, you can try resetting the network adapter using Command Prompt with administrator rights. Here’s how:

 

Step 1: Right-click on the Start menu and select Run.

Step 2: In the Run command window that opens, type cmd in the search bar and press the Ctrl + Shift + Enter keys together to open the elevated Command Prompt window.

4 Run Cmd Optimized

 

Step 3: In the Command Prompt (admin) window, run the below command and hit Enter to reset your network adapter:

 

Netsh winsock reset

Step 4: Now, type the below command and press the Enter key to complete the action:

Netsh int ip reset resetlog.txt

Once done, close the Command Prompt window and you should now be able to see the WiFi network option in the Settings window.

Moreover, make sure that the WiFi router is located as close as possible to your PC for better network reach and the WiFi option should show up.

At the same time, make sure that your PC is updated at all times to avoid any glitches that may arise from pending updates.