Wi-Fi Adapter Is Disabled or Is Not Working
If wireless adapter on your system is not working or seems to be disabled, try the following recommendations:
- Make sure that Wi-Fi is not disabled through a hardware toggle on your computer. Some laptops have a hardware Wi-Fi switch or the keyboard combination to turn the Wi-Fi on and off. To learn more about the hardware toggle options refer to the specification for your system on the official site of the system manufacturer.
- Try a clean installation of the Intel Wi-Fi driver. If you have Intel Killer Wireless adapter installer on your system, follow the Intel Killer Software clean-install guide here.
- Update BIOS and chipset driver from your system manufacturer's website, if available.
- Update firmware on your wireless access point's Wi-Fi modem, router, or extender. Old firmware can cause this issue as the adapter will disable itself if it receives a large number of bad frames from the access point.
- Change your Wi-Fi adapter's power settings. Click here for our guide on Wi-Fi power settings.
- Use the built-in Network Reset for Windows 10. You can do this by clicking Start and typing Network Reset. You may have to reinstall any VPN adapters and re-input any Wi-Fi or VPN passwords after using the Network Reset. You may also need to reinstall the network adapter drivers.
If you have tried all of the above recommendations, but still find that your Wi-Fi adapter is disabled, use the Contact support link in the blue banner below.
| Related topics |
| Identify Your Intel® Wireless Adapter and Wi-Fi Driver Version |
| Quick Checks to Improve or Fix Wi-Fi Connection Issues |
| Advanced Intel® Wireless Adapter Settings |