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If Windows shows no nearby Wi-Fi networks, first identify which symptom you have: the Wi-Fi control is missing, the control is present but the list is empty, or other networks appear but yours does not. These point to different causes. A missing Wi-Fi control usually means Windows cannot use the wireless adapter; an empty list points to scanning, radio, service, or driver trouble; one missing network often comes down to the router’s signal or compatibility.
The steps below apply to Windows 10 and Windows 11. Some menu names vary by version. Start with the checks for your symptom and save broad resets for last.
Quick diagnosis
| What you see | Where to start |
|---|---|
| The Wi-Fi option is missing | Check for a physical or keyboard radio switch, then look for the adapter in Device Manager. It may be disabled, missing a driver, disabled in firmware, or faulty. |
| Wi-Fi is available, but the list is empty | Turn Wi-Fi on, turn Airplane mode off, refresh the list, and check WLAN AutoConfig and the adapter driver. |
| Other networks appear, but yours does not | Check the router’s power, Wi-Fi broadcast, signal, band, channel, and compatibility with the PC’s adapter. |
| Your network appears, but Windows will not connect | This is a connection problem, not network discovery. Check the password, saved profile, and router or Internet connection. |
Windows can list a network only when its wireless adapter scans for it and reports it to the Windows WLAN system. The cause can therefore be on the PC, at the router, or in the way the network is displayed. Microsoft’s Wi-Fi troubleshooting guide covers both Windows 10 and Windows 11.
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- Open Start, search for Device Manager, and open it.
- Expand Network adapters. Look for an entry with a name such as Wi-Fi, Wireless, WLAN, Intel Wireless, Realtek Wireless, Qualcomm, or MediaTek.
- If the adapter is disabled, right-click it and select Enable device.
- If it has a warning icon, open Properties and note the error code.
- If no wireless adapter appears, select View > Show hidden devices, then Action > Scan for hardware changes.
An absent adapter does not automatically mean the hardware has failed. Windows may lack the driver, the device may be disabled in BIOS/UEFI, or a laptop’s radio switch may be off. Some desktop PCs do not include Wi-Fi hardware at all. Microsoft’s wireless network setup guidance explains how to verify that an adapter is present.
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If the adapter is present and enabled, continue with the steps below. A persistent Device Manager error such as Code 10 or Code 43 can indicate a driver, firmware, power, or hardware problem; record the code before changing anything.
If Wi-Fi is on but the network list is empty
1. Check Wi-Fi, Airplane mode, and physical controls
In Windows 11, select the Network, Sound, or Battery icons on the taskbar, open Manage Wi-Fi connections, and confirm Wi-Fi is on. Use the refresh control in the Wi-Fi list to scan again. In Windows 10, open the taskbar network icon and confirm Wi-Fi is enabled. Microsoft documents the Windows 11 connection and refresh controls in its Wi-Fi connection instructions.
Also check Settings > Network & internet > Airplane mode and turn Airplane mode off. Laptops may have a physical wireless switch or a function key marked with a wireless or airplane icon. The key combination varies by manufacturer. Check the computer’s manual or vendor utility if the keyboard control is unclear.
2. Restart the PC and, if needed, the router
Restart the PC and scan again. If only your home network is missing, restarting the router is a useful comparison, but first check whether other devices can see it. To power-cycle a modem-and-router setup, unplug both, wait about 30 seconds, reconnect the modem first, and let it finish starting before reconnecting the router. Give the router several minutes to come back online, then scan again. This briefly disconnects every device using that network. See Microsoft’s router restart guidance.
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3. Restart WLAN AutoConfig
Windows relies on the WLAN AutoConfig service to manage wireless scanning and connections. If the adapter is present but the list stays empty, restarting the service is a quick, low-risk check:
- Press Win + R, enter
services.msc, and press Enter. - Find WLAN AutoConfig and check whether its status is running.
- If it is stopped, select Start. If it is running, right-click it and select Restart.
- Open Properties and check that Startup type is normally set to Automatic.
Try the Wi-Fi list again. Microsoft includes WLAN AutoConfig among the checks for an adapter that finds no networks; its wireless connectivity troubleshooting documentation describes the service and driver as parts of the Windows wireless stack.
4. Compare the Windows list with a command-line scan
Open Command Prompt or Windows Terminal and run:
netsh wlan show networksThe command displays visible networks reported by Windows WLAN. If networks appear here but not in the taskbar flyout, the radio may be scanning successfully and the fault may be limited to the interface or a filter. If the command returns none, investigate the radio, service, driver, band support, and router proximity.
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These companion commands provide more detail:
netsh wlan show interfaces
netsh wlan show drivers
netsh wlan show filters
netsh wlan show blockednetworks
netsh wlan show autoconfigshow interfaces lists wireless interfaces Windows recognizes; show drivers reports driver properties and supported radio types. Filters or blocked-network settings can affect visibility, particularly on a work or school PC. These commands and their output are documented in Microsoft’s netsh wlan reference. On a managed computer, ask the organization’s IT team before changing policy-controlled settings.
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If other networks appear but yours does not
When the PC can see nearby networks, its radio is scanning at least to some extent. Focus first on the missing network rather than resetting all of Windows networking.
- Check the router: Confirm it is powered on and its Wi-Fi radio is enabled. If no device can see its network name, the router or access point is a stronger suspect.
- Check distance and obstructions: Move closer to the router and scan again. Walls, floors, and other obstacles can weaken a signal enough to hide a network.
- Check band compatibility: An older adapter may see 2.4 GHz networks but not 5 GHz. A 6 GHz network requires compatible hardware and software. A router may use one name for several bands or separate names for each; the arrangement varies.
- Check adapter settings: In Device Manager, open the wireless adapter’s Properties > Advanced tab. If available, inspect settings such as Wireless Mode, Preferred Band, Band Selection, or 802.11 mode. Make sure the setting permits the router’s band. Record the original value and change one setting at a time; names and choices differ by adapter and driver.
- Check router channel, mode, and security: Some adapter and driver combinations cannot use every channel or configuration a router can broadcast. Compatibility depends on the PC, driver, router firmware, and regional rules. If other devices see the network but this PC does not, consult the router and adapter documentation rather than changing several settings at random.
- Consider a hidden SSID: A network configured not to broadcast its name may not appear in the normal list. If you know it is hidden, choose Add network and enter the exact SSID and security details. Do not assume a network is hidden just because it is absent; hiding an SSID is not a substitute for proper security.
For Wi-Fi 7, Microsoft says Windows 11 version 24H2 is required, as well as compatible hardware. That requirement alone does not make every PC compatible: the adapter, driver, router, and configuration must also support the connection. See Microsoft’s Wi-Fi standards guidance. Microsoft also identifies unsupported bands and adapter Wireless Mode or Band settings as possible causes of missing networks in its Wi-Fi icon and troubleshooting guide.
A phone hotspot is a useful comparison, not a definitive hardware test. If the PC sees a hotspot but not the home network, check the home router’s band and configuration. If it sees no networks, including a nearby hotspot, focus on the PC’s radio, driver, or hardware.
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- Find the exact PC model on its label or in its support information.
- From another device if necessary, download the wireless driver from the PC manufacturer’s official support page. Save it to a USB drive so it is available if this PC has no Internet access.
- If the problem began after a driver or Windows update, open the adapter’s Properties > Driver tab in Device Manager. If available, try Roll Back Driver.
- If rollback is unavailable or does not help, install the OEM driver and restart Windows.
To reinstall, use Device Manager to right-click the adapter and choose Uninstall device, then restart. Windows will normally try to reinstall the driver, but have the downloaded OEM driver ready in case it does not. Avoid driver-download sites you do not trust. Microsoft advises keeping a backup driver before removing the installed one in its wireless troubleshooting guidance. Intel also lists driver, adapter settings, router configuration, and interference among possible causes of Wi-Fi trouble in its wireless troubleshooting article.
If the adapter is absent even after a hardware scan and driver installation, check the PC manufacturer’s BIOS/UEFI guidance and any available firmware or chipset updates before concluding that the radio has failed. Do not change firmware settings you do not understand.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Use network resets only when they match the problem
Reset TCP/IP and Winsock for connection problems
These commands are more relevant when the network is visible but Windows cannot connect or reach the Internet. They generally do not make an undetected Wi-Fi adapter discover networks. In an elevated Command Prompt, run:
netsh winsock reset
netsh int ip reset
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew
ipconfig /flushdnsRestart Windows afterward. Winsock and TCP/IP resets address networking configuration; the ipconfig commands refresh a DHCP lease and clear the DNS cache. DHCP and DNS come into play after a network connection is established, so do not treat these commands as a universal fix for an empty Wi-Fi list.
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In Windows 11, go to Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings > Network reset, then choose Reset now and confirm. In Windows 10, look for Network reset in the Network & internet settings area. Labels can vary by release.
Network reset removes installed network adapters and their settings, reinstalls the adapters after restart, and restores default networking settings. You may need to reinstall or reconfigure VPN software, Hyper-V virtual switches, other virtual networking software, or custom network profiles. It will not make an unsupported band compatible or repair failed Wi-Fi hardware. Microsoft recommends Network reset as a last step and describes its effects in its network reset guidance.
Work out whether the PC or router is at fault
Compare the affected PC with another device and, if possible, another network. These tests are more useful than guessing:
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| Test result | What it suggests |
|---|---|
| No device sees the router’s Wi-Fi name | Check router power, Wi-Fi settings, or access-point equipment. |
| Other devices see the router, but the PC sees no networks | Focus on the PC’s radio state, driver, adapter, band support, or range. |
| The PC sees other networks but not the home network | Check the home router’s SSID, band, channel, security, and signal. |
| The PC sees a phone hotspot but not home Wi-Fi | The home router’s configuration or compatibility is more likely than a total PC scanning failure. |
| Ethernet works but Wi-Fi does not | The problem is more likely in the wireless subsystem than general Windows networking. |
| A USB Wi-Fi adapter works while the internal one does not | The internal adapter, its driver, antenna, or hardware path is suspect; this is evidence, not proof. |
Testing another access point is also part of Intel’s wireless adapter troubleshooting guidance.
When hardware becomes the likely cause
Consider manufacturer support or a hardware test if the adapter remains absent from Device Manager after driver and firmware checks, repeatedly disappears after restart or sleep, or reports a persistent error. Hardware is also more likely if the PC cannot see any nearby network, including a phone hotspot, after the reversible checks and a clean driver reinstall.
A known-good USB Wi-Fi adapter can help distinguish an internal-adapter problem from a router problem, and may serve as a temporary fallback. It is not guaranteed to work: confirm Windows support, driver availability, and band compatibility before buying. For a desktop, an Ethernet connection can also provide temporary Internet access for driver recovery. Do not replace a router or buy a driver utility until the tests point to that need.
On a work or school PC, enterprise policy, security software, or allowed/blocked-network filters may affect what appears. Ask IT before removing filters or resetting networking.
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