Start with the simplest fixes first

Most WiFi connection problems on your PC come down to three things: the WiFi is turned off on your computer, your router needs a restart, or you have entered the wrong password. Before you troubleshoot anything else, check these three in order.

First, look at the bottom right corner of your screen (the system tray). If you see a WiFi icon with an X or a line through it, WiFi is disabled on your PC. Click that icon and toggle WiFi back on. If you do not see a WiFi icon at all, your network adapter may not have drivers installed — jump to the section on drivers below.

Second, unplug your router for 30 seconds, then plug it back in. Wait two minutes for it to fully restart. This fixes most connection dropouts and refusal-to-connect problems because routers accumulate memory leaks and stale connections over time. A restart clears them.

Third, when you try to connect to your network, make sure you are typing the password correctly. Passwords are case-sensitive, and a single wrong character will block the connection. If you have forgotten the password, you can find it on a sticker on the back or bottom of your router, or log into the router's admin page (usually 192.168.1.1 in your browser address bar) using the default username and password printed on the router itself.

Key Takeaways

  • Check whether WiFi is turned on in your system tray, and restart your router by unplugging it for 30 seconds before troubleshooting anything else.
  • If your PC has no WiFi icon in the system tray, your network adapter drivers are missing or corrupted and need to be reinstalled from your PC manufacturer's website.
  • Forget the network in your WiFi settings and reconnect from scratch, because stored connection profiles sometimes become corrupted and block new attempts.
  • If your PC connects but the internet does not work, the problem is usually your router or internet service, not your WiFi connection itself.
  • Update your router firmware through its admin page, because outdated firmware can cause compatibility problems with newer PC network adapters.

Forget the network and reconnect from scratch

Windows stores connection profiles for every network you have ever joined. If that profile becomes corrupted, your PC will refuse to connect even though the network is broadcasting normally. The fix is to delete the old profile and create a new one.

Go to Settings > Network & Internet > WiFi > Manage Known Networks. Find your network name in the list, click it, and select Forget. Then go back to the WiFi list, find your network again, and click Connect. Enter your password when prompted. This forces Windows to build a fresh connection profile instead of using the old corrupted one.

If you do not see Manage Known Networks, you are on an older version of Windows. Instead, go to Settings > Network & Internet > WiFi > Manage WiFi Settings, scroll down to Manage Known Networks, find your network, and click Forget.

Reinstall your network adapter drivers

Your PC communicates with your WiFi router through a network adapter — a piece of hardware that has software (called a driver) that tells Windows how to use it. If that driver is missing, outdated, or corrupted, your PC will not see any WiFi networks at all, or will see them but fail to connect.

Open Device Manager by right-clicking the Start button and selecting it from the menu. Look for Network Adapters in the list and click the arrow next to it to expand it. You should see one or more adapters listed. If you see a yellow exclamation mark next to any of them, that adapter has a driver problem.

Right-click the adapter with the exclamation mark (or the one with a name like "Wireless" or "802.11") and select Uninstall Device. Check the box that says Delete the driver software for this device, then click Uninstall. Restart your PC. Windows will automatically reinstall the driver when it boots back up.

If that does not work, go to your PC manufacturer's website (Dell, HP, Lenovo, Asus, etc.), find your exact model number, read the latest network adapter driver, and run the installer. This gives you the most recent version, which often fixes compatibility problems that the generic Windows driver does not.

Check whether your router is broadcasting your network name

Some routers have a setting that hides the network name (called the SSID) from the list of available networks. If your network is hidden, your PC will not see it in the WiFi list, and you will have to connect manually by typing the name yourself.

To connect to a hidden network, go to Settings > Network & Internet > WiFi and scroll down to Other Networks. Click Add a New Network, type your network name exactly as it is set in your router, select the security type (usually WPA2-Personal or WPA3-Personal), enter your password, and click Next.

If you do not know whether your network is hidden, log into your router's admin page. Open a browser and go to 192.168.1.1 (or 192.168.0.1 on some routers). Log in with the username and password on the router's label. Look for a setting called SSID Broadcast, Hide Network, or Broadcast SSID. If it is set to Off or Disabled, turn it on. Save the settings and restart the router.

Update your router firmware

Router firmware is the software that runs your router. Manufacturers release updates to fix bugs, improve performance, and add support for newer devices. If your router firmware is outdated, it may not work properly with your PC's network adapter, especially if your PC is newer than your router.

Log into your router's admin page at 192.168.1.1 and look for a section called Administration, System, Maintenance, or Firmware. Click Check for Updates or Firmware Update. If an update is available, read and install it. Do not unplug the router during this process — it can corrupt the firmware and make the router unusable.

This process takes five to ten minutes. Your internet will go down while the update is running, and the router will restart automatically when it is done. After the restart, try connecting your PC again.

Separate WiFi and Ethernet problems

If your PC connects to WiFi but the internet does not work, the problem is not your WiFi connection — it is your router or your internet service provider. Your PC is talking to the router fine; the router is not talking to the internet.

Restart your router again. If that does not fix it, check whether other devices in your house have internet. If they do, the problem is your PC's network settings. If they do not, the problem is your internet service provider, and you should contact them.

If you have an Ethernet cable, plug it directly into your PC and your router. If the internet works over Ethernet but not WiFi, your WiFi connection is the problem. If the internet does not work over Ethernet either, your router or internet service is the problem.

Check for interference and signal strength

WiFi signals travel through walls and other objects, but they weaken over distance and can be blocked or scrambled by other devices. If your PC is far from your router or surrounded by obstacles, you may not be able to connect at all, or the connection may be so weak that it drops constantly.

Move your PC closer to the router and try connecting again. If it works, the problem is signal strength. Move your router to a more central location in your home, away from walls and metal objects. Microwaves, cordless phones, and baby monitors also interfere with WiFi on the 2.4 GHz band. If your router supports it, switch to the 5 GHz band, which has less interference but shorter range.

You can see your signal strength in the WiFi settings. Go to Settings > Network & Internet > WiFi and look at the signal bars next to your network name. If you see fewer than three bars, you are too far away or there is too much interference.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my PC see the WiFi network but refuse to connect?

This usually means the password is wrong, the network profile is corrupted, or your network adapter driver needs updating. Try entering the password again carefully, then forget the network and reconnect from scratch. If that does not work, reinstall your network adapter driver through Device Manager.

My PC does not show any WiFi networks at all. What is wrong?

Your WiFi is turned off, your network adapter is disabled, or your driver is missing. Check the WiFi icon in your system tray and turn it on. If there is no WiFi icon, open Device Manager, find your network adapter, and reinstall the driver. If you still see nothing, your network adapter may be physically broken.

The WiFi works for a few minutes, then disconnects. How do I fix it?

Restart your router by unplugging it for 30 seconds. If the problem continues, move your PC closer to the router to rule out signal strength issues. Then update your router firmware and your network adapter driver. If disconnections continue, contact your internet service provider — the problem may be on their end.

Can I connect to WiFi on my phone but not my PC. What does that mean?

The problem is your PC, not your router or internet. Your phone proves the router and internet are working. Restart your PC, forget the network and reconnect, then reinstall your network adapter driver. If your PC is very old, it may not support the security type your router is using — check your router settings and try switching to WPA2.

My PC is asking for a certificate or security key I do not have. What do I do?

This usually means your router is set to WPA-Enterprise, which is designed for office networks. Go into your router settings and change the security type to WPA2-Personal or WPA3-Personal. You will need to set a new password. Then forget the network on your PC and reconnect with the new password.