Fix Wi-Fi 6 Missing After a Windows 11 24H2 Update (Intel AX201)
After the Windows 11 24H2 upgrade an Intel AX201 can drop from Wi-Fi 6 to Wi-Fi 5. Clean-install Intel's own driver to get 802.11ax back — full fix here.
After upgrading to Windows 11 24H2, some laptops with an Intel AX201 (or AX211) adapter quietly drop from Wi-Fi 6 to Wi-Fi 5 — top speeds fall and 802.11ax disappears from the adapter’s options. The cause is the upgrade loading a generic or older wireless driver over Intel’s. The fix is a clean install of Intel’s current driver.
Confirm the band actually dropped
Open a command prompt and run netsh wlan show interfaces; the Radio type line reads 802.11ax when Wi-Fi 6 is active and 802.11ac when it has fallen back to Wi-Fi 5. You can also check Device Manager, Network adapters — if the adapter now shows a generic name rather than “Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201,” Windows swapped the driver during the upgrade.
| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Radio type shows 802.11ac | 24H2 loaded an older driver | Clean-install Intel’s driver |
| Adapter named generically | Microsoft driver replaced Intel’s | Reinstall from Intel/OEM |
| 802.11ax option missing | ax mode off in properties | Re-enable in adapter settings |
Clean-install Intel’s driver
Download the current Wi-Fi driver for the AX201 from Intel or your laptop maker’s support page. In Device Manager, right-click the adapter, choose Uninstall device, tick “Attempt to remove the driver for this device,” then install the Intel package and reboot. That replaces the generic 24H2 driver with the one that actually enables 802.11ax.
Re-enable Wi-Fi 6 if it’s still off
If the band is still capped after the driver install, open Device Manager, the adapter, Properties, Advanced, and confirm 802.11ax (sometimes labeled “HE mode”) is Enabled. A stale connection can also stick, so forget the network and rejoin. If the adapter drops out entirely rather than just slowing, Wi-Fi that keeps disconnecting on Windows 11 covers that, and No Internet, secured handles the case where it connects but has no route out. If the Intel driver refuses to install, see a driver that won’t install.
Common questions
Why did Windows 11 24H2 downgrade my Wi-Fi to Wi-Fi 5?
The feature upgrade replaced Intel’s AX201 driver with a generic or older Microsoft one that does not enable 802.11ax. Reinstalling Intel’s own current driver restores Wi-Fi 6.
How do I check whether I’m on Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 5?
Run netsh wlan show interfaces in a command prompt and read the Radio type line: 802.11ax is Wi-Fi 6, 802.11ac is Wi-Fi 5. The router and your plan also have to support Wi-Fi 6.
The 802.11ax option is gone from adapter properties — why?
The generic driver does not expose it. Once Intel’s driver is installed, 802.11ax reappears under Device Manager, the adapter, Properties, Advanced.
Do I need a new Wi-Fi card to get Wi-Fi 6 back?
No. The AX201 is a Wi-Fi 6 adapter, so this is a driver problem, not hardware — the correct Intel driver brings the band back without any new card.