Fix Wi-Fi That Keeps Disconnecting on Windows 11
Wi-Fi that keeps dropping on Windows 11 is usually a router, driver, or power setting. Work through quick checks, a driver fix, and a network reset.
When Wi-Fi on a Windows 11 machine keeps dropping, the cause is almost always one of four things: a router that needs a restart, a saved network profile that has gone stale, a wireless driver that needs updating or rolling back, or a power setting that quietly turns the adapter off. Work through the steps below in order, from the fastest to the most thorough, and stop as soon as the connection holds. Most people never reach the last one. One 24H2-specific trap stands out: Killer-branded adapters such as the Wireless-AC 1535 and the Wi-Fi 6E AX1675i can fail with a Code 10 “This device cannot start” after the upgrade, and the fix is to select the Qualcomm driver for the adapter in Device Manager rather than to chase router settings.
Start with the 60-second checks
Do the cheap fixes first, because they clear a large share of drop-outs.
Restart both ends of the connection. Microsoft’s guidance is to power-cycle the modem and router: unplug the router’s power cable, unplug the modem’s power cable, wait at least 30 seconds, plug the modem back in and let its lights stop blinking, then plug the router back in (Microsoft Support: fix Wi-Fi connection issues in Windows). Restart the PC while you wait.
Then forget and rejoin the network. A saved profile can hold an old password or a bad setting, and rebuilding it fresh is often enough. In the Settings app, go to Network & internet > Wi-Fi > Manage known networks, select your network, choose Forget, then reconnect and type the password again.
| Symptom | Likely cause | First fix |
|---|---|---|
| Every device on the network drops | Router, modem, or the internet line | Power-cycle the router and modem; check with your provider |
| Only this PC drops, others stay online | Wireless driver or a power setting | Update or roll back the driver; check power management |
| Drops after sleep or when idle | Windows powering the adapter off | Turn off the adapter’s power-saving setting |
| Drops far from the router, fine up close | Weak signal or interference | Move closer; test again before blaming the hardware |
| Started right after an update | A driver or update that broke something | Roll back the wireless driver |
Update or roll back the wireless adapter driver
The adapter driver is the software that runs the Wi-Fi hardware, and a bad or outdated one is a common cause of repeated disconnects.
Open Device Manager (search for device manager from the taskbar) and expand Network adapters. Right-click your wireless adapter, choose Update driver, then Search automatically for drivers; Windows installs a newer one if it finds it (Microsoft Support: update drivers through Device Manager).
If the drops began right after a Windows update or a driver update, do the opposite and go back a version. Right-click the adapter, choose Properties, open the Driver tab, and select Roll Back Driver. If that button is grayed out, Windows has no earlier driver stored, which is normal and simply means there is nothing to roll back to.
As a last resort for the driver, right-click the adapter and choose Uninstall device, then restart; Windows reinstalls a fresh driver on its own. Before you uninstall, download the latest adapter driver from your PC maker’s website so you have a backup copy if the automatic reinstall comes up short.
Stop Windows turning the adapter off to save power
To stretch battery life, Windows can switch the wireless adapter off, and on some laptops it fails to bring it back cleanly. The tell-tale symptom is Wi-Fi that dies after the machine idles or wakes from sleep, then needs a toggle or a reboot to return.
Turn the setting off in Device Manager. Expand Network adapters, right-click your Wi-Fi adapter, choose Properties, open the Power Management tab, and clear the check box labeled Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power. This can raise idle battery use by a small amount, but for a connection that keeps dropping it is worth the trade. If the machine feels sluggish in general and not just on the network, why a Windows PC gets slow and how to stop startup programs on Windows 11 cover the settings that free up the resources a stable connection needs.
Reset the network stack
If the connection still drops, reset the networking software back to its defaults. These commands run in Command Prompt: search for command prompt, then to the right of the result select Run as administrator. Run them in the order below, then restart the PC.
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
netsh winsock reset | Resets the Winsock catalog that apps use to reach the network |
netsh int ip reset | Resets the TCP/IP stack to its default state |
ipconfig /release | Releases the current IP address from the router |
ipconfig /renew | Requests a fresh IP address |
ipconfig /flushdns | Clears the DNS cache of stale lookups |
If individual commands do not settle it, use the bigger reset in Settings. Go to Network & internet > Advanced network settings > Network reset. This removes and reinstalls every network adapter and returns the networking components to their defaults, so use it after the commands above rather than before. You will need to re-enter your Wi-Fi passwords once the PC restarts.
Router or PC — how to tell which is at fault
The fastest way to place the blame is to look at your other devices. If phones, tablets, and other computers on the same Wi-Fi drop at the same moment, the fault is the router, the modem, or the internet line, not your PC. Restart the router, look for a firmware update in its admin page, and contact your provider if it keeps happening. If only the one Windows PC drops while everything else stays online, the problem is on that PC: the driver, the power setting, or the network stack you just reset.
Distance and interference muddy this test, so account for them. A weak signal two rooms away behaves a lot like a failing adapter, and a microwave or a neighbor’s crowded channel can cause brief cut-outs that no PC setting will fix. Test close to the router before you decide the hardware is at fault.
Run these steps in order and you will usually catch the cause within the first two or three. Keep a note of which step finally held, because Wi-Fi problems tend to recur on the same machine, and next time you can go straight to the fix that worked.
Common questions
Why did my Killer Wi-Fi adapter stop working with Code 10 after the Windows 11 24H2 update?
The Killer Wireless-AC 1535 and Wi-Fi 6E AX1675i are known to throw a Code 10 “This device cannot start” once a PC moves to 24H2. In Device Manager, open the adapter’s Properties, use Update driver, browse your computer, pick from a list of available drivers, and choose the Qualcomm driver; disabling the Killer Control Center software also helps on some machines.
Why does my Wi-Fi drop only after the laptop wakes from sleep?
Windows powers the wireless adapter down to save battery and sometimes fails to restore it. Turn the setting off in Device Manager under the adapter’s Power Management tab by clearing “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.”
My Wi-Fi drops on every device in the house, not just this PC, so where is the fault?
When phones, tablets, and other computers lose the connection at the same moment, the router, the modem, or the internet line is the cause rather than any one PC. Power-cycle the router and modem, check for a firmware update in the router’s admin page, and contact your provider if it keeps happening.
Does a network reset delete my saved Wi-Fi passwords on Windows 11?
Yes. The Network reset option under Advanced network settings removes and reinstalls every adapter and clears saved networks, so you will need to re-enter your Wi-Fi passwords afterward. The individual netsh and ipconfig commands do not erase saved passwords on their own.