How Do I Enable the Wi-Fi Adapter in Windows 10?
Here’s the easiest method for how to enable your Windows 10 device’s Wi-Fi adapter if you suspect it’s been disabled.
How to Enable and Disable Wi-Fi Adapters with Command Prompt
If you prefer to use the Windows 10 Command Prompt tool, you can view the current status of your device’s network adapters by typing: If you ever want to disable your Wi-Fi adapter, repeat these steps and select Disable this network device. To enable a network adapter in Command Prompt, type: Type the following to disable a network adapter:
How Did My Wi-Fi Adapter Get Disabled?
If you’ve discovered one or all of your Windows 10 Wi-Fi adapters have been disabled and you don’t remember making this change, one of the following things happened:
Another user disabled your adapters. If you share your Windows 10 computer with someone else, this is likely the case.Malware or a virus disabled your Wi-Fi adapters. A computer virus or malware is likely if you’ve noticed this change after recently downloading a file or installing a new app. A suspicious program made the change. It’s possible a new app you or someone else installed somehow disabled your adapters.
Regardless of the cause, you can help protect yourself from future incidents by updating Windows 10 to the latest version, keeping your apps up-to-date, and only downloading apps from trusted websites. It can also be good to read up on online scams so you don’t get tricked into downloading any suspicious files that can make system changes.
Why Is My Wireless Adapter Not Working?
The most common cause of a wireless adapter not working in Windows 10 is it’s been disabled. In this case, you can re-enable it by following the steps above. If your wireless adapter can’t be enabled and refuses to work, you may want to try updating its driver, running the Internet Connections troubleshooter, or performing a network reset.
Why Should I Disable Windows 10 Wi-Fi Adapter Settings?
There are few reasons for most people to disable a Wi-Fi adapter on a Windows 10 device, though some may choose to make their device completely offline permanently. You may want to disable a Wi-Fi adapter if you don’t need it. Also, disabling and then enabling an adapter may fix some problems associated with it. In general, though, choosing to disable a Windows 10 Wi-Fi adapter isn’t something most users will ever need to do.
How Do I Enable Wi-Fi When Disabled?
Once your Wi-Fi adapter is enabled, you’ll still need to connect to a network via the Network icon in the Taskbar or Action Center.
