Resetting your Wi-Fi driver is a common "piece" of troubleshooting that can fix connection drops or "no internet" errors by refreshing the software your hardware uses to talk to Windows. Here is how to do it safely using the Device Manager method: 1. The "Clean Slate" Reset (Uninstall & Restart) This is the most effective way to "reset" the driver. It tells Windows to delete its current driver configuration and reinstall it fresh on the next boot. Open Device Manager : Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager . Find your Wi-Fi card : Click the arrow next to Network adapters . Uninstall : Look for an entry with "Wi-Fi," "Wireless," or "802.11" in the name. Right-click it and select Uninstall device . Confirm : If a checkbox appears saying "Attempt to remove the driver for this device," leave it unchecked if you just want a quick reset. Checking it will delete the driver file entirely, which might require you to download it manually from another PC later. Restart : Click Uninstall , then immediately Restart your computer . Windows will automatically detect the "missing" hardware and reinstall the driver for you. 2. The "Quick Refresh" (Disable & Enable) If you don't want to restart your computer, try this "soft reset" first: In Device Manager , right-click your Wi-Fi adapter. Select Disable device . Wait about 10 seconds. Right-click it again and select Enable device . 3. The "Nuclear" Network Reset If the driver itself seems fine but you still can't connect, use the built-in Windows Reset tool. This resets all network components, including Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and VPNs. Windows 11 : Go to Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings > Network reset > Reset now . Windows 10 : Go to Settings > Network & Internet > Status > Network reset > Reset now . Note: Your PC will restart in 5 minutes, and you will need to re-enter your Wi-Fi passwords. Are you seeing a specific error message, like "No Wi-Fi networks found" or "Code 10" in the Device Manager? Fix Wi-Fi connection issues in Windows - Microsoft Support

How to Reset Your Wi-Fi Driver (Windows 10 & 11) If your internet keeps dropping, you see a "No Internet" icon, or your Wi-Fi adapter has stopped working, resetting the driver is often faster than restarting your whole PC. Here’s how to do it. Method 1: The Quick Reboot (Disable/Re-enable) This is the gentlest reset. It restarts the driver without deleting any settings.

Press Windows + X and select Device Manager . Expand the Network adapters section. Find your Wi-Fi adapter (look for names containing Wireless , WLAN , Wi-Fi , 802.11 , or brand names like Intel , Realtek , Qualcomm ). Right-click the adapter and choose Disable device . Wait 10 seconds. Right-click it again and choose Enable device .

Method 2: The Nuclear Reset (Uninstall & Reinstall) Use this if the quick reboot fails, you see a yellow exclamation mark, or the driver is corrupted.

Open Device Manager again ( Windows + X → Device Manager). Expand Network adapters and locate your Wi-Fi adapter. Right-click it and select Uninstall device . In the pop-up window, check the box that says "Delete the driver software for this device" (if available). Then click Uninstall . Do not restart your PC yet. Instead, click the Action menu at the top of Device Manager and select Scan for hardware changes . Windows will automatically reinstall a fresh, default driver.

Method 3: The Software-Only Reset (Network Reset) This resets the driver and all network settings (passwords, VPNs, custom IPs). It’s the most thorough fix. On Windows 10:

Go to Settings → Network & Internet → Status . Scroll down and click Network reset . Click Reset now → Yes . Your PC will restart in 5 minutes.

On Windows 11:

Go to Settings → Network & internet → Advanced network settings . Click Network reset . Click Reset now → Yes .

What to Do If None of the Above Works If resetting the driver doesn't help, try these quick commands in Command Prompt (as Administrator) :

Press Windows + R , type cmd , then press Ctrl + Shift + Enter . Run these two commands, one after the other:

netsh int ip reset netsh winsock reset