How to Manually Enable or Disable the Wi-Fi Radio signal in Windows* Operating Systems

Documentation

Install & Setup

000024076

12/19/2022

In some cases Wi-Fi radio signal can be manually enabled or disabled. This could be done via Software or Hardware.

Some laptops have a hardware switch to enable or disable the wireless radio. If wireless is disabled via this hardware switch, the methods described below do not work. See Wireless Radio Cannot be Enabled from Software for further details.

Please check also with your Laptop Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) to confirm if your system has a hardware switch.

View additional details on how to enable or disable airplane mode.

First, select your operating system.

If you don't know which operating system you have, see What Version of Windows Do I Have?

  1. Locate the taskbar in the bottom right corner of your desktop.
  2. Select the wireless icon Wireless icon.
  3. Select the Wi-Fi button to turn Wi-Fi On/Off.

    network settings wi-fi button

  1. Locate the taskbar in the bottom right corner of your desktop.
  2. Select the wireless icon Wireless icon.
  3. Select the Wi-Fi slider to turn Wi-Fi On/Off.
     

    wi-fi slider
     

    Note The Wi-Fi switch and Airplane mode may not be available if you are using a desktop or other non-mobile PC.
  1. Select the Start button in the bottom left corner of your desktop.
  2. Type mobility in the search box.
  3. Select Windows Mobility Center.

    Windows Mobility Center

  4. Select Turn wireless on or Turn wireless off.

    Turn wireless on/off button

    Note You may not find the Windows Mobility Center* if you are using a desktop or other non-mobile PC. Try Disable or Enable Network Adapter in Windows 7 instead.

 

Note If you continue to have problems enabling the Wi-Fi adapter, there could be a hardware or software issue. Contact your Original Equipment Manufacturer or Intel customer support for additional help.