If your Wi-Fi icon has suddenly disappeared, don’t panic. It is unlikely that your network card has failed. A missing Wi-Fi icon is often just a software hiccup that can be easily fixed with a few quick adjustments. This guide lists common troubleshooting steps to bring back the missing Wi-Fi icon in Windows.
Fixes for Possible Software Glitch
If the internet is working fine and only the Wi-Fi icon is missing, it’s probably a software glitch that can be easily fixed. The most common and fastest fix is to restart the File Explorer in Windows. This will reset the taskbar and system tray state, which should bring back the Wi-Fi icon.
If the icon is just a blank space or a broken icon image, you can rebuild the icon cache. You’ll have to make a Registry edit for this, but to make this easier, we are providing a PowerShell command below to apply the change automatically:
Stop-Process -Name explorer -Force
$path = "HKCU:\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\TrayNotify"
Remove-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name "IconStreams" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
Remove-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name "PastIconsStream" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
Start-Process explorer.exeAdditionally, you can also try a cold restart since fast startup is enabled by default on Windows. Just hold the Shift key and click Shutdown in the power menu. Wait for a minute before starting the PC.
Ensure Airplane Mode is Disabled
The Wi-Fi icon will disappear and be replaced by a plane icon if airplane mode is enabled. Make sure you haven’t enabled airplane mode accidentally, which is easy to do on laptops, as most have a dedicated shortcut or physical button to enable it.
Just open Windows Settings and go to Network & internet. Here, ensure the Airplane mode option is disabled. You can also press the Fn key and the key with the plane icon on your keyboard to quickly turn on/off the airplane mode.
Enable WLAN AutoConfig Service
WLAN AutoConfig is the Windows service that controls the Wi-Fi feature on your PC. If it’s disabled, not only is the Wi-Fi button removed, but the Wi-Fi option is removed from Settings as well. If the internet isn’t working and you can’t find any Wi-Fi-related options in Settings, then most probably the WLAN AutoConfig got disabled somehow.
To enable it back, search “services” in Windows Search and open the Services app. Here, right-click on the WLAN AutoConfig service and select Start.
Additionally, make sure its Startup Type is set to Automatic. If it’s set to Manual, then right-click on it and select Properties. Click next to the Startup type drop-down menu here and select Automatic.
Run the Built-in Network Troubleshooter to Automatically Fix the Missing Wi-Fi Icon
Windows has many built-in troubleshooters to fix common Windows problems, including one for network problems. While it isn’t a magic bullet that can fix all internet problems, it can fix the most common ones. If your Wi-Fi icon disappeared due to a known problem, the troubleshooter can help fix it.
In Windows Settings, go to System → Troubleshoot → Other troubleshooters and click on the Run button next to Network and Internet.
The troubleshooter will automatically try to detect the problem on launch. If it finds a problem, it will either try to fix it automatically or ask permission to apply the fix.
Manage the Network Adaptor
If none of the above solutions worked, it’s most probably a network adaptor issue. It’s difficult to pinpoint network adaptor issues, so we’ll go from basic fixes to advanced ones. Follow the network adaptor fixes below in sequence:
Enable Wi-Fi Network Adaptor
A disabled Wi-Fi network adaptor also leads to no Wi-Fi icon and no Wi-Fi settings, similar to the WLAN AutoConfig service being disabled. In Windows Settings, go to Network & internet → Advanced network settings and make sure the Wi-Fi adaptor is enabled.
Change Network Adaptor Driver
The network adapter driver might be causing the issue. Fortunately, your PC likely has multiple compatible drivers available, making it easy to switch to a different one. Search “device manager” in Windows Search and open the Device Manager. Here, right-click on your wireless network adaptor and select Update driver.
Now, click on Browse my computer for drivers and then select Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer. Choose a driver different from the currently installed one and click on Next to install it. If it doesn’t fix the problem, try a different driver if available.
Uninstall Network Adaptor Driver
You can also uninstall the network driver and let Windows handle the drivers. In Device Manager, right-click your network driver and select Uninstall Device. Ensure the Attempt to remove the driver for this device option stays unchecked, and then click on Uninstall.
Restart your PC, and Windows will automatically apply a basic network driver to get you online and fix the Wi-Fi icon missing issue as well. You can then go to Windows Update in Settings and click on Check for updates to find a working network driver.
While rare, this problem can also occur due to hardware problems, which, in most cases, can be fixed by reseating the network card. You might also be interested in knowing what to do if your Wi-Fi network stops showing up.
