How to Connect or Reset Network Settings in Windows 11

To reset network settings in Windows 11, go to Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings > Network reset, select Reset now, and then select Yes. Windows removes every network adapter and its settings, restarts your PC, and then reinstalls the adapters with default settings. Have your Wi-Fi password ready before you start, because you should expect to join your network again afterward.

In this guide

• What a network reset changes, and what to write down first
• The reset steps in Settings
• What to set up again after the restart
• How to check that it worked
• A lighter alternative using network commands
• Troubleshooting and common questions

Which versions this covers

These steps follow Microsoft’s current instructions for Windows 11, as published in October 2026. Windows 10 has the same feature in a different place: Settings > Network & Internet > Status > Network reset. Network reset only works on the PC you run it on. It does not change anything on your router or modem.

Connect Windows 11 to Wi-Fi or Ethernet

For a normal Wi-Fi connection, select the Network, Sound or Battery icons on the taskbar to open Quick Settings. Turn Wi-Fi on if needed, select Manage Wi-Fi connections beside its tile, choose the correct network and click Connect. Enter its password and select Next. Microsoft’s Wi-Fi connection guide shows these controls. Check that the network says Connected, then open a familiar website to confirm internet access. A public hotspot may require its sign-in page. If the network is missing, refresh the list and check the adapter, range and airplane-mode state before considering a reset.

For a wired connection, connect an Ethernet cable between the PC’s Ethernet port (or a compatible adapter) and a working LAN port on your router. Open Settings > Network & internet > Ethernet to check the connection, then test a website. On a typical home network, address assignment is automatic; a workplace may require settings supplied by its administrator. If connected without internet, check another device and the router/ISP connection. Joining Wi-Fi or plugging in Ethernet does not require clearing saved network settings. Use the reset procedure below only for an unresolved problem after the simpler checks.

Connect Using Wi-Fi 6 When Your Hardware Supports It

Wi-Fi 6 requires a compatible 802.11ax wireless adapter and Wi-Fi 6 router/access point; Windows does not upgrade older hardware with a switch. Check the exact PC/adapter specifications and obtain an appropriate current driver from its manufacturer or Windows Update. On the PC, open Command Prompt and enter netsh wlan show drivers; inspect Radio types supported for 802.11ax. Microsoft documents this compatibility check. This command reads adapter support; it does not change the router or prove the current connection uses Wi-Fi 6.

Use the normal Wi-Fi connection steps above to join the intended Wi-Fi 6 network with its password. Then open Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi > the connected network’s properties and inspect Protocol for Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), where reported. If it uses an older protocol, check the adapter driver and the router’s model-specific Wi-Fi 6 configuration with its owner. Avoid assuming every adapter exposes an identical Advanced property or forcing random values. A compatible adapter alone cannot make an older access point transmit Wi-Fi 6, and using Wi-Fi 6 does not guarantee a particular internet speed.

Read the Password of an Authorized Saved Wi-Fi Profile

For a saved network on a Windows PC you are authorized to inspect, open Command Prompt and enter netsh wlan show profiles. Copy the intended profile’s exact name, then enter netsh wlan show profile name="Exact Network Name" key=clear, substituting that name and retaining quotation marks. Read Key Content under Security settings if Windows permits revealing the saved key. Microsoft’s wlan reference documents profile display and the clear-key option. This exposes a password in readable text, so keep the output private. A missing key can reflect permissions, profile type or no stored password; use the network owner or IT’s approved process instead of bypassing restrictions. The command does not discover an unknown nearby network’s password or change its password. Windows Credential Manager is a different store, and exporting profiles is a separate operation described below.

Open Normal Network Settings in Windows 10

For an existing Windows 10 installation, choose Start > Settings > Network & Internet. Select Wi-Fi and the connected network, or Ethernet and its connected entry, to inspect that connection’s properties. Review the network profile and IP settings before changing them. Where IP assignment offers Edit, use Automatic (DHCP) for the normal router-supplied configuration; enter manual IP, gateway or DNS details only when supplied for that network, then save and test connectivity. The VPN and Proxy pages are separate choices and require the provider’s correct details. The older Change adapter options link opens the adapter list. Record previous values before an intentional change and restore them if connectivity fails. Simply opening these settings does not require the destructive Network reset procedure below.

Turn Off Metered Connection for a Selected Network

In Windows 11, open Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi, open the connected network’s properties, and turn Metered connection off. For a saved network, use Manage known networks and select its name first. For a wired connection, open Network & internet > Ethernet and use its Metered connection switch. Check that the intended network shows Off; return the same switch to On to restore metered treatment. Microsoft explains metered Wi-Fi and Ethernet connections. This permits broader background data use and can affect downloads or charges. It does not remove an internet provider’s data cap, create an unlimited plan or apply automatically to every network. A managed setting may require IT assistance.

Turn On Wi-Fi on an HP Windows 11 Laptop

On an HP laptop running Windows 11, open Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi and turn Wi-Fi on. Select Show available networks, choose your authorized network, select Connect, enter its password and choose Next. Check the Connected status and open a familiar webpage. The Quick Settings method above provides the same normal connection goal. If Wi-Fi is unavailable, check that Airplane mode is off and consult the exact HP model’s documentation for any wireless key or switch; there is no universal Fn-key combination for every HP laptop. A hardware wireless key is separate from the network password and from resetting all adapters. Use the troubleshooting section if the adapter is missing rather than starting with a full network reset.

Before you reset: what changes

Read this first, because Microsoft’s instructions do not include a way to reverse a network reset. A network adapter is the hardware or software that connects your PC to a network, such as your Wi-Fi card or Ethernet port. Microsoft says network reset removes any network adapters you have installed and the settings for them. After the PC restarts, the adapters are reinstalled and their settings go back to the defaults.

Microsoft also calls network reset the last step to try, after the other fixes have failed. Here is what to expect:

• Wi-Fi: plan to select your network and type its password again.
• Manual IP and DNS settings: adapter settings return to their defaults, so a static IP address or custom DNS server you entered has to be typed in again.
• VPN and virtual machine software: Microsoft notes you might need to reinstall and set up VPN client software or virtual switches from Hyper-V and other network virtualization software.
• Network profile: Microsoft says the reset might set each of your known networks to the public network profile, which hides your PC from other devices on the network.
• Restart: your PC restarts on its own, so save open work first.

The reset targets network adapters and network settings. It is not a PC reset, and Microsoft’s description does not list documents, photos, or installed apps among the things it removes.

If you are comparing this with a full Windows recovery, see how to reset Windows 11 settings and choose the right recovery option. Reset PC reinstalls Windows; a network reset targets connection settings, so choose according to what is actually broken.

Write these down first

• Your Wi-Fi network name and password.
• Any manual IP settings. Go to Settings > Network & internet, select Wi-Fi or Ethernet, open your network, and look at IP assignment. If it says Manual, copy the IP address, subnet mask, gateway, and DNS servers. If it says Automatic (DHCP), your router hands these out and there is nothing to copy. Our guide to changing your IP address in Windows 11 shows the same screen.
• VPN sign-in details and the installer for your VPN app.

Optional: back up saved Wi-Fi networks

If your PC remembers many Wi-Fi networks, you can export them to files first. Warning: with key=clear, each file contains that network’s password in readable text. Keep the folder private and delete it when you are done.

1. Create a folder, for example C:\WiFiBackup. The folder must already exist.
2. Select Search on the taskbar, type command prompt, and select Run as administrator > Yes.
3. Type netsh wlan export profile key=clear folder="C:\WiFiBackup" and press Enter. Windows saves one XML file per network.
4. After the reset, bring a network back with netsh wlan add profile filename="C:\WiFiBackup\FILE-NAME.xml", using the real file name.

Microsoft documents both commands in its netsh wlan reference.

How to reset network settings in Windows 11

1. Save your work and close your apps.
2. Select Start, then Settings. You can also right-click the network icon on the taskbar and select Network and internet settings.
3. Select Network & internet in the left column.
4. Scroll to the bottom and select Advanced network settings.
5. Under More settings, select Network reset. The page explains what will be removed.
6. Select Reset now.
7. Select Yes to confirm.
8. Wait for your PC to restart. Do not start new work while you wait, because Windows restarts by itself.

These steps match Microsoft’s instructions in Fix Wi-Fi connection issues in Windows, where network reset is the final step.

What to do after the restart

1. Reconnect. Select the network icon on the taskbar, choose your Wi-Fi network, and enter the password. A wired Ethernet connection that gets its address automatically should reconnect without any typing. If a desktop shows no Wi-Fi option because it has no wireless hardware, see how to add Wi-Fi to a non-wireless computer.
2. Set your home network to Private if you share files or printers. Go to Settings > Network & internet, select Wi-Fi or Ethernet, open your network, and under Network profile type select Private network. Leave it on Public network (Recommended) anywhere you do not trust the other devices. If shared PCs still do not appear, see how to turn on network discovery in Windows 11.
3. Re-enter manual IP or DNS settings. On the same network page, select Edit next to IP assignment, choose Manual, turn on IPv4, type the values you wrote down, and select Save. Skip this if you were on Automatic (DHCP).
4. Set up VPN and virtual machine networking again. Reinstall the VPN app if it no longer connects, and recreate any Hyper-V virtual switches.

Microsoft covers the profile and IP screens in Essential network settings and tasks in Windows.

How to confirm the reset worked

• Open Settings > Network & internet. The status of your connection appears at the top of the page.
• Load a website you have not visited today, so you are not looking at a saved copy.
• Open your network’s properties and check that IP assignment shows Automatic (DHCP), unless you set it to Manual on purpose.
• If the IPv4 address starts with 169.254, Windows could not get an address from your router. Restart the router, or check that DHCP is turned on in the router’s settings.

Clear Only the DNS Cache

For a stale DNS lookup, you can flush the DNS cache without resetting every adapter. Open Start, search for Command Prompt, select Run as administrator, and approve the Windows prompt if authorized. Enter ipconfig /flushdns and press Enter. Check for the message that the DNS Resolver Cache was successfully flushed, then retry the affected website.

Microsoft’s ipconfig reference defines this command as clearing the DNS client resolver cache. It does not change your chosen DNS servers or reinstall network adapters. You do not need to run the release, renew, Winsock or full-reset steps below solely to clear this cache. If the website still fails, continue diagnosis rather than repeating the command indefinitely.

Alternative: run network commands instead of a full reset

Microsoft lists a set of network commands as an earlier step than network reset. They reset the TCP/IP stack (the software Windows uses to talk to networks), get a fresh IP address from your router, and clear the DNS cache (the saved list of website addresses). They do not remove or reinstall your adapters. To check the address before and after, see how to find your IP address in Windows 11.

Warning: ipconfig /release drops your connection until you run ipconfig /renew, so do not run these over a remote desktop session. netsh int ip reset removes IP settings you entered by hand, such as a static IP address.

1. Select Search on the taskbar and type command prompt.
2. Select Run as administrator, then Yes.
3. Type each command in the table below, in order, and press Enter after each one.
4. Restart your PC, then test your connection.

Order	Command	What it does
1	netsh winsock reset	Resets the Winsock catalog, the list Windows uses to hand network requests to apps, to a clean state.
2	netsh int ip reset	Removes user-configured IP settings. The defaults take effect after a restart.
3	ipconfig /release	Gives up the IP address your router assigned.
4	ipconfig /renew	Asks the router for an IP address again.
5	ipconfig /flushdns	Clears and resets the DNS cache.

The order comes from Microsoft’s Wi-Fi and Ethernet troubleshooting guides, and the ipconfig reference explains each ipconfig option. If the commands do not help, use the Settings reset above.

Try these first

A reset is a last resort. These smaller fixes come first in Microsoft’s list and leave your settings alone:

• Run the troubleshooter. In Windows 11 it opens in the Get Help app. See how to run a troubleshooter in Windows 11.
• Restart the modem and router. Unplug both, wait at least 30 seconds, plug in the modem, wait for its lights to settle, and then plug in the router.
• Test another device. If a phone on the same Wi-Fi also has no internet, the problem is the router or your provider, and resetting the PC will not fix it.
• Forget and rejoin the network. If only one network is the problem, forget that Wi-Fi network in Windows 11 and connect again.
• Update the driver. See how to update your Wi-Fi driver.
• Restart one adapter. To turn a single adapter off and on instead of resetting all of them, see how to change adapter settings in Windows 11.
• Install Windows updates. Go to Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates, then restart.

Troubleshooting

I can’t find Network reset

In Windows 11 it is under Advanced network settings, not on the main Network & internet page. Scroll to the bottom of Network & internet to find that row. If your PC runs Windows 10, look under Status instead. On a work or school PC, your organization may manage network settings, so ask your IT support before resetting.

Wi-Fi is missing after the reset

Restart once more to give Windows a chance to finish reinstalling the adapter. Then open Device Manager, expand Network adapters, and check that your wireless adapter is listed. If it is disabled, right-click it and select Enable device. If it is not listed at all, Microsoft says Windows is not detecting it and you may need to install the driver from your PC maker’s website. Download it on another device and copy it over with a USB drive if you have no connection. On laptops with a physical Wi-Fi switch, make sure the switch is on.

Still no internet after the reset

A network reset only fixes settings on your PC. If other devices are also offline, contact your internet provider or check your router. If only this PC is affected, Microsoft suggests uninstalling the network adapter driver in Device Manager and restarting so Windows installs it again. Download a backup driver from your PC maker first.

Other PCs or shared folders disappeared

The reset may have switched your network to Public, which hides your PC. Set the network back to Private network using the steps in the section above.

Disconnect a VPN Without Resetting the Whole Network

For a Windows-managed connection, open Settings > Network & internet > VPN, identify the intended active connection and select Disconnect, expanding its entry if necessary. Recheck that it no longer shows Connected. Microsoft’s VPN guide documents this settings page and the Quick Settings VPN on/off control. Use Connect on the same saved profile to reconnect when intended. Disconnecting stops that session; it does not uninstall its client or delete its saved configuration.

If the VPN belongs to a separate provider app, use that app’s Disconnect control and review its auto-connect or kill-switch behavior in the provider’s instructions. A kill switch can block internet traffic after disconnection. Removing a saved profile is broader: preserve its setup details and use its offered Remove command only when you intend to delete that configuration. Ask IT about managed work connections. A full network reset below is unnecessary merely to disconnect a VPN, and losing VPN access can interrupt company resources or a remote session you depend on.

Frequently asked questions

Will a network reset delete my Wi-Fi passwords?

Plan for it. Microsoft says the reset removes your network adapters and their settings, and you should expect to select your Wi-Fi network and enter the password again. Keep the password handy, or export your saved networks first.

Does a network reset delete my files or apps?

Network reset works on network adapters and network settings. It is separate from Reset this PC, which reinstalls Windows. The software Microsoft warns you may need to reinstall is networking software, such as VPN clients and virtual switches.

How long does a network reset take?

Starting it takes a few clicks. Most of the time goes to the automatic restart and to reconnecting to Wi-Fi and re-entering any custom settings afterward.

Can I undo a network reset?

Microsoft does not describe an undo option. You get your old setup back by reconnecting to Wi-Fi, re-entering manual IP or DNS values, and reinstalling VPN software, which is why it helps to write those details down first.

What is the difference between network reset and the netsh commands?

Network reset removes and reinstalls every network adapter and returns its settings to the defaults. The commands only reset the TCP/IP stack and Winsock catalog, renew your IP address, and clear the DNS cache. Try the commands first, because they change less.

Does a network reset fix problems after upgrading to Windows 11?

It can. Microsoft says network reset can help with connection problems that appear after upgrading from Windows 10 to Windows 11, and with cases where you can reach the internet but not shared network drives. It is not a guaranteed fix.

Once you are back online, check your network profile type first. It is the setting most likely to have changed without you noticing.

Change an IPv4 MTU Only for a Specific Network Requirement

MTU is the largest packet size used by an interface. Changing it is a separate troubleshooting action from a full network reset, and an arbitrary smaller number is not a guaranteed speed improvement. Use a value specified for your connection by your ISP, VPN provider or administrator. On an authorized PC, open an administrator Command Prompt and enter netsh interface ipv4 show subinterfaces. Record the exact interface name and original MTU; use the active connection, not a similarly named unused adapter. Do not experiment over a remote connection you depend on.

To apply a provider-specified value, use netsh interface ipv4 set subinterface interface="Ethernet" mtu=1492 store=persistent, replacing Ethernet and 1492 with your actual interface and approved value. Microsoft’s netsh interface reference documents the interface, mtu and persistence parameters. Run show subinterfaces again, then test the original connectivity problem. To reverse it, use the same set command with the original recorded MTU and verify again. These are IPv4 controls; they do not automatically change IPv6, the router or every adapter. If the command fails or the connection worsens, restore the recorded value and consult the provider rather than trying random values.