Whether you are at a new office, a client site or a coffee shop, connecting to Wi-Fi on Windows 11 takes less than a minute. Here is how.
How to connect
Click the Wi-Fi icon in the bottom right corner of your taskbar, next to the clock. If you do not see it, click the small arrow to expand the hidden icons. Click the arrow next to the Wi-Fi symbol to see available networks. Find the network you want to connect to and click on it. If you want your computer to reconnect automatically next time, make sure the Connect automatically box is ticked. Click Connect. If the network is password protected, type in the password and click Next. Once connected, you will see the word Connected underneath the network name.
If you cannot see any networks
Make sure Wi-Fi is turned on. In the same panel where you see the network list, there is a Wi-Fi toggle. Make sure it is switched on. If it is on and you still cannot see any networks, try restarting your computer. That resolves most connection issues.
Some laptops also have a physical Wi-Fi switch or a function key combination that toggles the wireless adapter on and off. Check for a key with a wireless icon on your keyboard, usually activated by pressing Fn along with that key.
If you connect but the internet does not work
Sometimes you can connect to a network but nothing loads. This usually means the network itself has a problem, not your computer. Try disconnecting and reconnecting. If it still does not work, check with the person who manages that network.
If you are on a hotel or public Wi-Fi, you may need to open your browser first. Some networks require you to accept terms or sign in through a web page before they give you internet access. Open Edge and try navigating to any website to trigger the login page.
Forgetting a network
If you want to stop your computer from automatically connecting to a network, go to Settings, then Network and internet, then Wi-Fi, then Manage known networks. Find the network and click Forget. Your computer will no longer connect to it automatically and you will need to enter the password again if you want to reconnect later.
When to get help
If your computer cannot connect to any Wi-Fi network, if connections drop frequently or if your internet is consistently slow, there may be a hardware, driver or network configuration issue. You can also try restarting your router to see if that resolves the problem. Recloud manages business networks and can troubleshoot connectivity problems.