(Fixed) ‘Wi-Fi won’t turn on’ Issue: 6 easy ways

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Some users are facing the Wi-Fi won’t turn on’ Issue on their devices. Nowadays, everyone needs the internet, and it is quite difficult to survive without it. We use the Internet in one form or another for a significant portion of the day. We all have Wi-Fi at home and at work, but occasionally it just does not activate.

When you need to access the Internet but the Wi-Fi just won’t switch on, it is really annoying. One issue We’ve heard about and have personally dealt with is not being able to switch on wifi. Although not usually a Windows 11/10 bug, it does appear to occur regularly. Even with a Wi-Fi router installed, we occasionally are unable to connect to it.

This is due to a bug that affects many Android phone and prevents the Wi-Fi from turning on. This is a really annoying bug that needs to be removed or repaired right now. We mentioned below are the ways to fix Wi-Fi won’t turn on’ Issue.

How To Fix ‘WiFi won’t turn on’ Issue on windows

Change the property of your wireless network adapter

Corrupt network settings could be the cause of the “Windows 11 Wi-Fi won’t turn on” problem. Additionally, some users were able to solve their “Wi-Fi won’t turn on” issues by altering a setting on their Wi-Fi adapter. You can do the following: You can also go to the official Microsoft support site for more information about this issue.

1. On your keyboard, press the Windows logo key and R at the same time to open the Run box.
2. Type devmgmt.msc and press Enter to access Device Manager.
3. Expand the Network adapters entry.
4. Right-click on your WiFi network adapter, and select Properties.
5. Click the Advanced tab.
6. Under Property, select 802.11n Channel Width for band 2.4, then change the value from auto to 20 MHz Only.
7. Click OK. WiFi should work after that. If it still doesn’t turn on, try Method 3, below.

Uninstall and reinstall your network adapter driver

You can also investigate if fixing your Wi-Fi issue involves deleting your network adapter driver.

1. Go to Device Manager.
2. Expand the Network adapters entry, right-click on your Wi-Fi network adapter, and select Uninstall device.
3. Click Uninstall.
4. Restart your computer, and Windows will automatically reinstall a driver for your network adapter.
5. Check to see if your Wi-Fi now works. If not, try Method 5, below.

Run network adapter troubleshooter

The helpful tool, network adapter troubleshooter, can also be used to attempt to solve the “Windows 11 WiFi won’t turn on” issue. The instructions below can be used to launch the network adapter troubleshooter:

1. Type troubleshoot in the search box and press Enter.
2. Click Internet Connections, then click Run the troubleshooter.
3. Click Network Adapter, then click Run the troubleshooter.
4. Check to see if your Wi-Fi problem is fixed. If not, try Method 6, below.

Verify the WiFi switch is toggled on

On a laptop, a WiFi connection switch or button is typically present. If you’ve been unable to connect to WiFi on your laptop, you should test by repeatedly toggling the WiFi switch.

Update your network adapter driver

WiFi might also not turn on if the network adapter driver is damaged or out-of-date. To more effectively troubleshoot your “Windows 10 WiFi won’t turn on” issue, you can update your network adapter driver. Your network adapter driver can be updated manually or automatically.

Manually updating your network adapter driver is possible by visiting the website of the hardware manufacturer and looking for the most recent driver for your network adapter. If you choose this route, however, make sure to pick a driver that works with both your specific hardware model number and Windows version.

Update your network adapter driver automatically – Driver Easy can update your network adapter driver automatically if you don’t have the time, patience, or computer know-how to do it manually. You don’t have to be aware of the specific operating system that your computer is using, take the chance of downloading and installing the incorrect driver, or stress over making a mistake during installation. Driver Easy manages everything.

1. Download and install Driver Easy.
2. Run Driver Easy and click Scan Now. Driver Easy will then scan your computer and detect any problem drivers.
3. Click Update next to any flagged devices to automatically download the correct version of their drivers, then you can install them manually. Or click Update All to automatically download and install them all automatically. 
4. Once you’ve updated your network adapter driver, check if you can turn on WiFi.

Perform a system restore

We advise running a system restore on your computer if the procedures above didn’t help you and your “Windows 10 WiFi won’t turn on” problem started only recently. Without harming your personal files, it will roll back your system files and settings to a previous time when WiFi was operating properly on your computer. How to execute a system restore is as follows:

1. Type recovery in the Windows search box, then press Enter.
2. At Recovery, click Open System Restore.
3. Select Choose a different restore point, and click Next.
4. Choose the box next to More restoration points, please. A list of “restore points” should appear. They resemble computer backups as they existed at that specific period and date. Choose a restore point from that date or a little earlier, and remember the last time you were able to connect to WiFi (but no later).
5. Click Next > Finish.
6. Check to see if you’re now able to turn on WiFi on your Windows 11 computer.

How To Fix ‘WiFi won’t turn on’ Issue on Smartphone

Disable Battery Saver

As was previously said, the battery saver could be to blame for Wi-Fi not starting up normally. Although the power saver mode might help you extend the battery life in emergency situations, leaving it on all the time is not a good idea.

The simple explanation for this is that the battery conserves energy by reducing some of the device’s functionality. It stops background-running applications, dims the screen, turns off the WiFi, etc. Hence, if your gadget has enough battery life, turn off battery saver to see if it helps. To see how, follow the steps below:

1. Firstly, open Settings on your device.
2. Now tap on the Battery option.
3. Here, make sure that the toggle switch next to “Power saving mode” or “Battery Saver” is disabled.
4. After that, try turning on your Wi-Fi and see if you’re able to fix Wi-Fi won’t turn on Android Phone issue.

Power Cycle the Phone

Removing your phone from the power source entirely is referred to as power cycling your device. If your device has a removable battery, you can take it out after your device has been turned off. Before reinstalling the battery in your smartphone, set it aside for at least 5 to 10 minutes.

If your smartphone does not have a removable battery, there is an alternative method that requires holding down the power button for 15 to 20 seconds. After turning off the mobile device, wait at least five minutes before turning it back on. It’s useful to restart your device to fix a variety of smartphone-related problems. Try it; it might help your Android phone’s Wi-Fi start up normally.

Reboot your Device

No matter what issue you are having, a straightforward reboot will solve it. We’ll start our list of fixes with the tried-and-true “Have you tried turning it off and on again?” because of this. If you haven’t already, we firmly suggest you to give it a shot even though it might seem unclear and unnecessary.

Tap the Restart/Reboot button after holding down the power button until the power menu appears on the screen. Try turning on your Wi-Fi from the Quick settings menu when the device first turns on and see if it works. If not, move on to the following solution.

Update the Router Firmware

If none of the aforementioned solutions resolve the issue, your router may be to blame. If the router’s firmware isn’t updated, it could interfere with Wi-Fi authentication or connections. To see how, follow the steps below:

1. Firstly, open your browser and type in the IP address of your router’s website.
2. You can find this IP address printed at the back of the router along with the default username and password.
3. Once you reach the login page, sign with the username and password. Not in most cases, both the username and password are ‘admin’ by default.
4. If that doesn’t work, then you can also contact your network service provider ask them for the login credentials.
5. Once you have logged in to your router’s firmware, go to the Advanced tab.
6. Here, click on the Firmware upgrade option.
7. Now, simply follow the on-screen instructions, and your router’s firmware will be upgraded.

Perform a Factory Reset

The time has come to pull out the big guns if none of the previous strategies succeed. You can perform a factory reset on your smartphone to completely erase all of its data and restore it to its initial settings. It will revert to how it was when it was first opened. A factory reset would remove all of your apps, data, and other content from your phone, including music, photos, and movies.

This is why you ought to make a backup before performing a factory reset. When you attempt to factory reset your phone, the majority of phones prompt you to backup your data. You have the option of manually backing up or using the built-in utility.

1. Go to the Settings of your phone then tap on the System tab.
2. Now, if you haven’t already backed up your data, click on the Backup your data option to save your data on Google Drive.
3. After that, click on the Reset tab.
4. Now, click on the Reset Phone option.
5. This will take some time. Once the phone restarts again, try switching on your Wi-Fi again and see if it works properly or not.

Free up RAM

As was already said, Wi-Fi won’t activate if your device has less than 45 MB of free memory. Your phone’s memory running out might be brought on by a variety of circumstances. Even when you are not using the computer or when the screen is not active, background processes, updates, open apps, etc., continue to use RAM.

Closing background-running applications is the only option to release memory, thus clearing out the Recent Apps section is necessary. Also, if you want to free up RAM, you can utilise a memory booster tool that periodically terminates background processes.

Many Android handsets come with a memory booster app already installed, while others can simply download third-party programmes like CCleaner from the Play Store. Here is a step-by-step tutorial for clearing Memory.

1. Start by going to the home screen and selecting the Recent apps tab. It may be done so using the Recent applications button or a gesture like swiping up from the bottom left corner of the screen, depending on the OEM.
2. Now delete all the apps by either clicking straight on the trash can icon or immediately sliding their thumbnails up or down.
3. After that, install a third-party RAM booster app like CCleaner.
4. Now open the app and follow the on-screen instructions to give the app all the Access Permissions that it needs.
5. Use the app to scan your device for junk files, unused apps, duplicate files, etc. and eliminate them.
6. You can also find one-tap buttons on the screen to Boost memory, free up space, cleaning tips, etc.
7. Once you have completed a cleanup using this app, try switching on your Wi-Fi and see if it works properly or not.

FAQ

Why is my Wi-Fi not turning on?

Tap Connections under Settings on your Android device. Ascertain that the Wi-Fi switch is turned on. To reset the connection, you can try turning the setting off and back on. Your Android device won’t be able to connect to Wi-Fi if it is too far away from the modem.

How do I force my Wi-Fi to turn on?

Choose for Control Panel from the Start Menu. Networking and Sharing Center can be accessed by clicking the Network and Internet category. Choose Change adapter settings from the menu on the left. Enable is selected by performing a right-click on the Wireless Connection icon.

How do I fix dead Wi-Fi?

Another simple fix for dead zones is to purchase an extra device like a WiFi repeater or extender that rebroadcasts signal to places where the original router has difficulties reaching.