How to enable or disable Wi-Fi in Windows 11

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Wi-Fi is next to Ethernet one of the main ways of connecting a device to the Internet. A PC needs a wireless adapter or chip to support Wi-Fi. The majority of mobile devices, for example laptops and tablets, support wireless connectivity.

This guide provides step-by-step instructions on disabling or enabling wireless Internet connectivity on Windows 11 PCs. It also lists examples when this may be useful.

The default: Wi-Fi is enabled by default on Windows 11. This means that the device is actively looking for wireless access points to connect to. Once a connection has been established, Windows will try to connect to the access point automatically.

Reasons for wanting to turn Wi-Fi off

• The device connects to the Internet via an Ethernet cable.
  
• You want to or have to block Internet connectivity for a time or permanently.
  
• Simplify network management.
  

Enable or disable Wi-Fi in the Quick Settings

Step 1: Click on the Wi-Fi icon displayed in the System Tray area on the Windows 11 taskbar. You find it on the right side of the taskbar next to volume.



Tip: you can also press the keys Windows and A together to display the Quick Settings.

Step 2: Click on the Wi-Fi symbol displayed in the Quick Settings interface. This toggles Wi-Fi on the device. A blue background indicates that Wi-Fi is enabled, a white background that it is turned off.



Optional: You may also use the interface to connect to a different wireless access point. For this, it is necessary to click on the right-arrow icon in the Quick Settings next to the wireless icon.



Note that I removed the names of the access points. They are displayed next to the strength indicator in the interface. There is also a Wi-Fi toggle on the page to enable or disable Wi-Fi.

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