Windows 11 · Windows
Update a Wi-Fi Driver in Windows 11
Source-checked About 10 minutes
Answer
Install Windows and optional driver updates first, then update the network adapter in Device Manager or use the PC manufacturer's exact Wi-Fi driver.
Record the adapter and current driver
Open Device Manager > Network adapters, find the wireless adapter, then open Properties > Driver and note its name, Driver Date, Driver Version, and any Device Manager problem code. This makes the post-update comparison meaningful.
Check Windows Update
Open Settings > Windows Update, select Check for updates, and install available Windows and relevant driver updates. Restart if prompted.
Check whether Windows detects Wi-Fi
Return to Device Manager > Network adapters. If the wireless adapter is present but disabled, right-click it and select Enable device. If it is absent, Windows is not detecting it and an exact model-specific driver may be required.
Update through Device Manager
Right-click the detected wireless adapter, select Update driver > Search automatically for drivers, follow the prompts, and restart when requested.
Use the official manufacturer source
If Windows finds nothing newer, compare the recorded Driver Date and Version with the PC manufacturer's support page for the exact model. Install only a driver listed for that hardware and Windows version.
Verify the adapter and connection
After restart, confirm the wireless adapter is present without an error in Device Manager, compare its driver details with the recorded values, and connect once to a trusted Wi-Fi network.
Optional sponsored tool
A Wi-Fi driver should come from Windows Update or the exact hardware manufacturer's support page, not FixUWin. This retained sponsored link is optional; Tech How may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Video walkthrough
If it does not work
- If the adapter is still missing, download the exact PC-model driver on another computer and transfer it by USB. If the manufacturer offers no compatible Windows driver or Device Manager reports a hardware error, stop using third-party driver updaters and contact the PC manufacturer.
Sources and verification
Checked against official documentation on . Scope: Windows.
Microsoft's current Wi-Fi troubleshooting guidance documents checking Windows Update, comparing adapter driver version and date, and using the exact PC manufacturer's driver when Windows does not detect the adapter.