- On Windows 11, open Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings.
- Click the Disable button for the network adapter to disable.
- Click the Enable button for the network adapter to enable.
Windows 11 makes it easy to enable or disable network adapters from the Settings app, so you no longer have to use Control Panel.
Although Control Panel is still available on Windows 11, you will no longer need to use it to disable or enable a WiFi or Ethernet network adapter because the option is now part of the Settings app. This will come in handy when you have problems with a network connection, and disabling and re-enabling it may fix the problem when you have more than one adapter and want to disable the ones you don’t need.
Whatever the reason, the Windows 11 Settings app includes the settings on the “Network & internet” advanced settings page.
In this guide, you will learn the enable or disable network adapters on Windows 11. (See also the video tutorial to complete this task.)
Disable network adapter on Windows 11
To disable a WiFi or Ethernet network adapter on Windows 11, use these steps:
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Open Settings on Windows 11.
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Click on Network & internet.
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Click the Advanced network settings tab on the right side.
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Under the “Network adapters” section, click the Disable button to turn off the WiFi or Ethernet network adapter on Windows 11.
The network adapter will disable once you complete the steps, and connections won’t be allowed. If you are troubleshooting a connection problem, you can use the steps below to re-enable it.
Enable network adapter on Windows 11
To enable a network adapter on Windows 11, use these steps:
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Open Settings.
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Click on Network & internet.
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Click the Advanced network settings tab on the right side.
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Under the “Network adapters” section, click the Enable button to turn on the WiFi or Ethernet network adapter on Windows 11.
After you complete the steps, the wireless or wired network adapter will enable it to begin accepting connections on Windows 11.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows expert and the Editor-in-Chief who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He is also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 12 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows, software, and related technologies, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me.