Windows can't connect to this network

How to Fix “Windows can't connect to this network”

Windows Network Error 📄 Windows 10, Windows 11

⚡ Quick answer

"Windows can't connect to this network" appears when Windows fails to join a Wi-Fi network — usually because of a corrupted network profile, wrong password, driver issue, or incompatible security settings.

First, check if your internet is working and what your current IP address is:

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What Causes the “Windows can't connect to this network” Error?

Windows stores a profile for each Wi-Fi network it has connected to. If that profile becomes corrupted (after a router setting change, Windows update, or driver issue), Windows can't use it to authenticate. The error also appears if the network changed its password, security type (WPA2 → WPA3), or if the network adapter driver has a bug.

How to Fix It — 5 Methods

1 Forget and Reconnect to the Network ▶

This is the first fix to try and resolves the majority of cases. Go to Settings → Network & Internet → Wi-Fi → Manage known networks → find your network → click Forget. Then reconnect from scratch: click the Wi-Fi icon in the taskbar, select your network, enter the password. This discards the corrupted profile and creates a fresh one.

2 Flush DNS and Reset Network ▶

Open Command Prompt as administrator and run in order:
netsh winsock reset
netsh int ip reset
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /renew
Restart your computer. These commands reset your entire network stack.

3 Update or Reinstall Wi-Fi Adapter Driver ▶

Open Device Manager (right-click Start) → Network Adapters → right-click your Wi-Fi adapter → Update driver. If updating doesn't help, try: right-click → Uninstall device (check "Delete the driver software") → restart Windows. Windows will automatically reinstall a clean driver.

4 Change Network Security Type ▶

If your router recently switched from WPA2 to WPA3 (or vice versa), Windows may struggle. Log into your router admin panel and try setting security to WPA2/WPA3 mixed mode or WPA2 only. Also check that the router isn't using an incompatible channel width for your adapter (try setting to Auto).

5 Disable IPv6 and Reset TCP/IP ▶

Go to your network adapter properties → uncheck "Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6)" → OK. Then in Command Prompt as administrator: netsh int tcp set heuristics disabled and netsh int tcp set global autotuninglevel=disabled. Restart.

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Some errors are caused by ISP blocks or network restrictions

A VPN bypasses them instantly by routing through a different server.

PureVPN → IPVanish →

✅ Fixed it? Visit tools.examineip.com to confirm your IP address and connection are working correctly.

Frequently Asked Questions

The password is correct but I still can't connect — why?

If the password is definitely right, the issue is the network profile. Forget the network and reconnect from scratch (Fix 1). If that fails, try the driver reinstall (Fix 3).

I can connect to other Wi-Fi networks but not this specific one — what's wrong?

The problem is the stored profile for that specific network or the router's MAC address filter. Forget the network and reconnect. Also check if the router has MAC filtering enabled — add your device's MAC address to the allowed list.

After a Windows update I can't connect to Wi-Fi — what happened?

Windows updates sometimes break Wi-Fi adapter drivers. Roll back the driver: Device Manager → Network Adapters → right-click adapter → Properties → Driver tab → Roll Back Driver. If Roll Back is greyed out, download the driver directly from your laptop or network card manufacturer's website.

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Last updated: April 2, 2026 • Report an error