Wi-Fi Icon Missing in Windows? Here’s How to Bring it Back

Do not panic if your Wi-Fi icon has suddenly disappeared? No one knows if your network card has been a failure for your . Often, a software hiccup is simply the easiest fix for ‘no Wi-Fi icon’ that can be easily fixed with fewer quick changes. The most common troubleshooting steps are listed below in this guide to restore the lost Wi-Fi icon on Windows.

Fixes for Possible Software Glitch

When it’s just a Wi-Fi icon and the internet is working fine, then there will be no software error which could easily be corrected. The most common and fastest solution is to restart the File Explorer in Windows. This will reset the taskbar and system tray state of a computer, which should return the Wi-Fi icon.

If the icon is a blank space or broken icon image, you can rebuild the cache for an icon when it’s just re-updating. For this, you’ll have to make a Registry edit But for the sake of making this easier we are giving – in our case – PowerShell command below to apply the change automatically ‘You’re going to be an easy one.


Stop-Process

-Name

explorer

-Force

$path

=

"HKCU:\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\TrayNotify"

Remove-ItemProperty

-Path

$path

-Name

"IconStreams"

-ErrorAction

SilentlyContinue

Remove-ItemProperty

-Path

$path

-Name

"PastIconsStream"

-ErrorAction

SilentlyContinue
Start

-

Process explorer.exe

Furthermore you can try a cold restart as fast startup is enabled by default on Windows, so that fast startup will also be tried. In the power menu, just hold the Shift key and click Shutdown. wait a minute before starting PC.

Ensure Airplane Mode is Disabled

if airplane mode is enabled, then the Wi-Fi icon will go away and be replaced with a plane icon. On laptops, make sure you haven’t accidentally activated airplane mode (which is easy to do on a laptop), as most of the shortcut or physical button are dedicated to enable it.

To enter Network & internet, just open Windows Settings and go to NETwork. Please, here ensure that the **Airplane mode option is disabled. A button with the plane icon on your keyboard can also be used to press the Fn key and the key, which is quick enough to quickly turn on/off the airplane mode.

Airplane Mode in Windows 11 settings

Enable WLAN AutoConfig Service

Wi-Fi on your PC is controlled by the Windows service WLAN AutoConfig, which controls the Wi–Fi feature of that system. Not only does the Wi-Fi button get removed if it’s disabled, but the option for Wi–Fi is also deleted from Settings. Most likely the WLAN AutoConfig was disabled somehow if the internet isn’t working and you can’re not in Settings with any Wi-Fi related options, so most probably the WiFi Autoconfig.

In order to enable it back, search “services” in Windows Search and open the Services app on a PC? Here, right-click on the WLAN AutoConfig service and choose***Start* are available.

Starting WLAN AutoConfig service in Windows

Moreover, ensure that its Startup Type is Automatic. If it’s set to Manual, right-click on it and select Properties. Just like the Startup type drop-down menu here, click next to this and select Automatic.

setting Windows service to Automatic

Run the Built-in Network Troubleshooter to Automatically Fix the Missing Wi-Fi Icon

Several Windows-based troubleshooters are built in to resolve most common Windows problems, including one for network problem. It isn’t a magic bullet that can solve all internet problems, but it does fix the most common ones. When a known problem has caused your Wi-Fi icon to go away, the troubleshooter can help fix it.

For example, in Windows Settings, go to System Troubleshoot (***Other troubleshoors) and click on the **Run button next to *Network and Internet**.

Running network Troubleshooter

Upon launch, the troubleshooter will automatically try to detect the problem on its own device and then attempt to identify it. A that finds a problem will either attempt to automatically fix it, or ask permission to apply the fix.

Network Troubleshooter of Windows detecting problem

Manage the Network Adaptor

If none of the above solutions worked, it’s probably a network adaptor problem. Trying to find out what is wrong with network adaptors, so we’ll go from simple fixes to advanced ones. In order Follow the network adaptor fixes below.

Enable Wi-Fi Network Adaptor

This means that, like WLAN AutoConfig service is disabled, a disabled Wi-Fi network adaptor causes no Wi–Fi icon and no settings for WiFi. During Windows Settings, visit Network & internet Advanced network settings and ensure that the Wi-Fi adaptor is enabled.

Network Adaptor enabled

Change Network Adaptor Driver

I think the problem is a network adapter driver, which may be behind this issue. It’s a good thing that your PC has several compatible drivers, so you can easily switch to another one. search “device manager” in Windows Search, and open the Device Manager. CLICK HERE, right-click on your wireless network adaptor and select Update driver

Updating Network Driver

Click on Browse my computer for drivers now and select Let me choose from a list of available drivers on my PC. To install a driver, choose one different from the current installed car and click on Next to install it. If it doesn’t solve the problem, if you have another driver available.

Selecting Network Driver to change

Uninstall Network Adaptor Driver

The network driver can also be uninstalled and let Windows handle the drivers, as well as uninstallation of the network. Using Device Manager, right-click your network driver and select Uninstall Device are selected in DeviceManager. Please make sure that the Attempt to uncheck the driver for this device option is not checked and then click on Uninstall.

Uninstalling Network Driver in Windows

Upon rebooting your PC, Windows will automatically use an advanced network driver for getting you online (and correct the Wi-Fi icon missing problem) and fix it as well. To find a working network driver, you can go to Windows Update in Settings and click on Check for updates.

This is a rare problem, but it can also be caused by hardware problems (in most cases this may be fixed by returning the network card). You may also want to know what to do if your Wi-Fi network stops showing up on your phone.

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