Fix WiFi dropping on Windows 11 22H2: disable power saving

Your WiFi keeps dropping — here's the fix

If your WiFi disconnects randomly every few minutes or hours — especially after the Windows 11 22H2 update — the culprit is almost always the adapter's power saving mode. Microsoft changed how Windows manages power for network adapters in 22H2, and it's broken for a lot of hardware.

Step 1: Open Device Manager

Right-click the Start button (or press Win + X).
Select Device Manager.

Step 2: Find your WiFi adapter

Expand Network adapters.
Look for something like Intel(R) Wireless-AC 9560, Realtek RTL8821CE, or Qualcomm Atheros QCA61x4A.
Right-click it and choose Properties.

Step 3: Disable power saving

Go to the Power Management tab.
Uncheck Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.
Click OK.

If you don't see a Power Management tab, your driver might be too old or generic. Update the driver first, then check again.

Why this works

Windows 11 22H2 introduced a more aggressive power-saving policy for network adapters. When the system thinks the WiFi is idle — even for a split second — it tells the adapter to go into a low-power state. The adapter wakes up slowly, and by the time it's ready, the router has dropped the connection or the DHCP lease has expired. You see a brief disconnect, then the adapter reconnects a few seconds later. Disabling power management stops this cycle entirely.

This isn't a driver bug — it's a Windows policy change. That's why updating the driver often doesn't help. I've seen this on Intel AX201, Realtek 8852AE, and even some Killer WiFi cards. All of them behave the same way until you kill the power saving.

Less common variations of the same issue

1. Event ID 50036 (DHCP renewal failure)

If your WiFi drops for exactly 30–60 seconds and then comes back, check the System log for Event ID 50036. This means the adapter missed the DHCP renewal window because it was in sleep mode. Fix is the same — disable power management. But also run this command to force a DHCP renewal after the change:

ipconfig /release && ipconfig /renew

2. Teredo / IPv6 tunneling causing drops

Some users see WiFi drop specifically when launching Xbox apps or using VPNs. This isn't the adapter — it's Teredo. To fix it, open Command Prompt as admin and run:

netsh int teredo set state disabled

Then restart your PC. This stops Windows from trying to tunnel IPv6 over your WiFi, which can confuse older routers.

3. 2.4GHz vs 5GHz band preference

If your adapter supports both bands, Windows might switch between them and drop the connection for a second. To lock it to 5GHz (which is less crowded):

Open Device Manager.
Right-click your WiFi adapter > Properties > Advanced tab.
Find Preferred Band or Band and set it to 5 GHz.
If you don't see that option, look for Wireless Mode and choose 802.11a/n/ac (avoids 2.4-only modes).

Prevention — keep it stable going forward

Once you've disabled power management, do these two things so it stays fixed:

Block Windows from reverting the setting. After a feature update (23H2, 24H2, etc.), Windows sometimes resets power management to default. Check Device Manager after every major update. Or use this PowerShell script to force it off:
```
Get-NetAdapter -Name "Wi-Fi" | Disable-NetAdapterPowerManagement
```
Update your router's firmware. Old routers with buggy DHCP servers can make the problem worse. Log into your router, check for firmware updates, and install them. Also, disable WiFi Agile Multiband in the router settings if you see it — that feature often causes reconnection loops.
Set a static DNS. Using your ISP's DNS can cause timeouts when Windows tries to resolve names quickly. Switch to 1.1.1.1 or 8.8.8.8 in your adapter's IPv4 settings. This won't fix drops, but it will make reconnects faster.

That's it. The power management setting is the single most common cause. Don't bother reinstalling drivers or running network resets — I've seen people waste hours on those. One checkbox change, and you're done.