WiFi keeps dropping on Windows 11: the real fix

Quick answer

Open Device Manager, find your WiFi adapter under Network adapters, right-click it, select Properties, go to the Power Management tab, uncheck "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power", and click OK. Reboot your PC.

Why this happens

You're sitting there, browsing, and suddenly — WiFi drops. You check your phone, it's fine. Your roommate's computer, also fine. But your Windows 11 machine disconnects for a few seconds, then reconnects. Sometimes it happens every 10 minutes. Sometimes every hour.

The usual suspect is a "feature" called power management on your WiFi adapter. Windows 11, trying to save battery, tells the adapter: "Hey, if nobody's using you for a bit, go to sleep." The problem is the adapter takes that too literally. It goes to sleep even when you're actively streaming, downloading, or gaming.

This happens most often on laptops, but I've seen it on desktops with USB WiFi adapters too. Specific triggers: closing a laptop lid and opening it again, plugging or unplugging the power cord, or just a system update that resets your power settings.

Fix: Disable power management on your WiFi adapter

1. Press Windows + X and select Device Manager. You'll see a list of all your hardware.
2. Expand Network adapters by clicking the arrow next to it. You'll see a few items here — your WiFi adapter usually has "WiFi" or "Wireless" in the name.
3. Right-click your WiFi adapter and select Properties. A window with multiple tabs opens.
4. Click the Power Management tab. This tab may not exist on some adapters — if it's missing, skip to the alternative fixes below.
5. Uncheck the box that says "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power". It's usually checked by default.
6. Click OK to close the window.
7. Restart your computer. After the reboot, test your WiFi.

After doing this, the adapter should stay awake all the time. Your WiFi should stop dropping randomly. If it doesn't, move to the next step.

If that didn't work: update or roll back the driver

Sometimes the driver itself is buggy. Here's how to fix that:

1. Back in Device Manager, right-click your WiFi adapter and select Update driver.
2. Choose Search automatically for drivers. Windows will check online and install any newer version.
3. If it says you already have the best driver, or the problem persists, try rolling back. Right-click the adapter, select Properties, go to the Driver tab, and click Roll Back Driver if it's not grayed out. This undoes the last driver update.

Don't skip the rollback — sometimes newer drivers introduce exactly this problem. I've seen it with Intel and Realtek adapters on Windows 11 version 22H2 and 23H2.

Alternative fix: disable 802.11n or 802.11ac mode

If the above steps don't work, the adapter might be fighting with your router over which WiFi standard to use. Here's how to lock it down:

1. In Device Manager, right-click your WiFi adapter and select Properties.
2. Go to the Advanced tab. This tab has a list of settings.
3. Look for a setting called 802.11n mode or Wireless Mode. It might also say VHT 2.4G or 802.11ac.
4. Set it to 802.11g or 802.11a (whichever is available). This forces a slower but more stable connection.
5. Click OK and restart.

This is a band-aid, not a permanent fix. But if you're desperate for stable WiFi right now, it works.

Prevention tip: check your power plan

Once you've fixed the dropping, don't let Windows undo it. Windows updates sometimes reset your power management settings. To prevent that:

• After a major Windows update (like 23H2 to 24H2), recheck the Power Management tab in Device Manager.
• Also check your power plan: go to Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Power Options, click Change plan settings next to your active plan, then Change advanced power settings. Find Wireless Adapter Settings and set Power Saving Mode to Maximum Performance.

Do that, and the dropping should stay gone.