It’s crucial for users to keep Windows 10 updated. They contain patches for system security flaws, bug fixes, latest anti-malware definitions, and optimizations for improving system performance and general usability. However, the Windows feature and optional quality updates are also infamous for causing inadvertent problems.
One of the most common issues users face after installing an update is the complete loss of network connectivity. Whether the user is on Wi-Fi or Ethernet, they might face problems when connecting to the internet and accessing local network resources (e.g., network-attached storage, wireless printers).
Chances are you also are having trouble connecting to the web or your local network hub after updating Windows 10, bringing you here looking for help. Lucky for you, this guide provides a handful of ways to troubleshoot the network-related issues that occur after Windows updates.
Fix common network problems after Windows 10 update
If a cumulative or optional quality update disconnects you from the network, consider trying out some of the general troubleshooting steps to fix the issue quickly.
Restart your PC
A simple restart can fix most common network-related issues. While it’s pretty obvious, note that it might not work out for everyone. Here’s how to reboot your Windows 10 PC:
- First, open the Start menu from the taskbar or press the Windows key on the keyboard.
- Select the Power option right above the Windows logo.
- Click Restart and wait for your device to finish rebooting to Windows 10.
Once you log into your desktop, open a browser tab and check whether a website is loading correctly. If the network icon in the notification tray is active, you should be able to connect to the internet without issues.
Enable Wi-Fi
If you still can’t connect to the internet, check if Wi-Fi is enabled or not. Here’s how to do it:
- First of all, open Settings from the Start menu.
- Go to Network & Internet settings page, then select Wi-Fi in the left pane.
- Click the toggle switch under Wi-Fi to enable wireless connectivity.
You can also select the “Not connected” network icon in the taskbar notification tray and click the Wi-Fi logo to open the menu.
Reconnect to your Wi-Fi access point
If you have a laptop, the network-related problem could be associated with its Wi-Fi adapter. The basic solution to this issue is to reconnect to your wireless network. Simply perform these steps:
- Head over to the Network & Internet menu from the Settings app.
- Select Wi-Fi in the left settings pane, then disable the Wi-Fi toggle switch.
- Enable Wi-Fi once again and wait for your device to scan for nearby Wi-Fi networks.
- Click Show available networks on the Wi-Fi settings page and choose your wireless access point from the list.
- Click Connect, confirm your Wi-Fi password and click the Next button.
Provided you have followed the above steps, your Windows computer should now be connected to the network. In case you can’t find the Wi-Fi option in the Settings, it most likely indicates a missing driver or a hardware issue.
It’s worth mentioning that modern Wi-Fi routers offer dual-band network connectivity. If you have both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequencies enabled from the router configuration page, try connecting to the different access points to check if that fixes the error.
Delete your existing Wi-Fi profile and create a new one
When you connect to a wireless access point, Windows saves the settings and credentials associated with it as a profile. If you face trouble connecting to your existing network, it could be related to the particular profile; not the Windows update.
The steps below will show you how to delete and create your Wi-Fi profile on Windows 10:
- Head over to the Settings > Network & Internet page from the Start menu.
- Select Wi-Fi from the sidebar, then click Manage known networks under the following section.
- After that, select the access point in question and hit the Forget button.
- Now return to your desktop and click the network button in the taskbar notification tray.
- Choose your wireless access point from the list and click Connect.
- Finally, enter your Wi-Fi password (if there is any) and click Next.
Once you finish the steps, open your preferred web browser to check if you have internet access.
Check your network adapter settings
Windows updates can sometimes change system settings without the user’s permission. For instance, the recently installed update may disable your network adapter, blocking wired or wireless internet connectivity in the process.
To enable a network adapter on Windows 10, follow the below steps.
- Go to the Start menu and start typing “ncpa.cpl” (without the quotes), then select the top result.
- On the Network Connections window, right-click your primary network adapter and click Enable. Ignore if you see the Disable option.
Upon enabling the network adapter, you should be able to reconnect to your network and internet once again.
Turn off Airplane mode
With the “Airplane mode” enabled on Windows 10, you can’t access the internet or even connect to a Bluetooth device. In rare cases, updates enable the feature without notifying you about it, so you need to turn it off manually. Here’s how:
- Go to the Settings app from the Start menu and visit the Network & Internet page.
- Select Airplane mode in the left pane, followed by clicking the toggle switch under the Airplane mode option.
If everything goes correctly, you should get the option to reconnect to your home or office network.
Reboot your router
If none of the above troubleshooting steps work out for you, we recommend restarting the router. Although it isn’t necessary most of the time, a restart can fix even the simplest connectivity issues. Use these steps to reboot your home network router:
- Unplug your router from the power source.
- Wait for a minute or so.
- Plug your network router back into its power source again and wait for a few moments again.
Once you see the active network icon in the notification tray, try loading a website from the browser again.
You can also open a Command Prompt window and enter the “ping google.com” command (without the quotes) to test the connectivity. If you get successful replies without any packet loss, it means your internet connection is working as intended.
Fix network connectivity on Windows 10 using the troubleshooter
As many of you already know, Windows 10 offers a troubleshooter tool that lets users diagnose and fix various issues, including networking problems. Here’s how to use it:
- Go to the Start menu to open the Settings app.
- Click Update & Security in the Settings, followed by selecting Troubleshoot in the left pane.
- Now select Additional troubleshooter under the “Recommended troubleshooting” section.
- After that, select Internet Connections under the “Get up and running” section, and then click Run the troubleshooter.
- On the following troubleshooter window, select the “Troubleshoot my connection to the internet” option.
- Select the “Try these repairs as an administrator” option and follow the on-screen prompts.
Once the troubleshooter tool scans and tries to mitigate the connectivity issues, restart your computer and check if you can access the internet.
Initiate a network reset from the Settings
At this point, if you are still having trouble connecting your Windows 10 PC to the network, we advise you to reset all the network settings to fix the problems. Simply perform these steps:
- First, open Settings from the Start menu, then head over to the Network & Internet page.
- Select Status in the left settings pane, followed by clicking the Network reset option under the “Advanced network settings” section.
- On the Network reset menu, hit the Reset now button. Click Yes to continue.
Your device will now restart on its own. Upon booting back to Windows, you should be able to connect to the internet again over either Wi-Fi or Ethernet.
Since all your Windows networking configuration is reverted to the factory settings, you will have to re-enter your Wi-Fi password and reconfigure other apps that are dependent on your network.
Uninstall recent Windows update to fix the network problems
We already have established the fact that buggy Windows updates can cause networking issues. Although it isn’t recommended in most cases, you can uninstall a recent quality update to resolve the network problems until Microsoft rolls out a hotfix.
- Visit the Update & Security page from the Settings app.
- Select Windows Update in the sidebar, then click View update history on the following screen.
- Select Uninstall updates on the next page. It will open up a new “Installed Updates” window.
- Choose the most recent Windows update that you think might be causing the network problems from the list.
- Hit the Uninstall option, then click Yes to continue uninstalling the update.
- Finally, click Restart now and wait for your PC to finish restarting.
Hopefully, you should have access to the internet again upon removing the recent Windows 10 update.
If your networking problem is caused by a feature update, go to Settings > Update & Security > Recovery and click Get started under the “Go back to a previous version of Windows 10” option. After that, you can go through the on-screen steps to roll back to the Windows 10 version you previously had installed on your computer.
Talha Ali is your tech generalist, covering a wide spectrum of topics within the ever-evolving world of technology. With a curiosity for the latest innovations, industry trends, and breakthroughs. Whether it’s hardware, software, emerging technologies, or the intersection of tech with daily life, Talha’s articles provide readers with a well-rounded perspective on the dynamic landscape of the tech industry.