How to fix “The Windows wireless service is not running on this computer” error in Windows 11

What is “The Windows wireless service is not running on this computer” error

“The Windows wireless service is not running on this computer” is an error message that some users may encounter while trying to run the in-built wireless network troubleshooter on Windows 11 (other Windows versions may apply as well). There are a number of reasons why this can happen – misconfigured network settings, obsolete Wi-Fi adapter drivers, disabled AutoConfig service, corrupted or missing files, and other possible causes. Our guide features 5 solutions and one of them might be able to resolve the issue eventually. Comply with our instructions in the proposed sequence below until the error becomes resolved.

1. Configure Windows Connection Manager and WLAN AutoConfig services

One of the most common reasons for facing “The Windows wireless service is not running on this computer” error is related to improperly configured or disabled Windows Connection Manager and WLAN AutoConfig services. Thus, let’s make sure everything is set the right way with these steps below:

1. Press Windows + R buttons and copy-paste services.msc. Click OK or press Enter to open it up.
2. Then, find Windows Connection Manager from the list. Right-click on it and choose Properties.
3. In the General tab make sure Startup type is set to Automatic. Click Apply and OK at the end.
4. Then, right-click on Windows Connection Manager again and select Restart. This will restart the service and make sure it works correctly.
5. After this, find another service called WLAN AutoConfig from the same list. Right-click on it and choose Properties.
6. Make sure Startup type is set to Automatic. Click on Start to initiate the service.
7. Then, click Apply and OK to save the changes.

Finally, you can now restart your PC and see if it resolves the WLAN issue.

2. Update Network Adapter driver

Outdated drivers may be causing your network connection to fail and lead to various errors. It is always a good idea to keep your drivers up-to-date since they are the key to better performance and system stability (though there are exceptions). Follow these steps below to update your Network Adapter driver and potentially fix the issue.

1. Right-click on the Windows 11 icon and select Device Manager.
2. Find and expand Network adapters.
3. Right-click on your network adapter, select Update Driver, choose Search automatically for drivers and follow the on-screen instructions.
4. Windows will start searching for available updates and automatically install them on your computer.

Updating each driver manually can be time- and energy-consuming. If you want to update drivers faster in bulk, we recommend using a special utility called Driver Booster from IObit. The program is equipped and always updated with broad databases of drivers for all Windows devices. You can download it using the button below.

Driver Booster start screen

Driver Booster scan results

Driver Booster tools section

3. Check integrity of the system files

Corrupted system file elements may lead to various system errors and instabilities. You can use SFC (System File Checker) and DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) scanning utilities to detect and restore absent components if it is the case. Make sure to use both utilities as they may have a different impact on solving the problem. This is how:

Using SFC

1. Open Command Prompt by typing cmd into the searching loop next to the Start Menu button.
2. Right-click on Command Prompt and choose Run as administrator.
3. Once the console is opened, type the sfc /scannow command and click Enter.
4. When the fixing process is done, restart your computer.

Using DISM

1. Open Command Prompt as we did in the previous step.
2. Copy and paste this command DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth.
3. Click Enter and wait until Windows ends the scanning and fixing.
4. Once done, restart your PC and see if the error has vanished.

4. Reset TCP/IP

It is also possible that the issue occurs due to the incorrect TCP/IP configuration. TCP/IP is a set of fundamental protocols used to set up proper communication for the Internet and similar computer networks. Try to reset it using the manual below:

1. Find the Command Prompt by typing cmd into the searching box. Then right-click on it and choose Run as administrator.
2. In the opened window, you should paste these commands one-by-one by clicking Enter after each.

netsh winsock reset
netsh int ip reset

ipconfig /release
ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /renew

Hopefully this method will finally eliminate the problem.

5. Use System Restore Point

As a last resort, if all other methods above failed to resolve the error eventually, our recommendation is to use System Restore. Unless you installed Windows just now, there should be a backup point stored by the system prior to the appearance of the “The Windows wireless service is not running on this computer” error. Let’s try to find this point and restore your system through it.

1. Open Control Panel as we did in the steps above.
2. Set View by to Large icons and choose Recovery. You can also find it using the search box.
3. Click Open System Restore and select Next.
4. Choose a restore point you want to you from the list and click Scan for affected programs to see what programs will be deleted upon restoration. If there are no Restore points visible, try to choose Show more restore points.
5. Click Next again and Finish to finalize the process and let Windows restore your system from the selected backup.
6. We hope this finally led to the end of the error.

Summary

“The Windows wireless service is not running on this computer” can be frustrating to see as it does not allow users to run their Internet activity. However, as was demonstrated in this article, there are several ways you can use to resolve the arising issue. We hope you managed to benefit from them eventually and now can flawlessly use your wireless network. If you find yourself facing any other error or security threats in the future, feel free to use our website and find the right article for you. Each day we publish new materials and solution/removal instructions on topics related to various computer errors and malware threats.