SOLVED Windows 10 won't display available Wi-Fi Networks

[anihcbm]

After a large update, my Windows 10 computer won't show available Wi-Fi networks. I can still connect to networks I've used before, but nothing I do displays any new networks. The icon in the bottom left of the tray only gives options to troubleshoot or open the network center. Clicking "Show available networks" in the settings does nothing.

 

[messier81flora]

The network adapter can get messed up after updates. Have you tried reinstalling the Wi-Fi drivers? You can do this by going to Device Manager, finding your network adapter under 'Network adapters', right-clicking it, and selecting 'Uninstall device'. Then restart your computer, and Windows should automatically reinstall the driver for you.

 

[UserNr_2452]

If reinstalling the driver doesn't work, you might want to check if your Wi-Fi service is running. You can do this by pressing Win + R, typing services.msc, and hitting Enter. In the Services window, scroll down to find the WLAN AutoConfig service. Make sure it's running and set to Automatic. If it's not, right-click it, select Properties, and set the Startup type to Automatic, then start the service.

 

[anihcbm]

I tried both of your suggestions. The driver reinstalled correctly, but the problem persists. The WLAN AutoConfig service was already running and set to Automatic. Do you think resetting the network settings would help?

 

[StraightonPoint84]

Resetting the network settings is definitely worth a try. You can do this by going to Settings > Network & Internet > Status and clicking on Network reset at the bottom. This will remove and reinstall all your network adapters and reset networking components to their default settings. Keep in mind you'll need to reconnect to your Wi-Fi networks afterward.

 

[Alteflynepew2]

If resetting the network settings doesn't resolve the issue, you might want to look into possible conflicts caused by the recent update. Sometimes, a large Windows update can cause problems with certain network configurations or third-party software. Consider performing a System Restore to a point before the update was installed. Go to Control Panel > System and Security > System > System protection > System Restore and follow the prompts.

 

[anihcbm]

I did the network reset, and it seemed to fix the issue! I can see the available networks now and connect to new ones without any problem. Thanks a lot, everyone, for your help!

 

[StraightonPoint84]

I did the network reset, and it seemed to fix the issue! I can see the available networks now and connect to new ones without any problem. Thanks a lot, everyone, for your help!

Glad to hear it's working! If the problem crops up again, it might be worth keeping an eye on any new updates or software changes that occur around the same time. Sometimes these issues can be indicative of a larger problem with how updates are applied. Cheers!