Chromebook Wi-Fi problems: how to fix them

If your Chromebook cannot join Wi-Fi, says it is connected but pages will not load, or keeps dropping off, start with quick checks and work toward bigger changes. You can stop as soon as it works.

Before you start

First work out whether the problem is the Chromebook or the network. Try your phone or another device on the same Wi-Fi. If the other device also has no internet, the cause is probably the router or your internet provider, and the router fixes below matter most. If only the Chromebook struggles, work from the top.

The steps take about 12 minutes in total. Nothing here erases your files. On a school or work Chromebook, an administrator may limit which networks you can join. If so, ask them.

Try these fixes in order

Fix 1: Check the Wi-Fi switch and the password

This takes about 2 minutes.

1. Select the time at the bottom right of the screen.
2. Select Settings, then select Network on the left, then select Wi-Fi. The path is Settings then Network then Wi-Fi.
3. Make sure Wi-Fi is turned on. You can also select the time at the bottom right and turn Wi-Fi on from the panel that opens.
4. Select your network. If it asks for a password, type it carefully, because passwords are case sensitive, then select Connect.

If you do not know the password, see how to find or change your Wi-Fi password.

Fix 2: Run the Diagnostics app

This takes about 3 minutes. Diagnostics is built into ChromeOS and tests your connection for you. It needs Chrome OS version 90 or later, which covers current Chromebooks.

1. Select the time at the bottom right, then select Settings (the gear).
2. Select About ChromeOS, then select Diagnostics. You can also search for Diagnostics in the launcher.
3. Look at the Connectivity results. The app tests your current connection automatically.
4. If it reports a problem with DNS (the service that turns website names into addresses), restarting the router in Fix 4 is the next step. For other results, carry on down this list.

The app can also save the test details as a text file, which is useful to show the maker's support team.

Fix 3: Restart the Chromebook

This takes about 2 minutes. Save your work first.

1. Select the time, then select the Power button in the panel, then select Shut down. Menu labels can vary slightly between ChromeOS releases.
2. Wait about 30 seconds, then press the power button to turn it on.
3. Join your network again and test a website.

Also check that ChromeOS is up to date, because updates fix networking bugs. See how to update ChromeOS.

Fix 4: Restart the router and modem

This takes about 5 minutes. A router that has run for weeks can get stuck, and a restart often clears it. Follow restart your router and modem the right way, then test your Chromebook once the router lights settle.

Moving closer to the router also helps. Thick walls and distance weaken the signal.

Fix 5: Forget the network and join again

This takes about 3 minutes. It clears a saved setting that may have gone wrong, for example after you changed the Wi-Fi password. Have the password ready first, because you must type it again.

1. Open Settings then Network then Wi-Fi then Known networks.
2. Find your network in the list.
3. Select the More icon (three dots) beside its name, then select Forget.
4. Go back to the Wi-Fi list, select the network, type the password and select Connect.

Fix 6: Test with a cable or another network

This tells you where the fault is. It takes about 5 minutes.

• Cable test: if your Chromebook has an Ethernet port, or you have a USB Ethernet adapter, connect it to the router with a working cable. If pages load over the cable, the Chromebook's Wi-Fi is the problem, not your internet.
• Another network: turn on the hotspot on your phone and join it from the Chromebook. If that works, your home network or router is the likely cause. If it fails everywhere, the Chromebook itself may need service.

If it still does not work

• If the Chromebook connects but only some sites fail, a browser extension may be blocking them. Google suggests turning off Chrome extensions when you cannot reach a sign-in page. If you finish a sign-in but still have no internet, disconnect from the network and join it again.
• If other devices work on your Wi-Fi but the Chromebook never does, and it is a school or work device, the network may need to allow it. That is for an administrator to change.
• For a Chromebook that is slow overall, see Chromebook slow or frozen.
• Use the support page of the Chromebook's manufacturer for your model if a hardware fault is likely.

Frequently asked questions