"Can't connect to this network": causes and fixes

Windows shows "Can't connect to this network" when it sees your Wi-Fi name but cannot join it, and phones show similar messages. The usual causes and fixes follow, starting with the quickest.

Before you start

Joining Wi-Fi takes several steps in a row, and a failure at any one of them can produce this message.

This guide is about the first three steps. If you join but pages will not load, see Wi-Fi connected but no internet. Set aside about 12 minutes and have your Wi-Fi password ready. If you do not know it, see how to find or change your Wi-Fi password.

Common causes

Try these fixes in order

Fix 1: Check the password, airplane mode and VPN

1. Restart the device you are trying to connect. On Windows 11 or Windows 10, you can also open Settings then Network & internet then Status then Network troubleshooter and follow what it shows.
2. Type the password again. Wi-Fi passwords are case-sensitive, so a capital O and a zero are different. Use the option to show the password as you type, if your device offers one.
3. Check the password on the router's label or in the router's settings. A password you changed earlier replaces the one on the label.
4. Turn airplane mode off. On Windows, it is under Settings then Network & internet then Airplane mode. On an iPhone or iPad, it is in Settings.
5. On an iPhone or iPad, open Settings and tap Wi-Fi. If Connectivity Assist is available, turn it off for the test. If Wi-Fi is dimmed, restart the device.
6. If you use a VPN or security app that watches your connection, switch it off for a test. Apple lists such software as a possible cause. Restart the device and try again.

Fix 2: Forget the network and join again

This clears saved details that may be out of date, for example after a router change. It also removes the saved password, so have it ready.

1. On Windows, open Settings then Network & internet then Wi-Fi then Manage known networks, select your network and select Forget. This path is the same on Windows 11 and Windows 10.
2. On an iPhone or iPad, open Settings and tap Wi-Fi. Tap Edit if you see it, tap the More Info button beside your network, then tap Forget This Network and Forget.
3. On a Mac, open System Settings then Wi-Fi, scroll down and click Advanced. Click the More Options button beside your network, choose Remove From List, then click Forget. On earlier macOS, use System Preferences.
4. On a Google Pixel, open Settings then Network & internet then Internet then Saved networks, tap your network and tap Forget. Other Android phones use different menu names, so search Settings for "Wi-Fi".
5. Open the Wi-Fi list, select your network and enter the password. You should see a connected status or a check mark.

On a Pixel, also check that automatic date and time is on: Settings then System then Date & time then Set time automatically. Google includes this among the steps to try when a Pixel will not connect.

Fix 3: Restart the router and modem

1. Unplug the router and, if you have one, the modem. Wait 30 seconds to 2 minutes.
2. Plug in the modem and wait until its lights stop blinking.
3. Plug in the router and wait a few minutes for it to finish starting.
4. Try to join again. If you are not sure how, see restarting your router the right way.

Do not press the router's Reset button. It erases the Wi-Fi name and password. If several devices fail to join after a restart, the router's own settings may limit how many devices can join. Look in the router's settings, using the maker's instructions. If only an older device fails to join while newer ones connect, the router's security mode may be set to WPA3 only. A mixed WPA2/WPA3 mode lets both kinds of device join; the router maker's instructions show where to change it.

Fix 4: Reset the Windows network stack

This applies to Windows 11 and Windows 10. It is the sequence Microsoft lists for Wi-Fi problems. It takes about 5 minutes and needs a restart. If you use a VPN or security software, its network settings may need to be set up again afterwards.

1. Select the search box on the taskbar and type Command Prompt.
2. Right-click Command Prompt, select Run as administrator, then select Yes.
3. Type this command and press Enter.

   netsh winsock reset

4. Type this command and press Enter.

   netsh int ip reset

5. Restart the PC, then try to join the network.

Fix 5: Reinstall the adapter, then use network reset

1. Right-click Start and choose Device Manager.
2. Expand Network adapters and right-click your wireless adapter. If it shows as disabled, select Enable device and test.
3. Otherwise select Uninstall device. Tick Attempt to remove the driver for this device only if you have the maker's driver ready, then select Uninstall.
4. Restart the PC. Windows should find and install the driver again.

As a last resort, use network reset: Settings then Network & internet then Advanced network settings then Network reset on Windows 11, or Settings then Network & Internet then Status then Network reset on Windows 10. Select Reset now, then Yes. Microsoft warns that it removes installed network adapters and their settings. On phones, the equivalent is covered in resetting network settings on a phone; it erases saved Wi-Fi networks and passwords.

If it still does not work

• Try the same network on another device. If that also fails, the problem is the router or its settings.
• Try a different network, such as a phone hotspot or another location. If your device joins there, your home network is the cause. If it joins nowhere, the device's Wi-Fi hardware is the likely cause.
• On a work or school device, the network may only allow approved devices. Ask the person who manages it.
• Use the support page on the device maker's or router maker's website for your exact model.

Frequently asked questions