Tips to prevent Windows 11 from automatically connecting to Wi-Fi networks
10/18/2022
By default, Windows 11 will automatically connect to a saved Wi-Fi network when it is within range. So you won't need to manually connect your computer to your home or office network.
Although this will be very useful, you run the risk of being attacked, illegally entering your computer, stealing personal data, etc., especially when connecting to public Wi-Fi networks or unsafe networks. whole. In that case it is necessary to prevent Windows 11 from automatically connecting to the previous Wi-Fi network, or you simply want to prevent Windows from connecting to a weaker Wi-Fi network.
Fortunately, preventing Windows 11 from automatically connecting to a Wi-Fi network is quite easy, and you can do it in one of the three ways below.
Stop automatically connecting to Wi-Fi networks through the Wi-Fi icon on the Taskbar
The fastest and simplest way to prevent Windows 11 from automatically connecting to the previous Wi-Fi network is through the Wi-Fi connection icon under the Taskbar. Proceed as follows:
Step 1: Right-click the Wi-Fi icon in the bottom right corner of the Taskbar. key combination . Or you can also press the Windows + A
Step 2: icon . Click on the Wi-Fi
Step 3: If that Wi-Fi network is still connected to the computer, click on the Wi-Fi network name and click the Disconnect button.
Step 4: Immediately you will see another option appear under the name of the connected Wi-Fi network, now you just need to uncheck the Connect automatically option .
Stop automatic connection to Wi-Fi network through Settings
Windows 11 allows you to change a lot of system settings through the Settings app. So you can follow the steps below to prevent Windows 11 from automatically connecting to a Wi-Fi network.
Step 1: Access the Start menu and click on the gear icon to launch the Settings application. Alternatively, you can use the Windows + I keyboard shortcut to launch the Settings app immediately.
Step 2: In the Settings application window displayed, select the Network & internet option in the left pane, then click the Wi-Fi network connection option in the right pane.
Step 3: In the new window, click the Manage known networks option to see all the network connections that the computer has saved.
Step 4: From the list of networks displayed, click on the network name that you do not want the computer to automatically connect to later.
Step 5: Then click uncheck the option at Connect automatically when in range to complete.
The Settings app will remember your preferences, and the next time you want to reconnect to that Wi-Fi network, you'll need to manually select that Wi-Fi network name again.
Stop automatic connection to Wi-Fi network through Control Panel
Although Microsoft is gradually replacing the old Control Panel with the new Settings application, you can still use this traditional tool to make changes in Windows 11. So if you prefer to change the settings above system the old way, here's how to use the Control Panel to prevent Windows 11 from automatically connecting to a Wi-Fi network.
Step 1: Press Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box. Type Control in the Open box and then press Enter.
Step 2: Click on the drop-down menu in the top right corner and select the option Small icons or Large icons . Next click the Network and Sharing Center option.
Step 3: Click the Change adapter settings option in the left pane to access the Network Connections window.
Step 4: Right-click the Wi-Fi network name you want to prevent Windows 11 from automatically connecting and select Status.
Step 5: In the Wi-Fi Status window displayed, click the Wireless Properties button.
Step 6: Under the Connection tab, uncheck the Connect automatically when this network is in range option . Then click the OK button to save the changes.
Stop automatic connection to Wi-Fi network through Command Prompt
Command Prompt is a solution not for most people, it is a tool reserved for users who are familiar with the command line tools in Windows. You can use Command Prompt to run some commands to prevent Windows 11 from automatically connecting to Wi-Fi networks. Here's how.
Step 1: Right-click the Start icon or press Windows key + X to open the Power User menu. Select Terminal (Admin) from the list of options that appear.
Step 2: Click the Yes button in the User Account Control (UAC) dialog box displayed when prompted.
Step 3: Copy and paste the command below into the displayed command line window and press Enter to see the list of saved wireless networks on the computer.
Step 4: Note down the name of the network for which you want to disable automatic connection.
Step 5: Run the command below and press Enter to prevent Windows 11 from automatically connecting to the network.
Note: Replace Network Name in the above command with the name of the wireless network you want to disable automatic connection.
The above commands will also work with the Windows PowerShell command line tool. After running the above command line, Windows 11 will no longer connect to the specified Wi-Fi network when the computer is within range of that network. You can repeat the above command to prevent Windows 11 from connecting to other networks if you want.
Connecting to an unsecured Wi-Fi network can put your system and personal data at risk. In addition to the methods above, you can also prevent Windows from connecting to the network during the initial network configuration. If you're already connected to a network, you can use any of the methods above to prevent Windows from automatically connecting to the network.
