How to Change Your Wi-Fi Settings in Windows 11

What is Wi-Fi?

Wi-Fi 📶 connects your computer to the Internet over radio waves instead of a cable. The first time you join a network, Windows saves its name (the SSID), its password, and other connection details as a profile. That profile is what lets your PC reconnect on its own the next time the network is in range.

Everything in this guide edits that saved profile. It doesn’t touch your router.

Why Change Wi-Fi Settings?

Editing the saved profile is faster and cleaner than deleting the network and setting it up again. Here are the common reasons to do it:

• You changed the Wi-Fi 📶 password on your router, and Windows keeps failing to connect with the old one.
• You want a newer security type, such as WPA3 instead of WPA2. Your router must support it, and it should be set to the same type.
• You want to control whether your PC joins a network automatically, for example a neighbor’s network or a public hotspot you only use now and then.

In all three cases you can update the existing profile and keep everything else as it is.

How to Change Wi-Fi Network Settings

These steps are for current Windows 11 builds. On older builds the Edit button described below may not exist. If you don't see it, jump to the tip after the steps.

1. Press Win + I on your keyboard to open Settings.
2. Click Network & internet in the left menu, then click Wi-Fi on the right. You should see the Wi-Fi page with your available networks and its related options.
   

   

3. Click Manage known networks. A list of every network your PC has saved appears.
4. As a shortcut, you can open this page directly with this link instead: Open Manage Known Networks
   

   

   
   
5. Find the Wi-Fi network you want to change (for example, "Penguin") and click it. Its properties page opens.
   

   

   
   
6. Click the Edit button under Advanced Wi-Fi network properties. A properties window opens with a connection section and a security section.
   

   

   
   
7. Change the connection settings as needed:

   • Choose whether your PC should connect automatically when the network is in range. Turn this off for networks you only want to join by hand.
   • Decide whether your PC should look for other Wi-Fi networks while it is connected to this one.
   • Allow the connection even if the network name (SSID) is hidden. Hidden networks don't show up in the normal list, so Windows has to be told to try them.
     

     

     
     
8. Change the security settings as needed:

   • Select the Security type from the dropdown (like WPA2 or WPA3). It must match what your router is using, or the connection will fail.
   • Pick the Encryption type if the option is available.
   • Type the new Network security key, which is your Wi-Fi password. Enter it exactly as set on the router, because it is case-sensitive.
     

     

     
     
9. Save your changes, then close the Settings window if you want. Windows will try to reconnect using the updated profile.

In short, you open Manage known networks, pick the saved network, and edit its properties. You can update the password, security type, and connection preferences this way.

If something doesn't work: The network only appears in the list if your PC has saved it before. If the Edit button is missing, your Windows 11 build may be older, so run Windows Update and check again. You can also click Forget on the network's page, then reconnect and enter the password fresh. To undo a change, open the same page and set the old values back. No restart is needed.

Summary

• You can change Wi-Fi settings in Windows 11 without deleting the saved network.
• You can update the password, security type, and connection preferences from Manage known networks.
• Keeping the saved profile in line with your router's settings keeps the connection safe and reliable.

Your Windows 11 PC will now connect using the updated Wi-Fi settings.