How to Automatically Disable Wi-Fi on Windows 11 with Ethernet

Why disable Wi-Fi when using Ethernet?

When you plug in an Ethernet cable, your computer automatically uses that wired connection for the internet. But your Wi-Fi often stays on in the background, which can drain your battery and sometimes cause connection issues. Keeping Wi-Fi off when you’re wired helps your computer run more efficiently.

What happens when done?

Your Windows 11 computer automatically turns off Wi-Fi when it finds an Ethernet cable plugged in, saving power and preventing connection mix-ups.

Method 1Using Network Adapter Settings (Requires Admin)

You can automatically disable 📶 Wi-Fi on Windows 11 when you plug in an Ethernet cable by changing a setting in your network adapter’s properties, but you’ll need admin rights to make this change.

You can open System Settings by pressing Windows key + I, or by clicking Start then Settings.

Once ⚙️ the Settings window appears, click on Network & internet. Next, choose Advanced network settings from the right-hand side.

On the following screen, click More network adapter options.

This opens a new window showing your network connections. 🖱️ Right-click on your 📶 Wi-Fi connection and select Properties.

In the window that appears, click the Configure button.

A new window will pop up. Look through the list of settings for Disable Upon Wired Connect. Click on it and change the value to Enabled. If you ever want to turn this off, you can follow these same steps and select Disabled instead.

Click OK to save your changes and close the windows.

Method 2Automating with PowerShell

If you’re comfortable with more technical steps, you can automatically disable 📶 Wi-Fi on Windows 11 when an Ethernet cable is connected using PowerShell commands.

Disable-NetAdapter -Name "Wi-Fi" -Confirm:$false

To re-enable it , use:

Enable-NetAdapter -Name "Wi-Fi"

You can find more details on managing these settings at the official Microsoft documentation.

Why does 🪟 Windows 11 automatically turn 📶 Wi-Fi back on?

Windows 11 automatically turns 📶 Wi-Fi back on when you disconnect Ethernet to make sure you don’t lose your internet connection, as its main goal is to keep you online.

Summary

To automatically disable 📶 Wi-Fi on Windows 11 when using Ethernet, you can either use the network adapter settings or PowerShell scripts, which helps save battery and ensures your computer uses the more stable wired connection.