How to Check Wi-Fi Network Signal Strength in Windows 11

Wi-Fi 📶 signal strength in Windows 11 shows how well your PC is connected to your wireless router. You can read it as simple bars on the taskbar 🖥️ or as precise figures: percentages from Command Prompt, or dBm (decibel-milliwatts, a unit for radio power) from diagnostic tools. A strong signal gives you fast, reliable browsing. A reading of -70 dBm or lower means the connection is struggling and needs attention. dBm values are negative, and the closer to zero, the stronger the signal.

Option 1Taskbar Corner

Look at the Wi-Fi 📶 icon in the bottom right corner of your screen, in the system tray 🔔. The number of filled bars tells you the signal strength. More bars mean a stronger connection.

If you see a globe icon instead of bars, you are not connected to a network. If you see a small monitor or cable icon, Windows is using a wired Ethernet connection, so there is no Wi-Fi 📶 signal to read.

Option 2Quick Settings

1. Press Win+A to open Quick Settings. A panel with toggle buttons appears above the taskbar 🖥️.
2. Click the arrow next to the Wi-Fi 📶 button. The panel switches to a list of networks.
3. Check the bars next to each network. Your current network is at the top, marked as connected, and every network in range shows its own signal strength.

If there is no Wi-Fi 📶 button, Windows may not see a wireless adapter, or the button may be hidden. Click the pencil icon at the bottom of Quick Settings to check whether it can be added back. Also make sure Airplane mode is off.

Option 3Settings Menu

1. Open Settings by pressing Win+I.
2. Select Network & internet on the left, then click Wi-Fi 📶 on the right. The Wi-Fi 📶 page opens with your adapter and current connection at the top.

Here, the signal strength for your current connection is visible. Click Show available networks to see the strength of all nearby networks. This is useful when you want to compare your network with others in range, or check whether a different band of your own router has a better signal.

Option 4Task Manager

1. Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Task Manager 📊. If it opens in the small view, click More details at the bottom left.
2. Click the Performance tab.
3. Select Wi-Fi 📶 from the list on the left. The graph and details for your wireless adapter appear on the right.
4. Read the signal strength at the bottom of the window, below the graph, next to the network name and IP address details.

If Wi-Fi 📶 is not in the list, the PC has no wireless adapter, or the adapter is disabled. A desktop connected by cable will only show Ethernet.

Option 5Network and Sharing Center

1. Open the Control Panel (search for it in the Start menu) and click Network and Sharing Center. In Category view, it is under Network and Internet.
2. Find your current network name next to Connections. The bars next to it indicate your signal strength.
3. Click the network name to open a status window that shows signal quality. Close the window when you are done.

This is the older interface, but it still works in Windows 11 and is handy if you want a quick look at the connection status without going through Settings.

Option 6Command Prompt

Command Prompt lets you check Wi-Fi strength with exact percentage numbers instead of relying on the rough bars in the taskbar. Running a quick built-in network command shows your precise signal quality right away, so you can test whether your connection is stable.

1. Right-click the Start button and select Terminal or Command Prompt. A console window opens. You do not need administrator rights for this.
2. Type the following command and press Enter. Look for the signal line in the output, which shows a percentage:
3. netsh wlan show interfaces
4. Alternatively, for a simpler view that filters the output down, use:
5. powershell (netsh wlan show interfaces) -match '^\s+Signal' -replace '^\s+Signal\s+:\s+',''

The returned percentages reflect actual connection quality. Higher numbers indicate a more stable link to the access point. Run the command a few times as you move around the room. That shows you quickly where the signal drops off.