3 Simple Steps to Reset Network Adapters in Windows 11

Option 1The Easy Way to Reset Your Network Adapters

Option One uses the built-in Settings app. It is usually the quickest way to reset network adapters, and it resets more than the command in Option Two does. Try it first.

Step 1Open Your Settings

1. Press Win+I on your keyboard.

The Settings app opens. If the shortcut does nothing, right-click the Start button and choose Settings instead.

Step 2Go to Network Settings

1. Look at the list of options on the left side of Settings and click Network & internet. The right side now shows your connections, such as Wi-Fi 📶 and Ethernet.
2. Scroll down the right side until you see Advanced network settings, then click it.

Step 3Find the Network Reset Option

1. On the Advanced network settings page, look through the options. You will see adapters listed first, then a section called More settings further down.
2. Find Network reset and click it.

The Network reset page opens. It explains that Windows will remove and reinstall your network adapters and set other networking components back to their defaults.

Step 4Start the Reset

1. On the Network reset screen, click Reset now to begin the process.

A confirmation box appears. Nothing has been changed yet.

Step 5Confirm Your Choice

1. Read the box. It asks, “Are you sure you want to reset all network adapters?”
2. Click Yes to continue.

Windows now starts the reset and shows a notice that it will restart soon. Your network connection drops during this time, which is normal.

Step 6Wait for the Restart

Windows restarts your computer automatically five minutes after you reset network adapters in Windows 11. This applies all changes properly. Save and close your open files during this countdown so you do not lose any work.

After the restart, reconnect to your Wi-Fi network and enter the password again. Ethernet connections usually come back on their own. If you use a VPN client, check that it still works and reinstall or reconfigure it if it does not.

This cancels the pending restart only. The network reset has already been applied, so the changes take full effect after your next restart. Until then, your connection may not work properly.

Option 2Using the Command Prompt for a Network Reset

Option Two is for those more comfortable with commands, or for when the Settings app is not cooperating. It uses Windows Terminal to reset network adapters. Be aware that it is narrower than Option One. The command resets the Winsock catalog, which is part of how Windows handles network connections. It does not remove and reinstall your adapters.

Step 1Open Windows Terminal as an Administrator

You need Windows Terminal running with elevated permissions to reset network adapters from the command line. Without them, the command fails.

1. Open the Start menu ⊞ and type Terminal.
2. Right-click Terminal in the results and choose Run as administrator. You can also right-click the Start button ⊞ and pick the Terminal (Admin) entry.
3. Click Yes if User Account Control asks whether to allow the app to make changes. A Terminal window opens. If you are not signed in as an administrator, Windows asks for an admin password.

That works for this command. If you prefer to use Command Prompt, click the small down arrow next to the plus (+) sign at the top of the Terminal window and select Command Prompt.

Step 2Enter the Reset Command

1. Click inside the Terminal window.
2. Type or copy and paste the command netsh winsock reset into the window.

Check that the command is typed exactly as shown before you go on.

netcfg -d

1. Press the Enter key on your keyboard.

Terminal prints a message saying the Winsock catalog was reset successfully and that you must restart the computer to complete the reset. If you see an access error instead, the window is not running as administrator. Close it and reopen it as in the steps above.

Step 3Restart Your Computer

Restarting your computer is required to finish the process when you reset network adapters in Windows 11 from the command line. The new network settings are applied during the reboot, which fixes lingering connection faults. Save your work, then restart from Start › Power › Restart

Summary

You can reset network adapters in Windows 11 in two ways: through the Settings app or by running a command in the terminal. Either one must be followed by a system restart. Both clear out broken network configurations and restore your connection to its default state. If problems continue after a reset, check your router and your adapter drivers next.