How to Enable or Disable Airplane Mode in Ubuntu Linux

This article explains how to use Airplane mode in Ubuntu Linux for 2026. Why do this? Airplane mode stops all wireless signals from your computer. What happens when done? Your Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and cellular connections will turn off instantly. This is required on planes and helps save battery life.

General

You can quickly open the Airplane Mode toggle by pressing Super + S on your keyboard. If you prefer the terminal or are using a system without a desktop interface, you can use these commands:

• To turn Wi-Fi on: nmcli r wifi on
• To turn Wi-Fi off: nmcli r wifi off
• To manage all wireless devices: rfkill block all or rfkill unblock all

How to turn on or off airplane mode from the System menu in Ubuntu Linux

If your computer lacks a physical switch, use the System menu. Click the status area in the top right corner of your screen. This opens the Quick Settings panel. You will see a group containing your Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Airplane Mode toggles. Click the Airplane Mode button to turn it on or off.

How to disable or enable airplane from Settings in Ubuntu Linux

You can also control this through the main Settings app. Follow these steps:

1. Open the System menu in the top right corner.
2. Select the Settings icon.
3. In the sidebar on the left, look for the Network or Wi-Fi category.
4. Find the Airplane Mode toggle.
5. Click the switch to turn it On or Off.

That is all you need to do! You can learn more about managing your %%LNK0%% network connections or %%LNK1%% wireless settings on the official Ubuntu support pages.