Quick steps (Windows 11): Settings › Network & Internet › Advanced network settings › Network reset › Reset now. Windows 10: Settings › Network & Internet › Status › Network reset. Your PC restarts in about 5 minutes and you will need to reconnect to Wi-Fi.

A network reset is the ‘start fresh’ option for Windows networking. It removes every network adapter, reinstalls them, and sets networking components — TCP/IP, Winsock, DHCP, DNS client — back to their defaults. It is the right move when smaller fixes have failed and you are not sure what changed.

When to reset network settings

  • Wi-Fi shows connected but no internet and IP renew / DNS flush did not help.
  • You see ‘Limited connectivity’ or ‘No internet, secured’ repeatedly.
  • A VPN, proxy tool, or security suite was uninstalled and networking broke afterwards.
  • Network adapters are missing from Device Manager or show errors.
  • You changed a lot of settings while troubleshooting and want a clean slate.
A network reset removes saved Wi-Fi networks and passwords, VPN profiles, and per-adapter settings such as static IP addresses or custom DNS. Make a note of any Wi-Fi passwords and VPN details before you start.

Windows 11

  1. Open SettingsPress Windows + I, or Start › Settings.
  2. Go to the network sectionSelect Network & Internet in the left menu.
  3. Open Advanced network settingsScroll down and click Advanced network settings.
  4. Choose Network resetUnder ‘More settings’, click Network reset, then Reset now, and confirm with Yes.
  5. Let it restartWindows warns it will restart in five minutes. Save your work; it reboots automatically.

Windows 10

  1. Open SettingsWindows + I › Network & Internet.
  2. Stay on StatusThe Status page is selected by default.
  3. Click Network resetIt is the last link under ‘Advanced network settings’ / ‘Change your network settings’.
  4. ConfirmClick Reset now › Yes. The PC restarts in about five minutes.

Method 2: Manual reset with netsh and ipconfig

If the button is missing or you want more control, run these in an administrator Command Prompt (Start › type cmd › right-click › Run as administrator). Run them in order:

  1. netsh winsock reset — resets the Winsock catalog.
  2. netsh int ip reset — resets TCP/IP to defaults.
  3. ipconfig /release — releases the current IP lease.
  4. ipconfig /renew — requests a new one.
  5. ipconfig /flushdns — clears the DNS resolver cache.
  6. netsh advfirewall reset — only if you also suspect firewall rules; this reverts Windows Firewall to defaults.

Restart the PC after running them. This achieves most of what the built-in reset does, without removing your saved Wi-Fi networks — a gentler option to try first.

If netsh int ip reset reports ‘Access is denied’ for some registry keys, that is usually harmless — the reset still completes. Reboot and test.

What to do after a network reset

  1. Reconnect to Wi-FiSelect your network from the taskbar and re-enter the password.
  2. Re-add VPN profilesSettings › Network & Internet › VPN › Add VPN, or reinstall your VPN app.
  3. Re-apply custom DNS if you used itSee how to change DNS settings.
  4. Set the network profileWhen Windows asks whether the network is Public or Private after reconnecting, choose Private for home and work, Public for cafés and airports.
  5. TestLoad a couple of sites. If it still fails, the problem is likely the router or the internet service — check another device.

If a network reset did not fix it

  • Update the network adapter driver from your PC maker’s support site (Device Manager › Network adapters › Update driver).
  • Boot into Safe Mode with Networking; if the internet works there, a startup app or security tool is the cause.
  • Check the router’s status page for an internet/WAN connection — see Wi-Fi connected but no internet.
  • For a wired connection, work through Ethernet troubleshooting.

Common mistakes

  • Not writing down Wi-Fi passwords first, then being locked out of your own network.
  • Running only the built-in reset when a static IP set by an ISP technician was the real requirement — check with your provider if a wired business connection stops working.
  • Forgetting to reinstall VPN software and then blaming the reset for ‘breaking’ the VPN.
  • Expecting a reset to fix an actual outage — it cannot create an internet connection that is not there.