What you need to do right now
A WiFi driver is the software that lets your computer talk to your wireless network card. If your WiFi isn't showing up, won't connect, or keeps dropping, a missing or broken driver is often the reason. You can install or fix it yourself in about 10 to 20 minutes — you just need to know your network card model and where to find the right file.
The fastest way is to let Windows or macOS find and install the driver automatically. If that doesn't work, you'll download the driver from your computer manufacturer's support page or from the network card maker directly, then run the installer file. This guide walks you through both routes.
Key Takeaways
- Windows and Mac can often find and install WiFi drivers on their own through Windows Update or Software Update, which should be your first step.
- If automatic installation fails, you need to identify your network card model — Windows shows this in Device Manager, Mac shows it in System Report.
- Download the driver from your computer manufacturer's support website (Dell, HP, Lenovo, etc.) or directly from the network card maker (Intel, Realtek, Broadcom).
- Run the installer file and restart your computer when prompted — the driver won't work until you restart.
- If you have no internet connection at all, you'll need to download the driver on a different computer and transfer it via USB drive.
Let Windows find and install the driver automatically
Windows 10 and Windows 11 can download and install WiFi drivers without you doing anything. Start here because it works about 70 percent of the time and takes just a few minutes.
Plug in an ethernet cable if you have one — this gives Windows internet access so it can download the driver. If you don't have ethernet, use your phone's hotspot or borrow a neighbor's WiFi temporarily. Open Settings (press Windows key + I), then go to System > About > Advanced system settings. Click Device Manager. Look for Network adapters and click the arrow next to it to expand the list.
If you see a device with a yellow exclamation mark or a question mark, that's your WiFi card and it needs a driver. Right-click it and choose Update driver. Select Search automatically for updated driver software. Windows will search online and install the driver if it finds one. Restart your computer when it finishes.
If you don't see a yellow mark but your WiFi still isn't working, your network card might not be showing up at all. Move to the next section to identify it manually.
Find your network card model on Windows
If automatic installation didn't work, you need to know exactly which network card your computer has. This tells you which driver file to download.
Open Device Manager again (Windows key + I, then System > About > Advanced system settings > Device Manager). Expand Network adapters. You'll see one or more devices listed. Look for anything with "Wireless", "WiFi", "802.11", or "WLAN" in the name — that's your WiFi card. Write down the exact name. Common examples are "Intel Wireless-AC 9260", "Realtek RTL8822BE", or "Broadcom BCM94360".
If the network adapter section is empty or shows nothing that looks like WiFi, your card might be disabled. Right-click in the empty space under Network adapters and look for an option to show hidden devices. If you still see nothing, your network card may not be recognized by Windows at all — skip to the section on downloading from your manufacturer.
Download the driver from your computer manufacturer
The easiest source is your computer maker's support website. They have tested drivers that work with your exact model. You'll need your computer's model number, which you can find on a sticker on the bottom or back of your machine, or in System Information (search for it in the Windows search box).
Go to your manufacturer's support page — Dell.com/support, HP.com/support, Lenovo.com/support, and so on. Enter your model number. Look for "Drivers" or "Downloads". Filter by your operating system (Windows 10, Windows 11, etc.). Find the WiFi driver or "Network driver" in the list. Download the file — it will usually be a .exe file or a .zip file containing an .exe.
If your manufacturer's site doesn't have the driver, or if you know the network card brand (Intel, Realtek, Broadcom), download directly from them instead. Go to Intel.com/content/www/us/en/download-center.html, Realtek.com, or Broadcom.com and search for your card model. Download the driver file for your Windows version.
Install the driver on Windows
Once you have the driver file, installation is straightforward. If the file is a .zip, right-click it and choose Extract All. Open the extracted folder. Find the .exe file (usually named something like "Setup.exe" or the driver name) and double-click it.
The installer will open. Click through the prompts — usually you'll see a welcome screen, then a license agreement (click I Agree), then an installation progress bar. Let it finish completely. When it's done, you'll see a message asking you to restart your computer. Click Restart Now. Do not skip this step — the driver won't work until you restart.
After restart, your WiFi should appear in the network list. Click the network icon in the bottom right corner of your taskbar, find your network name, and click Connect. Enter your WiFi password if prompted.
Install a WiFi driver on Mac
Mac handles WiFi drivers differently than Windows — most drivers are built into macOS and update automatically. If your WiFi isn't working, try this first: click the Apple menu, go to System Settings (or System Preferences on older Macs), then General > Software Update. Install any available updates and restart.
If that doesn't fix it, you need to identify your network card. Click the Apple menu, choose About This Mac, then click System Report. In the left sidebar, click Network. Look for an entry that says "Wi-Fi" or "AirPort". Note the model name — it will usually say something like "Broadcom" or "Intel".
Most Mac WiFi cards are made by Broadcom or Intel. Go to Broadcom.com or Intel.com and search for your card model. Download the driver for macOS (make sure you pick the right version — check your macOS version by clicking the Apple menu > About This Mac). Double-click the downloaded file and follow the installer prompts. Restart your Mac when finished.
If your Mac still has no WiFi after restart, contact Apple Support or visit an Apple Store — Mac WiFi hardware issues are often not fixable with driver updates alone.
What to do if you have no internet connection at all
If your WiFi doesn't work and you have no ethernet cable, you can't download a driver on the broken computer. You'll need to use a different computer to download the driver, then move it to your computer via USB drive.
On a working computer, go to your computer manufacturer's support page or the network card maker's website (Intel, Realtek, Broadcom). Download the driver file and save it to a USB drive. Plug the USB drive into your broken computer. Open File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac), navigate to the USB drive, find the driver file, and run it. Follow the installation steps above. Restart when finished.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if I actually need a new driver?
Open Device Manager (Windows) or System Report (Mac) and look at your network adapter. If it shows a yellow exclamation mark, question mark, or says "Unknown Device", you need a driver. If it shows a normal icon with no warning, your driver is installed — the problem is probably something else, like your router being off or your password being wrong.
What if the installer says my driver is already installed?
This usually means the driver is there but broken. Uninstall it first: right-click the network adapter in Device Manager, choose Uninstall device, check the box that says "Delete the driver software for this device", and click Uninstall. Restart your computer, then run the installer again.
Can I use any WiFi driver, or does it have to match my exact card?
It must match your exact card model. Installing the wrong driver can break your network or cause your computer to crash. Always download the driver for the specific card model you identified in Device Manager or System Report.
Why does my WiFi keep disconnecting even after I install the driver?
A new driver sometimes fixes this, but not always. If disconnections continue, check that you're using the latest driver version from your manufacturer. You can also try moving closer to your router, changing your WiFi channel in your router settings, or updating your router's firmware.
Do I need to uninstall the old driver before installing a new one?
Not usually — the new installer will replace the old one. But if the new driver won't install or your WiFi still doesn't work after installation, uninstall the old driver first (right-click in Device Manager, choose Uninstall device, restart), then run the new installer.