Intel WiFi drivers are essential for maintaining a stable and fast wireless connection on Windows. When these drivers stop working, you may experience symptoms such as no WiFi networks showing up, sudden disconnections, slow speeds, or the WiFi adapter disappearing from Device Manager.
Fortunately, most Intel wireless issues can be fixed by updating, reinstalling, or resetting key components on your PC. This guide provides a complete set of solutions, starting with a reliable method to update Intel WiFi drivers using Driver Talent X.
1. Update Intel WiFi Drivers Using Driver Talent X
Outdated, missing, or corrupted drivers are the most common reasons for Intel wireless problems. Driver Talent X is a safe tool that automatically scans your PC and installs the correct Intel WiFi drivers without requiring manual searching.
Download and Install:
Click the "Download" button to download the software package.
Run the setup file and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.
Scan Your Computer:
Launch the software after installation, go to "Drivers" > "Scan", click "Scan".
The program will detect outdated or malfunctioning drivers on your system.
Update Your Intel Driver:
Locate the Intel Wireless Adapter in the scan results. Click the "Upgrade" button to download and install the correct Intel WiFi driver version recommended for your system.
Wait for the installation to complete. Do not shut down or interrupt your PC during the process.
Restart Your PC:
Restart your computer to apply the new driver.
Check your wireless connection to confirm whether the issue is resolved.
If the problem persists, continue with the additional solutions below.
2. Reinstall the Intel WiFi Driver Manually
Sometimes the installed driver becomes corrupted, and a clean reinstall is required.
Steps:
Right-click the Windows Start menu and open Device Manager.
Expand "Network adapters". Right-click your Intel WiFi Adapter and select "Uninstall device".
Check the option "Delete the driver software for this device if available".
Click "Uninstall" to confirm. Restart your PC.
Windows will attempt to reinstall the default Intel WiFi driver automatically.
If it does not reinstall, download the driver from the official Intel website and install it manually.
3. Reset Network Settings in Windows
If configuration conflicts or corrupted network profiles are causing the failure, a full network reset may fix the issue.
Steps:
Open Settings, go to "Network & Internet", select "Network reset".
Click "Reset now". Restart your computer.
This process reinstalls all network adapters and restores default settings.
4. Restart Intel Wireless Services
If the Windows network services required for Intel WiFi are not running, your connection may fail.
Steps:
Press Win + R to open the Run dialog.
Type "services.msc" and press Enter.
Locate the following services:
WLAN AutoConfig
Intel PROSet/Wireless Zero Configuration (if available)
Right-click each service and choose "Restart".
Ensure their Startup type is set to "Automatic".
5. Enable the WiFi Adapter in Device Manager
Some Windows updates or software conflicts may disable the adapter.
Steps:
Open Device Manager. Expand "Network adapters".
Right-click the Intel Wireless Adapter. Select "Enable device" if it is disabled.
6. Check Windows Power Management Settings
Power-saving features can turn off wireless adapters, causing unstable connections or complete failures.
Steps:
Open Device Manager.
Right-click the Intel WiFi adapter and select "Properties".
Go to the "Power Management" tab.
Uncheck "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power".
Click "OK".
7. Update Windows to Fix Compatibility Issues
Outdated system components can conflict with Intel wireless drivers.
Steps:
Open Settings. Select "Update & Security".
Go to "Windows Update". Click "Check for updates".
Install all available updates.
Restart your computer.
8. Reset the Router or Change Wireless Channel
Sometimes the issue is not with the PC but with the router.
Try the following:
Restart your router by unplugging it for 30 seconds.
Log into your router settings and switch your WiFi channel to a less congested one.
Disable features such as Smart Connect or Band Steering if your Intel adapter struggles to switch between bands.
9. Perform an Intel System Support Utility Diagnostic
Intel's diagnostic tools can detect deeper issues.
Steps:
Download Intel System Support Utility (SSU) from Intel's official website.
Run the tool and perform a full scan.
Review the report to identify driver conflicts or hardware issues.
Final Thoughts
Intel WiFi drivers can stop working due to outdated drivers, configuration errors, Windows updates, or incorrect network settings. By starting with an automatic driver update using Driver Talent X and then moving through the additional troubleshooting methods in this guide, you can restore a stable wireless connection and prevent future issues.
