How to Fix WiFi Icon Grayed out in Windows 10 Action Center
Jun. 24, 2022 / Updated by Helia to Windows 10
"The WiFi icon in the action center has been grayed out for serval days after the fresh install of Windows 10. Now I can't open any web page!"
"WiFi icon in the notification area of Windows 10 has gone gray and I could not connect to the WiFi connection."
"My laptop got a sudden death to the WiFi toggle in the action center after the Windows 10 Anniversary Update. Any solutions?"
After the Windows 10 OS changes, many users experienced the grayed-out WiFi icon displaying on the bottom right of the screen. When you click the notification icon, you will find the WiFi icon is grayed out in the action center. In this case, there is no WiFi connection on your Windows 10 laptop or desktop, and the Microsoft Edge browser or the Chrome browser is not working.
You're reading this post because your Windows 10 PC ran into the wireless network problem and you couldn’t stand the dead WiFi anymore. Luckily, we’ve got the answer for you.
Top 5 Ways to Fix WiFi Icon Grayed out in Action Center
In this post, we've had top 5 solutions to fix the "WiFi icon grayed out in Windows 10" issue. Please take your time following the steps to troubleshoot the problem.
Note: Make sure there are no problems with the network related hardware, which should be checked just in case you waste time on other useless PC operations. It's better to check the function keys Fn + Fx (x=1, 2, 3, 4, etc.) and the physical wireless network switch button. Turn off the Airplane Mode. Also, make sure the network card is right in its place. (Well, this may be the first solution.)
Way 1. Check the Wireless Adapter and Fix the WiFi Icon Grayed out Issue on Windows 10
You can check your WiFi adapter to see if the wireless network can work properly.
1. Use Windows shortcut keysWin + R to launch the Run.
2. Type ncpa.cpl into the box.
3. Hit the Enter key.
4. Right-click your WLAN or wireless adapter
5. Click the Disable and then re-enable the adapter.
6. Right-click the adapter again for Connect/Disconnect.
7. If Windows Settings pops up, then toggle the WLAN switch to ON.
Way 2. Enable the WLAN AutoConfig Service to Get the WiFi Icon Back
If the previous one solution didn't solve your WiFi problem, try this one. Make sure the WLAN AutoConfig service is turned on.
1. Open Windows Services on Windows 10.
2. Scroll down for WLAN AutoConfig and double-click it.
3. If it is stopped, then click the Start button.
4. Select the Automatic from the drop-down menu of Startup type.
5. Click OK.
Way 3. Repair Wireless Network Driver to Fix the WiFi Icon Grayed out in Action Center
After the Windows 10 upgrade or update, some Windows drivers may be outdated and not compatible with the operating system. Incorrectly configured, broken or missing wireless network driver can also result in the WiFi icon grayed out in Windows 10 action center and cause other network issues, like unidentified network problem on Windows 10, slow internet, WiFi "No Internet, Secured" error, no WiFi available after Windows 10 update, "We can't set up mobile hotspot" error, etc.
In this case, you can go to Device Manager or use Driver Talent to download and install proper WiFi driver or network driver for Windows 10. If you're not sure which network adapter runs into problem and cause the WiFi icon grayed out, it's recommended to choose the automatic steps below.
Driver Talent offers the official and WHQL drivers and you can install the best-match version on Windows with just one-click. Click the button below to download the wireless driver updates:
Here are 3 easy steps to fix the WiFi driver issue:
1. Click the Scan to detect the outdated, incompatible or broken wireless network driver.
2. Click the Repair to troubleshoot the driver problem. Or click the Update to download and install the best-match driver.
3. Restart the computer to make the driver changes take effect.
Note: Don’t forget to backup the drivers and create a system restore point on your Windows 10 so that you can restore the system and the drivers once other system issues occur.
See Also:
Way 4. Modify the Registry and Fix the WiFi Icon Problem in the Notification Area
You can also modify the registry to fix the system icons grayed out and not working in the action center. Note: Windows Registry is a database that stores many important data. If you know little about it, it’s recommended to backup the registry before any operations in case serious problems like INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE blue screen error, slow boot, and other errors.
1. Open the Run on Windows 10.
2. Type into regedit.
3. Click the OK.
4. Go to the key TrayNotify with the path below:
Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\TrayNotify
5. On the right pane, right-click and select Delete to remove the values Iconstreams and PastIconStream.
Then close the box and perform a restart. Check if the WiFi icon is working properly.
Way 5. Reset the BIOS to Fix the WiFi Not Working Problem
Resetting the BIOS will also help to release the pain of WiFi not working caused by the grayed-out WiFi icon. Here’s how to make it.
1. Enter the BIOS on your laptop or desktop.
2. Use the Tab key and the arrow keys to locate Factory Defaults or similar option in BIOS.
3. Press F10 to save the change.
Then exit the BIOS and enter your Windows 10. Now the WiFi icon isn't gray anymore, and you can connect to your WiFi connection.
See Also:
If none of the above methods help fix the WiFi icon grayed out problem in the Windows 10 action center, you may want to do a fresh install of Windows 10. If you have any questions or solutions, please drop a line below or click the left menu on this page for more technical support. Any other Windows 10-related issues, see Windows 10 section on this site.
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