Restart Your Devices and Router
It sounds obvious, but sometimes the quickest fix is just giving everything a proper restart. If you’re seeing the dreaded “Can’t Connect to This Network” message on Windows 11, start by turning off your device. Wait a few seconds—just enough for things to settle—and then do the same for your Wi-Fi router. I’ve found that waiting a full 10–15 seconds before switching the router back on makes a difference; it’s like giving it a fresh start. On some models, holding down the reset button for about 10 seconds can clear out stubborn cache and settings that might be causing issues. The main thing is to let everything fully reboot—sometimes these devices just need a quick reset to clear minor glitches that disrupt the Wi-Fi connection.
Forget and Reconnect to the Network
If rebooting didn’t do the trick, the next step is to forget the network and then reconnect. It sounds simple, but it’s surprisingly effective, as it resets all those stored credentials on your device that can sometimes become corrupted or tangled. On Windows 11, press the Windows key, then I to open Settings. Navigate to Network & Internet, click on Wi-Fi, and select “Manage Known Networks”. Find your Wi-Fi network, and click the “Forget” icon—think of it as deleting a contact that’s gone a bit haywire. After that, scan for available networks again, select your Wi-Fi, and reconnect by entering your password.
This process forces your device to establish a fresh, clean connection—often fixing a range of pesky network problems, probably because it clears out weird settings or cached credentials that have gotten muddled.
Use the Built-in Network Troubleshooter
If you’re still having trouble, Windows’ troubleshooter can be a real lifesaver. I don’t use it enough myself, but it’s surprisingly capable. To run it, press Windows + I to open Settings, then go to System and scroll down to Troubleshoot. Click on Other Troubleshooters and find “Network & Internet” listed there. Click Run to start the process.
Windows will scan and report any issues that could be interfering with your connection—such as DNS problems, IP conflicts, or adapter errors. Many times, it can resolve these automatically, saving you from digging through complicated settings.
Check for Windows Updates
If nothing else works, it might be that your Windows 11 is due for an update—that’s a common cause of network issues. To check, press Windows + S and type “Windows update.” Hit Enter and see if there are any updates waiting. Install any available updates, then restart your PC to see if that fixes the problem.
Keeping Windows up to date isn’t just about security; updates often fix bugs that can disrupt your network connection. So, it’s always worth a shot.
Final Tips
Honestly, these steps—rebooting everything, removing and re-adding your Wi-Fi, running the troubleshooter, and updating Windows—are usually all it takes to fix that “Can’t connect to this network” message on Windows 11. It’s not always flashy, and sometimes it’s a bit of trial and error, but most of the time, following these tips will get you back online. If problems persist, it could be a hardware issue or driver problem, but these basics are the best place to start.
Hope this helps — it took longer than it should have to get to this point. Anyway, I hope it saves someone else a weekend!