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Fix Wi-Fi Disconnecting Randomly After the Windows 11 25H2 Update

Wi-Fi drops after 25H2 are usually caused by aggressive power management or a generic driver. Fix it in five steps.

by@guidox updated:10/26/26 time:15 min level:Intermediate works on:Windows 11 25H2
TL;DR

The 25H2 update resets **Wi-Fi adapter power settings** and can install a generic driver that drops connections. Disable power saving and roll back the driver to fix it.

Before you start

Requirements

  • Admin rights
  • Ethernet cable or phone hotspot as backup during the fix
Step by step

Instructions

01

Confirm the drops in Event Viewer

Open **Event Viewer** and navigate to **Applications and Services Logs > Microsoft > Windows > WLAN-Autoconfig > Operational**. Look for Event ID 4001 or 8002 around the times your Wi-Fi dropped.

eventvwr.msc
tipIf you see Event ID 11004 instead, the issue is DNS-related — skip to step 4.
02

Disable power saving on the Wi-Fi adapter

Open **Device Manager**, expand **Network adapters**, right-click your Wi-Fi adapter and select **Properties**. On the **Power Management** tab, uncheck **Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power**.

devmgmt.msc
03

Roll back or update the Wi-Fi driver

In the same adapter **Properties** window, go to the **Driver** tab. Click **Roll Back Driver** if available. If not, download the latest driver from your laptop or motherboard manufacturer's support page.

⚠ warningDo not rely on the generic Microsoft driver that 25H2 may have installed — it is the most common cause of drops.
04

Reset the network stack

Open **Terminal** as administrator and run the reset commands below. Restart your PC after both commands complete.

netsh winsock reset
netsh int ip reset
ipconfig /flushdns
05

Verify stability

Leave your PC idle for 30 minutes and check **Event Viewer** again for new WLAN-Autoconfig warnings. Run a continuous ping to your router to confirm zero packet loss.

ping -t 192.168.1.1
tipPress Ctrl+C to stop the ping. Look for 'Request timed out' lines — there should be none.
Troubleshooting

Common issues

No Wi-Fi networks appear at all after the update

The 25H2 update removed your adapter driver. Download the Wi-Fi driver from your laptop manufacturer's support page using a wired connection or phone hotspot, then install it manually.

Wi-Fi connects but shows 'No internet'

Run the DNS flush command from step 4 and restart. If it persists, set your DNS to 1.1.1.1 or 8.8.8.8 in adapter properties.

FAQ

Frequently asked

Will a USB Wi-Fi dongle bypass this issue?

Yes, a USB adapter uses its own driver and is not affected by the 25H2 power management bug on internal adapters.

Should I uninstall the 25H2 update?

No. The power management fix in step 2 resolves the issue without rolling back the OS.

Does this affect Ethernet connections?

No. The bug is specific to Wi-Fi adapter power states.

How to undo this

Re-enable the power saving checkbox in **Device Manager > Network adapters > your adapter > Power Management**. Re-run `netsh winsock reset` and restart to restore the original network stack.

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