By default, the Wi-Fi icon always appears in the system tray of your Windows 10 taskbar. It makes it easy for you to check your internet connection status. You can even press this icon to access other network settings.
However, the Wi-Fi icon sometimes randomly disappears from the taskbar.
Here’s you can restore the Wi-Fi icon when it’s missing from the system tray.
1. Check If the Wi-Fi Icon Is Hidden or Not
If the Wi-Fi icon is missing from your system tray, start by checking if it’s hidden or not. This icon is likely hiding with some of your hidden items in the system tray.
To check if it’s hidden or not, press the upward-pointing arrow on the taskbar. If you see the Wi-Fi icon, drag it and drop it back to the system tray.
2. Enable Hidden Wi-Fi Icon Using Taskbar Settings
Your hidden Wi-Fi icon could probably be disabled in the taskbar settings. In this case, here’s how you can fix it:
- Right-click the blank area in the taskbar and select Taskbar settings in the pop-up menu.
- On the right-hand side pane, scroll down and press the Select which icons appear on the taskbar option.
- Look for the Network icon and switch on its button.
3. Restart or Reinstall the Network Drivers
This issue is sometimes caused by corrupted network drivers. In this case, you’ll need to restart or reinstall these drivers to resolve the issue.
Here’s how you can restart your network drivers:
- Press the Windows Key + X and select Device Manager in the pop-up menu.
- Double-click the Network adapters option to expand it.
- Right-click your PC’s network adapter and select Disable device.
- Finally, right-click the network driver, select Enable device, and restart your PC.
If this doesn’t resolve your issue, try reinstalling the Network drivers instead. Here’s how you can do this:
- Open the Device Manager and the Network adapters option as per the previous steps.
- Right-click your PC’s network adapter and select Uninstall device.
- Next, navigate to the Action tab and select Scan for hardware changes.
Restart your PC. This should automatically reinstall the Network adapters.
4. Restore the Wi-Fi Icon Using the Local Group Policy Editor
You can also use the Local Group Policy Editor to bring back your missing Wi-Fi icon. Here are the steps you should follow:
- Press the Windows Key + R, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter to open the Local Group Policy Editor.
- On the left-hand side pane, navigate to User Configuration > Administrative Templates.
- Double-click Start Menu and Taskbar on the right-hand side pane.
- Double-click the Remove the Network icon from Start Menu option.
In the next window, check either the Disabled or Not Configured box. From here, press Apply, press OK, and restart your PC.
5. Run the Network Adapter Troubleshooter
Windows troubleshooting tools can help you resolve various system issues. In this case, we’ll show you how to use the Network Adapter Troubleshooter to bring back your missing Wi-Fi icon.
- Type Troubleshoot in the Start menu search bar and select the Best match.
- Select the Network Adapter troubleshooter and press the Run the troubleshooter button.
Wait for the process to finish and restart your PC.
6. Run an SFC Scan
The System File Checker (SFC) is a built-in troubleshooting tool that can help you resolve various system issues. In this case, it could help restore your missing Wi-Fi icon.
- To get started, press the Windows Key + R to open the Run command dialog box.
- Type CMD and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to open an elevated Command Prompt.
- Type the following command and press Enter:
sfc/scannowCheck Your Wi-Fi Connection Status With Ease
It’s quite frustrating when the Wi-Fi icon suddenly vanishes from the system tray of your taskbar. This makes it difficult to keep track of your internet connection status. Hopefully, you should be able to restore this icon using any of the methods we’ve provided.
