How to Stop Windows 10 From Automatically Connecting to a Wi-Fi Network

Prevent your PC from automatically joining a wireless network.

Connecting to an open Wi-Fi network might put your device and data at risk since that network might not be encrypted. If your device often connects to multiple Wi-Fi networks that you don’t plan on using, you should stop Windows 10 from connecting automatically to a Wi-Fi network.

Here are four ways to prevent your PC from joining a Wi-Fi network.

Uncheck Connect Automatically

The easiest and fastest way to stop Windows 10 from automatically connecting to a Wi-Fi network is to click the Wi-Fi icon in the taskbar, select the network name, and uncheck Connect automatically.

Sometimes, Windows 10 will check that box for you and connect your device to the Wi-Fi network when in range. To fix it, try one of the solutions that we have listed below.

Related: How to Forget a Wi-Fi Network on Windows 10

If the Wi-Fi network is password-protected, simply forget that network on your PC and it won’t automatically connect to it.

Use Control Panel

Follow these steps to manage Wi-Fi networks via Control Panel:

1. In the Start menu search bar, search for Control Panel and select the Best match.
2. Head to Network and Internet > Network and sharing center.
3. Click the Change adapter settings option from the left-hand menu.
4. Open the Wi-Fi connection you are currently using.
5. Select the Wireless Properties button.
6. In the Connection tab, uncheck Connect automatically when this network is in range.

Use Settings

1. Click Start, then head to Settings >Network & Internet.
2. From the left pane menu, select Wi-Fi.
3. Click on the Wi-Fi connection you are currently using.
4. Turn off the toggle below Connect automatically when in range.

Use Command Prompt

1. In the Start menu search bar, type Command Prompt and select the Best match.
2. Type netsh wlan show profile and press Enter. This will show you information about the saved network profiles.
3. To stop Windows 10 from connecting automatically to one of these networks, type netsh wlan set profileparameter name=profile name connection mode=manual.
4. Press Enter.

Note: If you want to undo the changes, use the type netsh wlan set profileparameter name=profile name connection mode=auto command.

Related: Stay Safe! How to Prevent Your Devices From Auto-Connecting to Wi-Fi Networks

Better Be Safe Than Sorry

Having your Windows 10 computer connecting automatically to a Wi-Fi network might save time since you will quickly get notifications about emails, news, or messages from coworkers. However, this feature might connect you to an untrusted or unsafe network.

To keep your data and device safe, you can use one of the four methods that we discussed in this article.

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