В Windows 10 большинство параметров сети были перенесены в приложение Параметры. К сожалению, современный пользовательский интерфейс ОС не включает в себя возможность быстрого отключения сетевого адаптера. Вместо этого мы можем использовать несколько классических инструментов.
В Windows 10 имеется специальное всплывающее окно «Сеть», оно показывает список доступных сетей Wi-Fi, к которым ваш компьютер может подключиться. Также вы можете посмотреть к какой сети вы в настоящее время подключены. Используя всплывающее окно «Сеть», вы можете открыть настройки сети и Интернета или включить, или отключить режим Wi-Fi, Мобильный Хот-спот и Режим «в самолете».
Чтобы отключить сетевой адаптер, вы можете использовать — Классическую панель управления раздел «Сетевые подключения», «Диспетчер устройств», «Netsh», или «PowerShell». Давайте посмотрим, как это можно сделать.
Чтобы отключить сетевой адаптер в Windows 10 , выполните следующие действия.
Способ 1. Отключить сетевой адаптер с помощью панели управления.
- Откройте классическую панель управления и перейдите:
Панель управления\Сеть и Интернет\Сетевые подключения.
- Кликните правой кнопкой мыши нужное соединение и выберите в контекстном меню «Отключить».
Сетевой адаптер будет отключен вместе с выбранным сетевым подключением.
Позже вы можете включить отключенное соединение, кликнув правой кнопкой мыши по нему и выбрав в контекстном меню пункт «Включить».
Способ 2. Отключить сетевой адаптер с помощью диспетчера устройств.
- Нажмите Win + X клавиши на клавиатуре и выберите в меню «Диспетчер устройств».
- В списке устройств найдите свою сетевую карту.
- Нажмите на ней правой кнопкой мыши и выберите «Отключить устройство» в контекстном меню.
Выбранный сетевой адаптер будет немедленно отключен.
Чтобы снова включить отключенный сетевой адаптер, в диспетчере устройств кликните его правой кнопкой мыши, выберите в контекстном меню «Включить устройство».
Способ 3. Отключите сетевой адаптер с помощью Netsh.
Netsh — консольная утилита, которая позволяет изменять множество параметров, связанных с сетью.
- Откройте командную строку от имени администратора. Введите следующую команду:
netsh interface show interface
Обратите внимание на значение «Имя интерфейса» для сетевого адаптера, который вы хотите отключить.
- Чтобы отключить сетевой адаптер, выполните следующую команду:
netsh interface set interface «Имя интерфейса» disable
- Измените «Имя интерфейса» соответствующим именем сетевого интерфейса с первого пункта.
Сетевой адаптер, связанный с сетевым интерфейсом, будет отключен. Команда отмены выглядит следующим образом: netsh interface set interface «Имя интерфейса» enable.
Способ 4. Отключить сетевой адаптер в Windows 10 с помощью PowerShell.
PowerShell — это расширенная форма командной строки. Которая имеет огромный набор готовых командлетов и может использовать .NET framework / C # в различных сценариях.
Чтобы отключить сетевой адаптер в Windows 10 с помощью PowerShell, выполните следующие действия.
- Откройте PowerShell.
- Чтобы посмотреть доступные сетевые адаптеры, запустите команду:
Get-NetAdapter | format-list
Обратите внимание на имя сетевого адаптера.
- Чтобы отключить адаптер, запустите команду:
Disable-NetAdapter -Name "имя вашего сетевого адаптера" -Confirm:$false
Это немедленно отключит сетевой адаптер без подтверждения. Не забудьте заменить часть «имя вашего сетевого адаптера» фактическим именем сетевого адаптера с шага 2.
Включить обратно сетевой адаптер можно командой:
Enable-NetAdapter -Name "имя вашего сетевого адаптера" -Confirm:$false
Все!
In Windows 10, most of the network options were moved to Settings. The Setting app and the new Network flyout are completely different from Windows 7 and Windows 8.1. Unfortunately, the modern user interface of the OS doesn’t include an option to disable a network adapter quickly. Instead, we can use a number of classic tools utilities.
In Windows 10, there is a special network flyout which shows a list of available wi-fi networks to which your PC can connect. It also shows the network that you are currently connected to. Using the Network flyout, you can open Network & internet settings or enable or disable Wi-Fi, Mobile Hotspot and Airplane mode.
To disable a network adapter, you can use either the classic Network Connections folder, Device Manager, Netsh, or PowerShell. Let’s see how it can be done.
To disable a network adapter in Windows 10, do the following.
- Open the classic Network Connections folder.
- Right-click the desired connection.
- Select Disable in the context menu.
- The network adapter will be disabled along with the selected network connection.
Later, you can enable the disabled connection by right-clicking on it and selection «Enable» in the context menu.
Disable a network adapter with Device Manager
- Press Win + X keys together on the keyboard and click Device Manager.
Tip: you can customize the Win + X menu of Windows 10.
- In the device tree, find your device.
- Right-click on it and select «Disable device» in the context menu.
- The selected network adapter will be instantly disabled.
To re-enable the disabled network adapter, right-click on it in Device Manager, select «Enable device» in the context menu.
Disable a network adapter with Netsh
Netsh is a console utility which allows changing a lot of network related parameters. Here are just a few examples of what you can do with netsh:
- Check supported WiFi speed of your Wireless adapter in Windows 10
- Backup and restore Wireless network profiles in Windows 10
- Filter wireless networks in Windows 10 to create a black list or white list
- Set up Windows 10 ad hoc wireless hotspot
Here is how to disable a network adapter using netsh.
- Open an elevated command prompt.
- Type the following command:
netsh interface show interface. Make note of the Interface Name value for the network adapter you want to disable.
- To disable a network adapter, issue the following command:
netsh interface set interface "Ethernet" disable. Substitute the Ethernet potion with the appropriate name of the network interface from the step 2.
- The network adapter related to the network interface will be disabled. The undo command is as follows:
netsh interface set interface "Interface Name" enable.
Disable a network adapter with PowerShell
PowerShell is an advanced form of command prompt. It is extended with a huge set of ready-to-use cmdlets and comes with the ability to use .NET framework/C# in various scenarios.
To disable a network adapter in Windows 10 using PowerShell, do the following.
- Open an elevated PowerShell instance.
- To see available network adapters, run the command
Get-NetAdapter | format-list.
Make note of the network adapter name.
- To disable the adapter, run the command
Disable-NetAdapter -Name "your network adapter name" -Confirm:$false. This will disable your network adapter instantly without a confirmation. Don’t forget to replace the «your network adapter name» portion with the actual network adapter name from the step 2. - The undo command is
Enable-NetAdapter -Name "your network adapter name" -Confirm:$false.
That’s it!
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Windows 10 offers tons of features and controls to make your PC your own. But there are still some controls that aren’t as easy to discover or use. For example, you might be able to turn off the WiFi from the system tray but what if you have an Ethernet connection? Here is how you can disable network adapters on Windows 10.
Enable / disable network adapters on Windows 10 using Control Panel:
- Open the Start menu and type control panel in the search bar. Click on the Control Panel app to proceed.
- Select the Network and Internet tab from the Control Panel.
- Choose the Network and Sharing Center by clicking on it in the Network and Internet tab.
- Click on Change adapter settings to open the Network Connections menu.
- Right-click on the Ethernet adapter and select Disable.
- The status of the Ethernet adapter would switch from Enabled to Disabled.
You can also disable your Wi-Fi and LAN connections from this menu as all you have to do is repeat Step 5 on each of the present network connections. In order to revert the changes and turn on your network connections on Windows 10, right-click on any disabled network from the list and select Enable.
Using the Command Prompt:
- Open the Start menu and type cmd in the search bar. Right-click on the Command Prompt app and select Run as Administrator. The system will prompt for permission, simply click on Yes to proceed.
- Type the command below and press Enter to reveal active network connections on your Windows 10 PC.
netsh interface show interface
- The status of the network connection that you wish to disable along with the Interface Name would appear.
- Simply type the command below and the term “Ethernet” would be replaced by the name of your adapter. The ethernet connection is named Ethernet by default in Windows 10, which makes it easier to figure out. But, in case of a custom assigned name, you need to replace the term “Ethernet” from the command below with that custom name.
netsh interface set interface Ethernet disable
- There will not be any kind of confirmation once the command has been executed. You can see that the Command Prompt is now ready to receive another command which indicates that the previous one has been successfully executed.
In order to replicate this process on Windows Powershell, simply open Windows PowerShell from the Start menu and Run as Administrator by following Step 1. Follow the commands and press Enter to execute accordingly and disable network adapters on Windows 10.
Using the Device Manager:
- Right-click the Start menu and select Device Manager from the list.
- In the Device Manager, simply expand the Network adapters’ menu.
- Right-click on the Ethernet, LAN, of Wi-Fi driver from the list that you wish to disable and click on Disable device to continue.
- The computer would prompt you that this could cause some of the network features to malfunction. Select Yes to proceed.
- The status of the device can be observed as the icon changes, and now you have successfully disabled network connections on Windows 10.
These steps can help you disable network connections on Windows 10 within a matter of seconds and also eliminate the hassle of physically removing the network cables from your PC.
(Image credit: Future)
A network adapter is a crucial part of your computer as it connects it to the local network and internet. However, there may be times when you may need to enable or disable Wi-Fi and Ethernet network adapters for reasons such as conserving battery life or keeping your device offline.
Although the Settings app on Windows 10 can manage network settings, it lacks the ability to enable or disable network adapters.
This how-to guide will walk you through the steps to disable and enable a network adapter using a graphical interface and commands.
How to enable or disable network adapters using Control Panel
On Windows 10, you can use Control Panel to disable and enable your network adapters as necessary.
Disable adapter
To disable a network adapter using Control Panel, use these steps:
- Open Settings.
- Click on Network & Security.
- Click on Status.
- Quick tip: You can also quickly access these settings by right-clicking the network icon in the taskbar and selecting the «Network & Internet settings» option.
- Click on «Change adapter options.»
- Right-click the network adapter and select the Disable option.
Enable adapter
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To enable a network adapter with Control Panel on Windows 10, use these steps:
- Open Settings.
- Click on Network & Security.
- Click on Status.
- Click on «Change adapter options.»
- Right-click the network adapter and select the Enable option.
How to enable or disable network adapters using Device Manager
It’s also possible to use Device Manager to enable or disable network adapters you don’t need.
Disable adapter
To disable a network adapter using Device Manager, use these steps:
- Open Start.
- Search for Device Manager, and click the top result to open the app.
- Expand the Network adapters category.
- Right-click the adapter you want, and select the Disable device option.
- Click the Yes button.
Enable adapter
To enable a network adapter using Device Manager, use these steps:
- Open Start.
- Search for Device Manager, and click the top result.
- Expand the Network adapters category.
- Right-click the adapter you want, and select the Enable device option.
How to enable or disable network adapters using Command Prompt
You can also use the netsh command on Windows 10 to disable or re-enable network adapters on your device.
Disable adapter
To disable a network adapter with the netsh command, use these steps:
- Open Start.
- Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
- Type the following command to identify the name of the adapter you want to disable and press Enter: netsh interface show interface
- Type the following command to disable the Wi-Fi or Ethernet adapter and press Enter: netsh interface set interface «YOUR-ADAPTER-NAME» disable
In the command, remember to specify the name of the adapter you want to disable. The quotation marks are only required if there are spaces within the name.
Enable adapter
To enable a network adapter with the netsh command, use these steps:
- Open Start.
- Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
- Type the following command to identify the name of the adapter you want to enable and press Enter: netsh interface show interface
- Type the following command to disable the wireless or wired network adapter and press Enter: netsh interface set interface «YOUR-ADAPTER-NAME» enable
In the command, specify the name of the adapter you want to enable. The quotation marks are only required if there are spaces within the name.
How to enable or disable network adapters using PowerShell
Alternatively, you can use PowerShell commands to disable or enable any network adapters you don’t use on your computer.
Disable adapter
To disable a Wi-Fi or Ethernet network adapter on Windows 10 using PowerShell, use these steps:
- Open Start.
- Search for PowerShell, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
- Type the following command to identify the name of the adapter you want to disable and press Enter: Get-NetAdapter | format-table
- Type the following command to disable the Wi-Fi or Ethernet adapter and press Enter: Disable-NetAdapter -Name «YOUR-ADAPTER-NAME» -Confirm:$false
In the command, specify the name of the adapter you want to disable. The quotation marks are only required if there are spaces within the name.
Enable adapter
To enable a network adapter on Windows 10 from PowerShell, use these steps:
- Open Start.
- Search for PowerShell, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
- Type the following command to identify the name of the adapter you want to enable and press Enter: Get-NetAdapter | format-table
- Type the following command to disable the Wi-Fi or Ethernet adapter and press Enter: Enable-NetAdapter -Name «YOUR-ADAPTER-NAME» -Confirm:$false
In the command, specify the name of the adapter you want to enable. The quotation marks are only required if there are spaces within the name.
Although the Settings app doesn’t offer a complete set of network settings, you will still find many ways to manage network adapters on your device.
It’s important to note that using the network flyout to turn on or off wireless connections doesn’t disable your Wi-Fi adapter. It only disconnects the device from the network.
This guide focuses on wireless and wired adapters, but Bluetooth is also a networking device, which means that you can use the same instructions to enable or disable the adapter.
More resources
For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10 and Windows 11, visit the following resources:
- Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
- Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know
Mauro Huculak has been a Windows How-To Expert contributor for WindowsCentral.com for nearly a decade and has over 15 years of experience writing comprehensive guides. He also has an IT background and has achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft, Cisco, VMware, and CompTIA. He has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years.
Windows keeps your list of your network adapters updated automatically. Whenever you install a new one, be that a new Bluetooth connection, new Wi-Fi dongle, or virtual network adapter, you’ll find it listed under Network Connections.
From time to time, you may want to remove an old network adapter from the list, to keep it tidy and to help keep track of your active adapters.
So, read on to learn how to remove a network adapter from Windows 10 and Windows 11.
What Is a Network Adapter?
A network adapter is a piece of hardware that enables your computer to communicate with different devices. For example, on your laptop, you likely have a wireless network adapter to allow Wi-Fi connections and perhaps an Ethernet port to allow for Ethernet connections. You may also have a Bluetooth network adapter to allow for Bluetooth connections, and so on.
Network adapters make it easy for our devices to communicate, largely automating the process of configuring and managing active network connections between devices but also making it easier to troubleshoot when things go wrong.
Although not in this article, you may also see network adapters referred to as a Network Interface Card (NIC), but these typically refer to an expansion card plugged into a system, like a PCIe Wi-Fi card.
1. Remove the Network Adapter From Network Connections
The first way to remove a network adapter from Windows is through Network Connections. In this window, you’ll find all of your network connections, and it’s a handy way to manage your network adapters.
- Open File Explorer.
- Copy and paste Control Panel\Network and Internet\Network Connections into the File Explorer address bar and press Enter.
- Right-click the network adapter you want to remove and select Delete.
The network adapter will uninstall, and you’ve removed it from your system. However, as you may have spotted in the screenshot, the Delete button isn’t always accessible. If you find the network adapter Delete button greyed out, move to the next section.
2. Remove the Network Adapter Using the Device Manager
Next up, you can attempt to remove the network adapter using the Device Manager. The Device Manager is a Windows utility that allows you to see all of the devices connected to your machine, be that a mouse, keyboard, graphics card, or network adapter.
Input Device Manager in your Start menu search bar and select the Best match.
- Scroll down and unfurl Network adapters using the arrow icon.
- Right-click the network adapter you want to remove and select Uninstall device.
- When the warning appears, select Uninstall.
- Repeat as necessary.
3. Remove the Network Profile Using the Command Prompt
If the network adapter still refuses to budge, you can take another step and remove the network adapter profile from your system using the Command Prompt.
Input cmd in your Start menu search bar, then select Run as Administrator.
- Now, if you’re trying to remove an Ethernet (wired) connection, input: netsh lan show profiles
- But, if you’re trying to remove a Wi-Fi (wireless) connection, input: netsh wlan show profiles
- Received the warning that the Wired or Wireless Autoconfig Service isn’t working? In your Start menu search bar, type services and select the Best match, then scroll down and find Wired AutoConfig or WLAN Autoconfig, right-click and select Start.
- If you received the warning message, you should now enter the previous commands from step two or three.
- Find the network adapter you want to remove from the list and make a note of the interface name found at the top of each profile.
- Next, input the following command to remove a wired network adapter interface: netsh lan delete profile interface=»InterfaceName»
- Or, input the following command to remove a wireless network adapter interface: netsh wlan delete profile interface=»InterfaceName»
Now that you’ve removed the network adapter profile from Windows, you should find that you can remove the network adapter from the Network Connections window or the Device Manager.
4. Remove Network Adapter Settings Using the Windows Registry
Another option is to remove the network adapter settings using the Windows Registry. But, first, you need to check the details of the adapter you want to remove.
- Open the Command Prompt and input ipconfig. Find the network adapter you want to remove, make a note of the IPv4 Address and keep the Command Prompt window open.
- Now, input regedit in your Start menu search bar and select the Best match.
- Head to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters\Interfaces.
- Browse the list of interfaces, comparing the interface DhcpIPAddress to the IPv4 address in the Command Prompt. When you find a match, you’ve found the corresponding network adapter.
- Right-click the network adapter interface name (the long alphanumeric string) in the Windows Registry and select Delete.
Like the Command Prompt fix, this doesn’t entirely remove the network adapter from your system. You’ll still have to finish removing the network adapter via the Network Connections window or the Device Manager.
Related: How to Fix a Faulty Ethernet Connection in Windows 10
Is It Worth Removing Old Network Adapters?
You don’t strictly have to remove old network adapters. In some cases, Windows will do the job for you if you upgrade or change your hardware configuration, but this is also what can lead to a list of old network adapters lurking on your system.
Furthermore, you might want to remove virtual network adapters for old virtual machines you no longer use if the host software hasn’t automatically cleaned up. In my case, virtual machine software created over 20 different virtual network adapters, filling the entire window with different options.
Cleaning up your network adapter list should only take a minute of your time and can make it easier to figure out which connection has an issue when the time arises. If there are only one or two different options in the Network Connections window, you’ll know exactly which connection has an issue.