Wi-Fi 7 Not Working on Windows 11? How to Fix It

If your PC has Wi-Fi 7 hardware but Windows still shows Wi-Fi 6, no 6 GHz network or no MLO, start with the PC, not the router. Microsoft says Wi-Fi 7 is available starting with Windows 11, version 24H2, and the adapter needs a driver that supports it. Check four things in order: your Windows version, the adapter driver, what netsh reports, and whether your router is a Wi-Fi 7 router using WPA3.

This guide covers the Windows side: built-in Wi-Fi 7 cards in laptops and desktops, and add-on USB or PCIe adapters. It’s based on Microsoft, Intel and TP-Link documentation; we haven’t tested specific PCs.

Step 1: Check your Windows version

Microsoft’s Wi-Fi support page is direct about this: “Wi-Fi 7 is available starting with Windows 11, version 24H2.” A PC on Windows 10, or on Windows 11 version 23H2 or earlier, won’t make a Wi-Fi 7 connection, whatever the hardware supports.

To check, right-click Start, choose Settings, then System > About. Under Windows specifications, look at Version. If it says 24H2 or a later version, move on. If it’s older, run Windows Update first; nothing else in this guide will help until the version is right.

Intel’s driver notes back this up from the hardware side. Its release notes for driver 24.30.1, dated March 2026, say: “The Wi-Fi 7 features are available starting with Windows 11* 24H2.” The same package lists Windows 10 as a supported operating system, so a Wi-Fi 7 card may install on Windows 10, but Intel says its Wi-Fi 7 features need Windows 11 24H2.

Step 2: Update the Wi-Fi driver

An old driver is the next thing to check, especially on a PC that was upgraded to 24H2 rather than shipped with it.

• Built-in Wi-Fi (most laptops): check the PC maker’s support page for your model first. Laptop makers often ship their own driver builds.
• Intel Wi-Fi 7 cards: Intel’s 24.30.1 notes list the Wi-Fi 7 BE200, BE201, BE202, BE211 and BE213 as supported. If your laptop maker’s driver is older than Intel’s, Intel’s own package is an option for many desktops and add-in cards.
• USB and PCIe adapters: use the adapter maker’s driver. TP-Link’s download page for the Archer TBE6500U USB adapter, for example, lists a driver published August 7, 2025, with the note: “The MLO function is only supported on Windows 11 24H2 and later systems.” An earlier beta driver for the same adapter says MLO needs “Windows 11 24H2 (build 26100) and later.”

Restart after installing, even if Windows doesn’t ask.

AMD desktops with an Intel BE200 or BE202 card: this one is worth knowing before you spend an afternoon on drivers. Tom’s Hardware reported in March 2024 that users found these Intel Wi-Fi 7 cards didn’t work in AMD-based systems, and that Intel hadn’t addressed it. We couldn’t find a current Intel statement confirming or ruling out AMD support, so treat it as a known risk rather than a settled fact. If you’re shopping, our Wi-Fi 7 adapter guide covers USB and PCIe options from NETGEAR and TP-Link.

Step 3: Confirm 802.11be with netsh

Once Windows and the driver are current, check what Windows thinks the adapter can do. Open Command Prompt or Terminal and run:

netsh wlan show drivers

Look at Radio types supported. Microsoft says to “see if it includes 802.11be (for Wi-Fi 7).” While you’re there, Microsoft also says to check that WPA3 Personal appears under “Authentication and cipher supported in infrastructure mode.”

How to read the result:

If 802.11be still doesn’t appear after Steps 1 and 2, the PC may not have Wi-Fi 7 hardware at all. TP-Link’s Wi-Fi 7 FAQ notes that “client devices manufactured before 2022 are unlikely to support it”, so check the device maker’s specifications.

Step 4: Check the router and network

When netsh lists 802.11be but you still don’t get a Wi-Fi 7 connection, look at the other end. Microsoft’s requirements include “A router that supports Wi-Fi 7, Wi-Fi 6/6E, and WPA3,” and an adapter that supports the same.

• The router has to be Wi-Fi 7. A Wi-Fi 7 PC connected to a Wi-Fi 6 or 6E router uses the features both share, which means Wi-Fi 6 or 6E.
• The network needs WPA3. Microsoft lists WPA3 support as a requirement, so if your network uses WPA2 rather than WPA3, the PC may not get a Wi-Fi 7 connection. Our WPA2 vs. WPA3 guide covers how to switch, and 6 GHz Wi-Fi not showing up covers the router-side 6 GHz settings.
• Work networks are different. Microsoft’s page says “Wi-Fi 7 (Enterprise) is not currently supported in Windows 11.” On a corporate network using WPA3-Enterprise, expect a non-Wi-Fi 7 connection.

Step 5: Check the connection, including MLO

To see what you actually connected with, open Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi, select your network’s properties and look at Network band (channel). Microsoft says that if it shows more than one band, “for example, 5 GHz and 6 GHz, or 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, then MLO is supported” on that connection.

If you see a single band, that isn’t a failure on its own. MLO needs support on the router and the network you joined, and some routers offer it as a separate network. Our Wi-Fi 7 MLO guide explains the modes and when turning MLO on is worth it.

Quick checklist

1. Windows 11 version 24H2 or later (Settings > System > About).
2. Latest driver from the PC or adapter maker, then a restart.
3. netsh wlan show drivers lists 802.11be and WPA3 Personal.
4. Router is Wi-Fi 7 and the network you join uses WPA3.
5. Network band (channel) shows the band you expect, or two bands for MLO.

Sources and verification

Bottom line

When Wi-Fi 7 doesn’t show up on a Windows PC, the fix is usually on the PC: get to Windows 11 24H2 or later, install the current driver, and confirm 802.11be in netsh. Only then is it worth changing router settings, and the router side mostly comes down to two things: it has to be a Wi-Fi 7 router, and the network has to use WPA3.