Finding yourself needing to forget a WiFi network in Windows 11? Maybe the network keeps auto-connecting, or you just don’t want your device to remember it anymore. Sometimes, this process isn’t as straightforward as clicking ‘Forget’ — especially if you’ve renamed networks, or Windows gets stubborn. Plus, there are multiple ways to do it, and not all are super obvious. So, whether you’re troubleshooting connectivity, cleaning up saved networks, or just trying to keep your network list tidy, this guide aims to walk through the real-world stuff that actually works.
Here’s the deal — the goal is just to unpair your device from that WiFi, so it stops auto-connecting or shows up in your list. Depending on your setup, one method might work better than another, especially if you’re stuck with messed-up profiles or inconsistent network names. So, take a deep breath, and let’s start with the easiest quick fix before diving into the more advanced options.
How to Forget a WiFi Network in Windows 11
Forget a WiFi network from Quick Settings — the quick and dirty method
This one’s pretty straightforward — great if the network shows up in your WiFi list, but can be a bit limited. It only shows networks your device can currently detect, not every saved one. Also, right-clicking on the network in Quick Settings can sometimes be unreliable, but it’s worth a shot for a quick fix.
- Press Windows + A to open the Quick Settings panel.
- Ensure WiFi is toggled on. Click the arrow button next to the WiFi icon if you see multiple network options — this expands the list.
- Look for the network you want to forget — it needs to be in range to find it here.
- Right-click on that network and see if the option Forget pops up. If it does, click it. If not, don’t sweat it — it’s a sign you might need to try other methods, especially if the network isn’t currently in range.
This action will remove the network from your current list, but because Windows only shows available networks in Quick Settings, it might not delete the actual saved profile. For that, you’ll need to try the other methods.
Forget a WiFi network via Settings – more reliable, but a few more clicks
This method is usually the most reliable because it directly manages your saved networks inside Windows. It’s handy when Quick Settings isn’t cutting it or when you want to clean up a bunch of stored networks, especially if you’re dealing with multiple profiles or roaming networks.
- Click on the Start button, then select Settings.
- Go to Network & Internet.
- Click on WiFi on the sidebar.
- Choose Manage known networks. This pulls up a list of all networks Windows has stored for your device.
- Find the network you want gone. Click the Forget button next to its name. That’s it — the profile is deleted, and your device won’t automatically connect to it again.
Sometimes, this doesn’t seem to work if the profile is corrupted or Windows is acting weird. But in most cases, it does the trick. On some setups, it takes a reboot afterward to really clear out the profile from the system.
Forget a WiFi network by editing the Registry — for the brave or desperate
This is kinda heavy-duty and best used if the regular methods seem broken or if you see phantom entries in your network list. It requires some discomfort with Registry Editor, but it’s sometimes the only way to nuke stubborn WiFi profiles that won’t delete otherwise.
Be cautious, because messing with the registry can cause other issues if done improperly. Backup your registry or create a restore point first, just in case.
- Press Windows + R, type regedit, and hit Enter. This opens the Registry Editor.
- Navigate to:
Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\NetworkList\Profiles. - In the left pane, you’ll see a bunch of folders with long, cryptic names. These are your network profiles. Click around one by one, looking for the ProfileName in the right pane — that’s the WiFi network’s name you want to remove.
- Once you find the right profile, right-click the folder and choose Delete. Confirm when prompted.
This method is kinda overkill for most people, but for stubborn wireless profiles that just won’t go, it’s worth a try. After deleting, a reboot is recommended, just to refresh the network list.
Forget WiFi networks from Command Prompt — the geeky way
If you’re comfortable with command-line stuff, this is often the fastest way. It’s also quite handy when GUI options fail or you want to automate the process.
- Open Command Prompt as Administrator. You can search for it in the Start menu, then right-click and choose Run as administrator.
- Type this command and press Enter to see all saved profiles:
- Look through the list and find exactly the network name you want to delete.
- To remove a specific network, run:
- If you want to wipe all saved profiles — risky but sometimes necessary — you can run:
netsh wlan show profiles
netsh wlan delete profile name='network name'. Replace `’network name’` with the exact SSID (keep the quotes if it contains spaces).
netsh wlan delete profile name=* i=*. This deletes everything, so be careful.
This method is kinda satisfying because you get instant feedback. Works every time, especially if you’re troubleshooting or cleaning out old, unwanted profiles.
How to Reconnect to a Forgotten WiFi Network
Even after forgetting it, reconnecting is just a matter of choosing the network again and entering the password. No surprise there. Just open Quick Settings with Windows + A, find your network, hit Connect, and type in your password. If you don’t remember the password, the network owner will need to give it to you again. Sometimes, Windows doesn’t forget the password immediately, so a reboot might help if it keeps auto-connecting after removal.
Again, the main point is that these methods ensure your device no longer keeps a local profile, so it won’t automatically connect or show in your list anymore.
Summary
- Quick Settings might do the trick if the network is visible and in range.
- Most reliable is the Manage Known Networks in Settings.
- Registry editing is for the stubborn profile nightmares.
- The command line is fast and perfect for automation or quick cleanup.
- Reconnecting is just a matter of selecting the network again and entering credentials.
Wrap-up
Dealing with WiFi profiles on Windows 11 can be a little finicky sometimes, but with these methods, it’s usually possible to clear out what you no longer need. Sometimes, a reboot or a quick check that your drivers are up to date helps as well. Mostly, it’s a matter of picking the right tool for the stubborn profile and going for it. Hopefully, this shaves off a few hours and gets your WiFi back under control. Fingers crossed this helps — worked for others, so maybe it’ll be your turn.