Device Drivers are meant to serve as a connection between your operating system and the hardware. If any of them fail, the concerned hardware will stop communicating with Windows. In case you face network-related issues you would probably run the Network Adapter Troubleshooter. If it finds a problem but is unable to fix it on its own, you will see an error message – Windows could not find a driver for your network adapter. If you face this issue, then something in this post is sure to help you fix the problem.
Windows could not find a driver for your network adapter
You could try the following solutions to resolve the issue:
- Update the Network Adapter driver
- Uninstall and the Reinstall the Network Adapter driver
- Run Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter
- Run Network Adapter Troubleshooter again
- Run System Restore.
1] Update the Network Adapter driver
To update the Network Adapter driver, type devmgmt.msc in Start search box and hit Enter to open the Device Manager.
Locate the Network Adapter drivers and expand the list. Right-click and select Update driver for each of the drivers.
Restart the system and check if you are able to connect to the network now.
2] Reinstall the Network Adapter driver
Follow the procedure as explained above, but select Uninstall device to remove the driver. Then restart your system and see if Windows is automatically able to install the driver. If not open Device Manager again, right-click on Network adapters and select Scan for hardware changes.
Alternatively, you could download the Network Adapter driver from the manufacturer’s website on another system from the Internet (since the Internet won’t work on your system) and transfer it to your system using a USB drive. Open the Device Manager and expand the list of Network Adapters. Right-click and select Uninstall device for all the Network Adapter drivers.
Now install the drivers that you downloaded earlier.
3] Run Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter
The Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter helps in detecting common issues with connected devices (the Network adapter here) and resolve them.
Click on the Start button and select the gear-like option to open the Settings menu. Go to Updates and Security for the Windows Settings menu and then click on Troubleshoot.
Select the Hardware and Devices troubleshooter and run it.
4] Run the Network Adapter Troubleshooter
As explained above, go to Settings > Updates and Security > Troubleshoot. Select the Network Adapter Troubleshooter and run it.
Check if running the troubleshooter fixes your problem.
Read: Network Adapter not showing up, working or detected
5] Perform a System Restore
In case the Internet was working fine earlier, and the issue is recent, you might consider performing a System Restore. It will restore any changes made by recently installed programs, etc.
How do I fix Windows could not find a driver for my network adapter?
To fix the Windows could not find a driver for my network adapter error on Windows 11/10 PC, you can follow the above-mentioned tips and tricks. First, try updating your network adapter driver and check if it resolves the issue or not. You can use the Network Adapter Troubleshooter, reinstall the corresponding driver, etc. Finally, if nothing helps, you can use the System Restore point to get the job done.
How do I fix network adapter not found?
If your system says anything about the missing network adapter, you can unplug the adapter and plug it in. It mainly happens with an external network adapter when your computer fails to detect the device. On the other hand, it could also arise due to needing the corresponding driver.
Hope something here helps you!
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