Airplane mode can come in handy when you require to quickly disable all wireless connections on your computer including Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS, and even cellular data connections. Enable this restricted feature to connect through the taskbar icon in the notifications section, a keyboard shortcut, through the Network and Internet settings interface, or even through a physical switch on specific computers.
Unravel the stuck Airplane mode problem in Windows
Unfortunately, Windows 10 can occasionally get stuck in Airplane mode, which puts you in a really difficult place because your PC won't be able to go online or communicate with other devices. Follow our troubleshooting guide below if you find yourself in this frustrating situation, what to do when Windows 10 is stuck in Airplane mode.
1. Turn off the power using the keyboard shortcut
The simplest way to turn off Airplane mode is to use a keyboard shortcut. First, check the keyboard for a key with a symbol that looks like a radio tower that emits signals. This varies between models and is usually one of the function keys (such as F3) or another key located along the top row (such as the Print screen).
Not all computers have this key, so if you don't see it at first glance, you might just need to move on to the next section.
Hold down the Function- FN key, then press the key containing the above code. If it works, a notification should appear in the upper left corner of your screen saying Airplane mode, and your Wi-Fi and other connection should restart immediately.
2. Via the Windows taskbar
Another moderately easy way to turn off Airplane Mode is with its Windows taskbar shortcut, located in the notifications section in the lower right corner of the screen shown in the screenshot above. Just click on the airplane icon so that the following popup screen appears.
Next, select the Airplane mode button. At this moment, it should immediately turn off and a list of available connections (Wi-Fi and others) will appear. If any of the preconfigured Wi-Fi networks are set to automatically connect and are within their range, you should be online in just a few seconds.
3. Turn off Airplane through system settings
Airplane mode can also be toggled on and off within the system settings interface, easily accessible via the Windows 10 search box located on the lower-left side of the screen next to the Start button.
To get started, type the following text into the search box: Airplane Mode.
When the results screen pops up, tap Airplane Mode: System Settings, located under the Best Match header.
The Airplane mode settings interface should now display, overlaying the desktop. Click the button under the Airplane mode heading, so it switches from on to off. If successful, you will notice that the button labeled Wi-Fi will automatically change from Off to On.
4. Turn off Airplane mode through a dedicated button
Some computers (particularly laptops) come with an Airplane mode button, sometimes referred to as a network button, that is embedded somewhere on the device itself. Pressing this button will enable and disable the Airplane mode.
Consult your computer manufacturer's manual for more details on whether or not you have this button and its location.
Depending on your model, this switch can sometimes override Windows settings, and thus should be set to the appropriate position to avoid getting stuck in airplane mode.
5. Check for driver updates
If you do all the previous steps and they do not work for you, you must check for software updates. This can be done through Device Manager.
A list of devices will open in front of you, search for the wireless network adapter, then right-click on it and select Update device. If it is not updated, it will automatically search for updates for the program via the Internet.
6. Other troubleshooting methods
If none of the above works and you're still stuck in Airplane mode, there are other things you can try as a last resort.
Reset your computer's BIOS to default settings. This is only guided for advanced users.
You can also reinstall Windows 10 via the Reset PC feature, but this is a larger project (so hopefully the above ideas worked) and Solve the stuck Airplane mode problem in Windows 10.