How to Reset Network Settings on Windows
From commands that delete nothing to a full reset, explained by severity level.
When the internet keeps failing persistently and you've already ruled out the router and other devices, resetting Windows' network settings usually fixes it. But not every way of "resetting" is the same — there are gentler options and a radical one that deletes your saved Wi-Fi passwords. Let's go from least to most drastic.
Level 1: surgical commands (you lose nothing saved)
Open Command Prompt as administrator and run these commands, one after another:
ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew
netsh winsock reset
This clears the DNS cache and renews your IP address, without touching your saved Wi-Fi networks or your VPN configuration. Restart the machine after running them for the changes to take full effect.
Tip: this level fixes most persistent connection problems. Only move to level 2 if, after restarting, the problem is still exactly the same.
Level 2: also resetting the firewall
netsh advfirewall reset
Restores the Windows Firewall rules to their factory settings — useful if a custom rule (yours or from an installed program) is blocking the connection without you knowing. It removes any custom rules you had created yourself.
Level 3: the full reset (deletes Wi-Fi passwords)
Warning: this option removes and reinstalls every network adapter from scratch. You'll lose every saved Wi-Fi password, your VPN configuration, and any static IP you had set up — you'll have to re-enter all of that manually afterwards.
Settings → Network & internet → "Advanced network settings" → "Network reset" → "Reset now". The machine will restart automatically once it finishes.
Note: if you have Wi-Fi passwords you don't
remember by heart, you can export them beforehand from Command Prompt
with netsh wlan export profile key=clear, which saves
them into files you can check afterwards.
If none of this fixes it
The problem might not be a settings issue: check whether other devices on the same network have the same problem (if so, it isn't your PC, it's the router or the provider), or whether the network adapter itself might be failing due to hardware.
Frequently asked questions
Will I lose my files by resetting the network?
No, none of the levels in this guide affects your personal files. The only thing lost at level 3 is saved Wi-Fi passwords and network configurations (VPN, static IP), not documents or programs.
What's the difference between the commands and the reset from Settings?
The commands (level 1 and 2) are more surgical: they clear cache and renew the connection without touching your saved networks. The reset from Settings (level 3) is more radical: it reinstalls every adapter from scratch and deletes saved Wi-Fi passwords.
How often can I do this?
There's no problem repeating the level 1 commands as many times as needed. The full reset (level 3) is more inconvenient because of the loss of saved passwords, so it's worth saving it for when the earlier levels haven't worked.