Why is my PC stuck on Airplane mode?

Just like Airplane Mode on our mobile phones, Windows PC and laptops have a similar option. With the Airplane Mode enabled, your PC will stop all forms of network connection, including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, LAN, mobile data, etc., to prevent interfering with the navigational instruments on an airplane. Recently, several Windows 10 users have reported they are getting stuck in Airplane Mode and cannot turn it off. This means that they can’t connect to Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc. If you are experiencing the same issue, here are some ways to disable Airplane Mode in Windows 10.

Reasons for Windows 10 Getting Stuck in Airplane Mode

Here are some of the possible reasons for Windows 10 getting stuck in Airplane Mode:

• Buggy software
• Software glitch
• Faulty network drivers
• Outdated network drivers
• OS-related problems

Now that you have some idea why this issue pops up, let us check out the solutions to fix this issue.

1. Restart Your Windows 10 PC

The first thing to do whenever you come across any software glitch is to restart your PC. In most cases, restarting does a wonderful job of fixing any issue, and it may also solve your issue of Windows 10 being stuck in Airplane Mode.

2. Disable Airplane Mode Under Windows Settings

If the Airplane Mode button is not working on the Notifications menu, then you can try turning it OFF by going to the Windows Settings menu. Head to “Settings -> Network & Internet.”

On the left-side column, you will see the “Airplane Mode” option. Click on it and toggle the first button OFF.

Alternatively, you can also try pressing the Function (Fn) button along with the Wi-Fi key, which is F3 (on my Acer laptop), to toggle Airplane Mode ON/OFF.

3. Check the Status of Radio Management Service

Notably, several users have reported that they were able to fix the Windows 10 stuck in Airplane Mode error by disabling the Radio Management Service and restarting their PCs. If you are lucky enough, you may also fix the error following the steps below:

1. Press Win + R on your keyboard to open the Run command.

2. Enter “services.msc” and hit the Enter button to open the Services Manager window.

3. In the newly opened “Services Manager” window, scroll down and find the “Radio Management Service” option.

4. Right-click on the “Radio Management Service” option and select “Properties.”

5. In the Properties window, change the “Startup type” to “Disabled” and click on the “Apply” button. Normally, it would be set to “Manual” and Windows won’t let you disable this setting.

6. Restart your Windows 10 PC and see if this fixes the Airplane Mode error.

4. Flush DNS Cache

1. Open the command prompt as an administrator.

2. Enter the below commands:

ipconfig/release 
ipconfig/renew
ipconfig/flushdns

3. This will flush the DNS Cache.

5. Update Network Adapter Driver

The Airplane Mode error may sometimes happen due to outdated network adapters drivers. Consider updating them via the Device Manager. Here is how to do it.

1. Press Win + R to open the Run command. Type devmgmt.msc and hit Enter. This will open the Device Manager window.

2. Expand the Network Adapters option, right-click on Wi-Fi adapter and select the first option, “Update Driver.”

3. The system will automatically look for updated drivers for the Wi-Fi adapter, and if available, will update it.

6. Edit the Registry Value

Under the Registry Editor menu, you can tweak the “RadioEnable” registry key and permanently enable/disable the wireless functionality on your PC. Modifying the RadioEnable registry value to 1 means wireless is enabled, and 0 to disable wireless connection. Always ensure that you have a backup of registry files on your PC.

1. Press Win + R and enter “regedit” to open the Registry Editor.

2. Navigate to the below path:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControl

3. Click on “Edit -> Find,” and enter “RadioEnable” to find the exact registry.

4. Right-click on the RadioEnable registry, and modify the value to “1.”

Wrapping Up

Tweaking the settings as mentioned in the above methods will definitely help you fix the Windows 10 stuck in Airplane Mode error. If you are still experiencing the issue, then your last option would be to install a fresh copy of Windows 10. For other troubling issues, such as the Start menu search not working and the Windows Store not working, you can tap on the links to redirect yourself to these dedicated guides.

Sagar Naresh

My work has been published on Android Authority, Android Police, Android Central, BGR, Gadgets360, GSMArena, and more. A Six Sigma and Google Certified Digital Marketer who is covering tech-related content for the past 2 years.

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