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You are here: Home » Windows 10 » Fix: Airplane Mode Is Not Turning Off In Windows 10

Fix: Airplane Mode Is Not Turning Off In Windows 10

Last Updated on February 27, 2020 by admin 58 Comments

Over the past few days, I had to turn on the Airplane mode in Windows 10 a couple of times. As you likely know, the Airplane mode can be turned on or off quickly by clicking the Action Center icon in the system tray and then clicking Airplane tile.

What’s Airplane or flight mode?

The Airplane mode in Windows was first introduced with Windows 8. The Airplane mode does nothing but simultaneously turns off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. On a mobile phone, the Airplane or flight mode disables Wi-Fi, mobile network, FM radio, and Bluetooth connections simultaneously.

Although the Airplane mode is a handy feature available in Windows 10, the problem with this feature is that, at times, it’s hard to turn off the Airplane mode. Yes, when the Airplane is turned on, clicking the Airplane tile on the Action Center should turn off the mode, but that doesn’t always happen on Windows 10.

airplane mode not turning off in Windows 10 pic01

The other problem with this feature is that the Airplane icon continues to appear in the system tray on the taskbar even after disabling the Airplane mode. In other words, the Airplane icon, which appears once you turn on the Airplane mode, refuses to go away even after turning off the mode.

If you’re unable to turn off or disable Airplane/flight mode in Windows 10, here is how to turn it off and connect to your Wi-Fi connection.

Method 1 – turn off Airplane mode under Settings

Method 2 – turn on Wi-Fi when Airplane mode is on

Method 3 – Get rid of the Airplane mode icon from the system tray

Method 1 of 3

Turn off the Airplane mode via Settings

If you have tried this method already, please scroll down to see Method 2.

Step 1: Open the Settings app by clicking or tapping the Settings icon in the left pane of the Start menu. Settings can also be launched using the Windows logo + I hotkey.

airplane mode not turning off in Windows 10 pic2

Step 2: Once Settings launched, click or tap Network & Internet.

Airplane mode is not turning off in Windows 10 step2

Step 3: Click or tap Airplane mode. Change the toggle button position under Turn this on to stop all wireless communication, such as Wi-Fi, cellular, and Bluetooth. Once the Airplane mode is turned off, make sure that Wi-Fi and Bluetooth switches under the Wireless devices section are turned on.

airplane mode not turning off in Windows 10 pic3

Method 2 of 3

Turn on Wi-Fi under Settings to turn off the Airplane mode

If you are unable to turn off the Airplane mode from Action Center or Settings (by following instructions in Method 1) and want to connect to a Wi-Fi connection right away, you can do so by following given below directions.

Step 1: When the Airplane mode is refusing to go off, open the Settings app by clicking or tapping the Settings icon on the left side of the Start menu, as shown in the picture below.

airplane mode not turning off in Windows 10 pic2

Step 2: Once the Settings app is launched, click or tap Network and Internet.

Airplane mode is not turning off in Windows 10 step2

Step 3: Click or tap Wi-Fi. Turn on the Wi-Fi by changing toggle switch to On position to automatically connect to the default Wi-Fi network. If not connected, click on the Show available networks link (present on the same page) to see the network flyout and then click on the Wi-Fi network that you want your PC to connect to.

airplane mode not turning off in Windows 10 pic4

 

Method 3 of 3

Remove Airplane mode icon from the system tray

As mentioned before, the Airplane mode doesn’t go away even after turning off the mode. If you want to get rid of the icon, follow given below directions.

Step 1: Open Windows Explorer (any folder), if it’s not already running.

Step 2: Right-click on the empty area of the taskbar and then click Task Manager to open the same. Alternatively, you can use Ctrl + Shift + Esc hotkey to open the Task Manager quickly.

Airplane mode is not turning off in Windows 10 step5

Step 3: If the taskbar is opened with limited details view (refer to the picture below), click More details button go the full view.

Airplane mode is not turning off in Windows 10 step6

Step 4: Under the Processes tab, right-click on the Windows Explorer entry, and then click Restart option to restart the File Explorer, including the taskbar.

Airplane mode is not turning off in Windows 10 step7

Restarting Windows Explorer will refresh icons on the taskbar. The Airplane mode icon should go away now.

Don’t forget to check out Jeff’s solution mentioned in the comments below. His answer seems to be working for many.

Filed Under: Windows 10 Tagged: Tips

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Comments

  1. RICHARD MULLER says

    November 22, 2024 at 2:50 pm

    just do a windows clean up ,

  2. Umair says

    January 17, 2024 at 3:20 pm

    Siddhesh and u’r welcome suggestions worked for me. Here are the steps

    First:
    1. right click the “windows flag” icon on the lower left hand corner
    2. click on “device manager” from the list
    3. explore the “human interface device”
    4. select the airplane mode switch collection and right click
    5. select disable the device
    6. restart the computer

    After restart, you should have the airplane mode switch back from the grey out state.

    Hopefully, at this time, you are able to disable the airplane mode, (i.e. not grey out)

    Second:
    Restart ur PC/laptop and when it goes to the “enter pin” page, look at the bottom right of the screen and press of the airplane icon and from there, you should be able to turn off airplane mode.

  3. hezbon says

    June 10, 2021 at 3:14 pm

    Wow thanks Jeff after all that.

  4. Rockson says

    March 27, 2021 at 11:38 pm

    Jeff’s solution works!

  5. Melanie says

    March 15, 2021 at 6:02 pm

    Wow, amazing.I did it.Thank you I was able to fix my gray airplane mode.

  6. Addisu says

    February 13, 2021 at 12:07 am

    Only Ian Carson’s method worked. Thanks Carson. Here are the steps:
    Step 1: Click on Start button
    2. Go to windows administrative tools
    from start button scroll down to windows system – open this and
    3. Click on Administrative tools
    4. System configuration – click on this and set your startup to NORMAL

  7. Devon anderson says

    January 30, 2021 at 6:58 am

    I could not connect to the internet. Airplane mode was on. I when into control pannel-network and internet-network connection. And I enabled wifi. And it came on…..hope it helps.

  8. Joseph says

    December 8, 2020 at 12:40 am

    Jeff u a God sent thank you

  9. Mohamad waly says

    April 24, 2020 at 2:58 pm

    None of this has worked ! Guys, any other solution here ?!

  10. Goldie says

    April 23, 2020 at 4:10 pm

    Hooray for Jeff, tried loads of things his fixed it for me. I would have never have thought to look in device manager HID I looked for others in device man like network. Airplane mode switch collection has annoyed me for the last time. I may disable it on all devices I use, just in case

  11. Ian Carson says

    April 5, 2020 at 7:34 pm

    go to windows administrative tools – from start button scroll down to windows system – open this and you will see Administrative tools – click on this – you will see system configuration – click on this and set your startup to NORMAL

  12. Johnny says

    April 3, 2020 at 2:45 am

    Jeff’s advice worked like a charm.

  13. dog says

    March 29, 2020 at 12:34 pm

    jeff u are not god – plane still there

  14. Micho says

    March 17, 2020 at 11:22 pm

    Amazing thankyou very much ms config worked saved me from massive frustration

  15. Nasik Ubaid says

    February 19, 2020 at 8:00 pm

    Jeff is really a life favour. Wonderful Jeff. Many Thanks

  16. Falaye says

    February 15, 2020 at 6:17 pm

    Thank you Jefff. Finally, your suggestion let me off the hook after several days of trying all sort of technical tricks to disable the airplane mode.Again accept my gratitude.

  17. Sarah says

    February 14, 2020 at 8:12 pm

    Jeff’s method worked like a charm! I had to search for ‘device manager’ on my computer but that’s simple.

    Thank you — this is a weird glitch.

  18. Siddhesh says

    February 6, 2020 at 3:40 pm

    Thank you Jeff & ElisaS for your great help :
    Before ElisaS comment I have done that but not checked if it can turned off manually as it won’t allows previously.

    NONE of these worked, and I finally found the one that did – thanks Jeff!!! Copying it under here for easier find. Also – a note, I believe I tried this solution already a few days ago, but I had gotten so frustrated of nothing working before that, I didn’t restart my computer and turned it back on when I saw nothing had changed anyways. So my advice, do this and immediately after it restart. After that just go to Network & Internet settings and under “Airplane Mode” the switch shouldn’t be grey anymore and allow to turn it off. Good luck! :) Hope this helps if nothing else did!

    Here’s the instructions provided by Jeff:

    Try disable the airplane mode switch collection from device manager.

    1. right click the “windows flag” icon on the lower left hand corner
    2. click on “device manager” from the list
    3. explore the “human interface device”
    4. select the airplane mode switch collection and right click
    5. select disable the device
    6. restart the computer

    After restart, you should have the airplane mode switch back from the grey out state.

    Hopefully, at this time, you are able to disable the airplane mode, (i.e. not grey out)

  19. Xander says

    February 5, 2020 at 5:04 pm

    Thank you so much, Jeff!!!

  20. Michelle Mitchell says

    February 4, 2020 at 2:55 am

    don trouble with airplane mode and wifi my computer is stuck in airplane mode and i cant find no symbol of airplane or wifi anywhere like its been taken off. can use some help please? im not to savy on these things. thanks for the helpdo

  21. lebo says

    January 27, 2020 at 2:51 pm

    Removed anti- virus & rebooted.

  22. Dave McKay says

    January 20, 2020 at 9:08 pm

    My laptop updated windows 10 and airplane mode was stuck on. Pleased to say that Jeff’s fix worked. Scroll down, you will find it…….Thank you Jeff

  23. Dawn B says

    January 19, 2020 at 8:39 pm

    The first 3 fixes did not work for me as well. BUT…..the one mentioned in the comments DID!!!!! I was ready to throw my computer out the window due to frustration. THANK YOU!!!!!

  24. Kunal Rajani says

    January 17, 2020 at 9:14 pm

    Amazing!! You are a life savior man.. Last option of refreshing task bar item worked really well

  25. Ike says

    January 13, 2020 at 1:21 am

    Jeff’s advice worked perfectly. Thanks a million.

  26. Rashi tiwari says

    January 12, 2020 at 12:54 am

    Thanku jeff

  27. Michelle Howard says

    January 10, 2020 at 12:48 am

    Wow hours I’ve tried to figure this out. Going to taskbar task manager and 10 seconds it worked. Thank you Thank you

  28. ElisaS says

    January 4, 2020 at 8:36 pm

    I cannot believe this! After countless hours (over multiple days/weeks) of searching for fixes and trying everything else I could find out there, this finally fixed the problem!

    Things I tried that didn’t work:
    1. Pressing Fn+Wifi button and holding
    2. Pressing Fn+PrtScr button and holding
    3. Pressing Fn+PrtScr+Wifi button and holding
    4. Trying to switch the Airplane mode off before singing into an account (the fix U’re welcome suggested)
    5. Updating drivers for Network
    6. Resetting network
    7. In Wi-Fi properties under “Power Management” disabling “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power”
    8. Creating new user and trying to turn it off from there
    9. Disabling Radio Management Service under “Services”
    10. Making Radio Management Sevices “Automatic”
    11. Changing start-up type to “Normal”
    12. Pretty sure there’s more, but can’t remember. I basically tried everything except for changing BIOS settings to default

    NONE of these worked, and I finally found the one that did – thanks Jeff!!! Copying it under here for easier find. Also – a note, I believe I tried this solution already a few days ago, but I had gotten so frustrated of nothing working before that, I didn’t restart my computer and turned it back on when I saw nothing had changed anyways. So my advice, do this and immediately after it restart. After that just go to Network & Internet settings and under “Airplane Mode” the switch shouldn’t be grey anymore and allow to turn it off. Good luck! :) Hope this helps if nothing else did!

    Here’s the instructions provided by Jeff:

    Try disable the airplane mode switch collection from device manager.

    1. right click the “windows flag” icon on the lower left hand corner
    2. click on “device manager” from the list
    3. explore the “human interface device”
    4. select the airplane mode switch collection and right click
    5. select disable the device
    6. restart the computer

    After restart, you should have the airplane mode switch back from the grey out state.

    Hopefully, at this time, you are able to disable the airplane mode, (i.e. not grey out)

  29. Bala Sundaram says

    January 4, 2020 at 11:36 am

    Jeff’s advice worked Great !!!!!

  30. Seamus says

    November 11, 2019 at 6:22 pm

    Tried EVERYTHING to no avail.
    Then I read the fix from ‘U’re welcome’.
    Worked PERFECTLY after trying to fix for the past two hours!
    Thank you.

  31. Reva says

    November 6, 2019 at 3:17 pm

    For me this worked. Went to system configuration in start up search. Selected normal startup. Laptop required restarting & airplane mode went off & wifi was back.

  32. Jeff says

    November 2, 2019 at 9:51 am

    Try disable the airplane mode switch collection from device manager.

    1. right click the “windows flag” icon on the lower left hand corner
    2. click on “device manager” from the list
    3. explore the “human interface device”
    4. select the airplane mode switch collection and right click
    5. select disable the device
    6. restart the computer

    After restart, you should have the airplane mode switch back from the grey out state.

    Hopefully, at this time, you are able to disable the airplane mode, (i.e. not grey out)

  33. MaryB says

    October 20, 2019 at 4:45 am

    Thank you for this…

    Have moved laptop location from cable connection I discovered it was set in airplane mode and could not fix.

    Method 3 of 3 has worked after doing virus scan (there was none).

    Thank you.

  34. BRENDA LARKIN says

    October 11, 2019 at 12:15 am

    I JUST FOUND THE FIX ON THE MICROSOFT SITE:

    I had to use the “Fn” or Function key and turn on the wireless function from the keyboard. Win 10 may not let this this happen through mouse clicks inside of “network settings” because of security, not sure. What ever the reason its working now.

  35. trudy M Rowe says

    October 2, 2019 at 4:12 am

    Thanks U’re Welcome…worked like a charm.

  36. sturmudgeon says

    September 28, 2019 at 2:17 am

    DAN: I want to thank you so much for your msconfig comment… I had been locked in Airplane Mode for a few days… and NONE of the other “fixes” worked… BUT YOURS DID! Thanks again. sprstirl

  37. Dan says

    September 24, 2019 at 6:31 am

    At the start menu type msconfig, then click services and at the bottom right click enable to on any disabled wireless service. Then restart your laptop. It gonna pop up visible sside.

  38. Abdul jamil says

    September 22, 2019 at 3:17 pm

    Dears when you face such problem i have tried many ways but when i have updated my windows and then pressing the wireless button on and off it has offed aireplane mode

  39. U're welcome says

    September 16, 2019 at 1:02 pm

    None of these worked but I know how to fix it.
    Restart ur PC/laptop and when it goes to the “enter pin” page, look at the bottom right of the screen and press of the airplane icon and from there, you should be able to turn off airplane mode.

  40. Feranmi says

    September 2, 2019 at 11:19 am

    No of this work for me please

  41. Elamae Wheeler says

    August 31, 2019 at 3:30 am

    Nine of these worked. My Mom passed away in March now I can’t get in the to the pictures and can’t replace as they were copied from phone Can’t they fix this issue

  42. Adux says

    August 17, 2019 at 6:34 pm

    Has anyone fixed the problem?

  43. Darren says

    August 7, 2019 at 12:25 am

    None of these worked, is there any solution?

  44. Sarah says

    June 18, 2019 at 3:58 am

    None of these things have worked for me either. So frustrated!

  45. IT Support says

    May 21, 2019 at 4:29 pm

    These are certainly not fixes.
    Terrible article.

  46. Shruti chavan says

    May 16, 2019 at 12:58 pm

    The airplane mode is still not turning off I tried all three methods!

  47. Carol says

    April 30, 2019 at 7:02 pm

    Same problem….as Ben and lynn….

    Now what!

  48. Ron Bowman says

    April 28, 2019 at 6:57 pm

    We need a class action suit against Microsoft.

  49. Isaac says

    April 28, 2019 at 6:37 am

    this didnt work
    you fucking cunts

  50. Joyce says

    April 21, 2019 at 3:55 am

    Can not unlock airplane mode or WiFi
    After Windows 10 update.
    4:29/19 on my PC

  51. Carmine says

    April 11, 2019 at 3:44 am

    As mentioned above, the airplane mode is grey and I cannot go back to WiFi. Whenever I hit wifi to on it goes back to off setting by itself.

  52. AA says

    March 30, 2019 at 12:05 pm

    Make sure your WiFi is not turned off with a hardware switch.

  53. Nancy Huba says

    March 20, 2019 at 2:37 am

    None of these worked

  54. Fernando Solis says

    February 25, 2019 at 3:59 am

    None of these worked for my PC! Now my PC is ruined!

  55. Kate Ireland says

    November 25, 2018 at 10:03 am

    Aeroplane mode has also ruined my 24 month old HP All in one computer.

  56. Ben Alcobra says

    November 19, 2018 at 3:41 am

    Nothing worked. Airplane Mode and WiFi on/off switches are both greyed out and cannot be changed. No mention here what to do if that happens. Useless.

  57. Lynn Jaeger says

    July 5, 2018 at 10:45 pm

    None of these worked for me!

  58. Paul costin says

    May 20, 2016 at 6:26 am

    Airplane mode has ruined my desktop computer.

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