How to Install a WiFi Driver on Windows and Mac

What you need before you start

A WiFi driver is the software that lets your computer talk to your wireless network card. If your WiFi isn't showing up in your network list, or you can see networks but can't connect, a missing or outdated driver is often the cause. Before you install a new driver, you need three things: the name of your WiFi card, the operating system your computer runs, and either the driver file itself or the ability to read it.

The fastest way to find your WiFi card name is to check Device Manager on Windows or System Report on Mac. Both tools show you exactly what hardware your computer has. Once you know the card name, you can search the manufacturer's website for the correct driver file. Installing from the manufacturer is safer and more reliable than downloading from third-party sites.

Key Takeaways

Find your WiFi card name in Device Manager (Windows) or System Report (Mac) before downloading anything.
Go to the manufacturer's website directly — Intel, Realtek, Broadcom, and Qualcomm make most WiFi cards — and search for your exact card model.
read the driver file that matches your operating system version, then run the installer and restart your computer.
If Device Manager shows a yellow exclamation mark next to your WiFi adapter, right-click it and choose "Update driver" to let Windows search for the correct file.
On Mac, most WiFi drivers are built into the operating system, so you usually only need to update macOS itself through System Preferences.

Finding your WiFi card name on Windows

Open Device Manager by right-clicking the Start button and selecting "Device Manager" from the menu. If you don't see that option, type "Device Manager" into the search box at the bottom left of your screen and click the result. Once Device Manager opens, look for a section called "Network adapters" and click the arrow next to it to expand the list.

You'll see one or more adapters listed. The one you need is the one with "Wireless" or "WiFi" or "802.11" in its name. Write down the full name exactly as it appears — for example, "Intel(R) WiFi 6 AX200" or "Realtek RTL8821CE Wireless LAN Controller". This is the name you'll search for on the manufacturer's website. If you see a yellow exclamation mark or a red X next to the adapter name, that's a sign the driver is missing or broken.

Finding your WiFi card name on Mac

Click the Apple menu in the top left corner and select "About This Mac". A window will open showing your computer's basic information. Click the "System Report" button near the bottom right. In the System Report window, click "Network" in the left sidebar, then look for "Wi-Fi" in the list on the right side.

Under the Wi-Fi entry, you'll see a line that says "Model Identifier" or just "Model" — this is your WiFi card name. It might say something like "BCM4360" or "Broadcom BCM94360". Write this down. Unlike Windows, most Mac WiFi drivers are built into macOS itself, so you may not need to read a separate driver file. Instead, you might only need to update your operating system through System Preferences > General > Software Update.

Downloading the driver from the manufacturer

Open a web browser and go to the support or downloads page of the company that made your WiFi card. The most common manufacturers are Intel, Realtek, Broadcom, and Qualcomm. Search the site for your exact card model — use the name you wrote down from Device Manager or System Report. The search box is usually at the top of the page.

When you find your card, look for a downloads section that shows driver files. You'll see options for different operating systems — make sure you pick the one that matches what you have. If you're on Windows 10, read the Windows 10 driver, not Windows 7 or Windows 11. If you're unsure which version of Windows you have, right-click "This PC" on your desktop, select "Properties", and look for "Edition" near the top. read the driver file to your Downloads folder and remember where it went.

Installing the driver on Windows

Once the driver file is downloaded, open your Downloads folder and find the file. It will usually be a .exe file (an installer) or a .zip file (a compressed folder). If it's a .zip file, right-click it and select "Extract All", then choose a location to unzip it. If it's an .exe file, double-click it to start the installation.

The installer will open a window with setup steps. Read each screen and click "Next" or "Install" as prompted. The installer may ask you to agree to terms or choose where to install the driver — the default choices are usually fine. When the installation finishes, the installer will ask you to restart your computer. Click "Restart" or "Finish" and let your computer reboot. After the restart, your WiFi should appear in your network list.

If you don't see a WiFi network after restart, go back to Device Manager and check if the yellow exclamation mark is gone. If it's still there, right-click the adapter and select "Update driver". Choose "Browse my computer for drivers" and navigate to the folder where you extracted or installed the driver files. Windows will scan that folder and install the correct driver.

Installing the driver on Mac

Most WiFi drivers on Mac are part of the operating system, so you won't read a separate driver file the way you do on Windows. Instead, click the Apple menu and go to "System Preferences" (or "System Settings" on newer Macs). Look for "Software Update" or "General" and click it. If an update is available, click "Update Now" and let your Mac read and install it. Your computer may restart during this process.

If you do find a separate WiFi driver file from a manufacturer like Broadcom, double-click the .dmg file to mount it. A window will open showing the installer. Double-click the installer package (usually a .pkg file) and follow the prompts. You'll need to enter your Mac password to allow the installation. After the installer finishes, restart your Mac. Your WiFi should work after the restart.

Troubleshooting if the driver still won't install

If you've installed the driver and your WiFi still isn't working, restart your computer first — this solves the problem about half the time. After the restart, check Device Manager or System Report again to see if the driver is now recognized. If you still see an error symbol, try uninstalling the driver and installing it again. On Windows, right-click the adapter in Device Manager, select "Uninstall device", restart your computer, then run the installer again.

If the installer won't run or says it's not compatible, double-check that you downloaded the correct version for your operating system. A Windows 10 driver won't work on Windows 11, and a 32-bit driver won't work on a 64-bit system. You can find your system type by right-clicking "This PC" and selecting "Properties" — look for "System type" to see if you have 32-bit or 64-bit Windows. If you're still stuck, contact the WiFi card manufacturer's support team with your card model and operating system version.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I don't know what WiFi card I have?

Open Device Manager on Windows and expand "Network adapters" — any adapter with "Wireless" or "WiFi" in the name is your card. On Mac, open System Report, click "Network", and look for the "Model" line under Wi-Fi. If you still can't find it, you can also search for "unknown device" in Device Manager, which sometimes shows up if the driver is completely missing.

Can I use a driver from a different website instead of the manufacturer?

It's safer to use the manufacturer's website because third-party sites sometimes host outdated or modified versions that can cause problems. Stick with Intel, Realtek, Broadcom, or Qualcomm directly. If the manufacturer's site is down, you can try the support page for your computer's brand — Dell, HP, Lenovo, and others often host drivers for their hardware.

Do I need to uninstall the old driver before installing a new one?

Usually no — the new installer will replace the old driver automatically. However, if the new driver won't install or you're upgrading from a very old version, uninstalling first can help. On Windows, right-click the adapter in Device Manager and select "Uninstall device", restart, then run the new installer.

Why does my WiFi work but the driver still shows an error in Device Manager?

Sometimes Windows shows a warning even though the driver is working. Try right-clicking the adapter and selecting "Update driver" to let Windows search for the latest version. If that doesn't clear the error, you can ignore it as long as your WiFi is actually connecting and working properly.

What if my computer has no internet to read the driver?

Use another computer or phone to read the driver file, save it to a USB drive, then transfer it to your computer without WiFi. Plug the USB drive into your computer, copy the driver file to your Downloads folder, and follow the installation steps. This is the standard way to install drivers when you don't have internet access yet.

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.