How to Turn Off Airplane Mode in Windows 10 (Full Guide)
Windows 10 runs on both desktops/laptops, and on tablets. These devices have different types of radio switches that allow them to establish different types of connections with other networks and devices e.g., a WiFi switch and a Bluetooth switch.
On Windows 10, the WiFi and Bluetooth can both be turned off individually i.e., you can turn both off or you can turn one off and keep the other on. To make it simpler to turn all radio switches off, Windows 10 has Airplane mode.
Turn off Airplane mode in Windows 10
If Airplane mode has been turned on, you will see an Airplane icon in the system tray. This icon will replace the WiFi or Ethernet icon that normally indicates network connectivity.
Turning Airplane mode on or off is easy but if you do not know where the control/toggle for it is, you may not know how to turn it off.
1. Action Center
The easiest way to turn Airplane mode off in Windows 10 is to use the Action Center. There is a dedicated toggle that allows to turn it on or off.
- Tap the Win+A keyboard shortcut.
- In the panel that opens on the right, click the Airplane mode button.
- The highlight on the button will disappear indicating that it is now off.
2. WiFi network panel
When Airplane mode is on, an airplane icon is added to the system tray. If you click this airplane icon, it will open the WiFi network panel which has a toggle for turning Airplane mode on or off.
- Click the airplane icon in the system tray.
- In the panel that opens, click the Airplane toggle.
- The highlight on the toggle will disappear and Airplane mode will be turned off.
3. Settings app
You can also turn Airplane mode off from the Settings up but this is by far the most complicated method listed here.
- Tap the Win+I keyboard shortcut to open the Settings app.
- Go to Network and Internet.
- Select the Airplane mode tab.
- Turn the switch at the top off.
4. Dedicated key on keyboard
If you’re wondering how you might have accidentally turned Airplane mode on, the keyboard is likely the culprit. Many keyboards, especially internal ones that come with laptops, have a dedicated key for turning the WiFi on or off. On Windows 10, this key maps to the Airplane mode toggle. Tapping it will turn Airplane Mode on, and tapping it again, will turn it off.
Look for a key with a WiFi icon or an antenna icon on it and tap it. Airplane mode will be turned off.
Conclusion
Airplane mode disables all wireless communication on a system. It’s something of a kill switch but a soft one that doesn’t disrupt more than it should. If you ever need to turn the internet and Bluetooth off quickly, this is a useful toggle.
