Why This Happens
After a Windows 11 installation, your laptop may not have Wi-Fi anymore because the wireless network driver wasn't carried over or installed automatically. This is common on laptops (especially Lenovo) after a clean install or upgrade, and it's not a hardware fault, just a missing driver.
Step 1: Check Device Manager
First, confirm whether Windows can even see your wireless adapter:
Click Start and type Device Manager, then open it.
Expand the Network adapters section.
If you see an entry with "Wireless" or "Wi-Fi" in the name, right-click it and select Update driver > Search automatically for drivers.
Step 2: Download the Driver Manually if the Adapter Is Missing
If no wireless adapter appears in Device Manager at all, Windows doesn't have the driver installed and can't search for it on its own. Since you won't have Wi-Fi on the laptop itself at this point, use another device (like your phone) to download the driver:
On another device, go to your laptop manufacturer's support site (for Lenovo, this is support.lenovo.com).
Enter your laptop's exact model, then download the Wi-Fi (Wireless LAN) driver from the Drivers & Software section.
Transfer the installer to your laptop (for example, using a USB drive), then run it.
Restart your laptop and check whether Wi-Fi networks now appear.
Not sure of your exact laptop model? Press Windows key + R, type msinfo32, and press Enter. The model is listed at the top under "System Model".
Step 3: Connect via Ethernet as a Workaround
If you have an Ethernet cable available, connecting it lets Windows update the driver automatically over that connection, without needing another device.