How to Fix Missing Wi-Fi or Ethernet During Windows 11 OOBE

If Windows 11 setup cannot find your network adapter during the Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE), you can load the driver manually. This lets setup detect Ethernet or Wi-Fi hardware so you can connect to the internet and finish installation. You use a USB flash drive and the Install driver option on the “Let’s connect you to a network” page.

You must first download the correct driver package from another computer. It must contain .inf driver files. Extract ZIP drivers to a USB drive before proceeding. Setup will not install drivers from EXE files.

What you need before manual driver install

Requirement	Why it matters
Working PC with internet	You download network drivers.
USB flash drive	You transfer drivers to the PC you are installing.
Extracted driver files	Setup reads .inf files only.
Windows 11 setup running	You load drivers in OOBE.

Windows 11 setup will only accept driver folders that contain .inf (setup information) files. If you see only .exe, unzip or extract it first.

Step-by-step: Install network driver during OOBE

1. On another computer, open the support site for your Ethernet or Wi-Fi adapter.
2. Download the driver package that matches your adapter and Windows 11 version.
3. If the download is a ZIP file, extract it. Confirm .inf files exist.
4. Copy the extracted contents to the root of a USB flash drive.
5. Boot the PC where you are installing Windows 11 and start setup.
6. When you reach the Let’s connect you to a network page, insert the USB drive.
7. Select Install driver on the network page. Windows shows a file picker.
8. Choose the USB drive from the list on the left.
9. Navigate to the folder with the .inf file, select it, and open it.
10. Follow on-screen prompts to finish installing the driver.

When setup completes driver installation, Windows 11 will detect your adapter so you can connect. After that, setup continues normally.

Tips for successful driver loading

• Use the correct driver version. Match the adapter model and Windows build.
• Place files in the USB root. Some installers search only root or top folders. (support.microsoft.com)
• Do not run EXE files at OOBE. Setup cannot execute EXE installers. It only loads .inf based drivers. (pureinfotech.com)
• Check extraction tools. Use tools like 7-Zip to extract drivers correctly.
• Try Ethernet first. If Wi-Fi fails, a wired connection may work if drivers are included.

Alternative ways if manual driver load fails

Use Command Prompt to install drivers

1. Press Shift and F10 at the network screen to open Command Prompt.
2. In the prompt, run:

pnputil /add-driver <USBDriveLetter>:\*.inf /install

Replace <USBDriveLetter> with the actual drive letter. This tells Windows to add all drivers from that folder.

Skip network requirement and finish setup

1. At the OOBE network page, press Shift + F10 to open CMD.
2. Type:

OOBE\BYPASSNRO

and press Enter. Your system will reboot and show an I don’t have internet option in setup.

After bypassing, finish setup with a local account. Then install drivers once Windows is running.

Most common errors and fixes

Problem	Cause	Fix
No drivers show on USB	Drivers are EXE or compressed	Extract ZIP and confirm .inf files
Setup still not detecting adapter	Wrong driver version	Download correct driver
Shift + F10 does nothing	Installer version may block it	Use bypass method or pre-integrate drivers

FAQs

Do I need internet to finish Windows 11 install?
No. You can complete setup offline by loading driver manually or bypassing the network requirement.

Can I install drivers after Windows setup?
Yes. If you skip network in OOBE, you can install drivers from USB once you reach the desktop.

What driver format works in OOBE?
Windows setup accepts extracted drivers with .inf files. EXE installers are not accepted.

What if my USB isn’t recognized?
Try a different USB port or prepare the driver folder again. Confirm extraction completed successfully.

Summary

Manual driver install during Windows 11 OOBE solves missing network issues. You download the correct driver, extract it, and use the Install driver option on the network page. Setup then detects your adapter and lets you connect. When that fails, use command tools or bypass the network requirement and finish the setup offline.