How To Disable Wi-Fi Sense In Windows 10

This tutorial was written by Tom's Hardware Community member viveknayyar007. You can find a list of all their tutorials here.

Wi-Fi Sense is a feature in Windows 10 that saves you from the hassle of manually connecting your device to an open Wi-Fi hotspot and to those managed by your Facebook, Skype, and Outlook contacts. Wi-Fi Sense does this by sharing the secret passkeys that your contacts use to connect to the wireless networks, or by sharing your passkeys with your contacts to allow them to connect to your wireless network.

Although Wi-Fi Sense is enabled in Windows 10 by default in an effort to provide a hassle-free experience, using the feature could also be a security concern.

Here is how you can disable Wi-Fi Sense in Windows 10:

  • Sign-in to your Windows 10 computer.
  • Click the Start button from the bottom-left corner.
  • From the displayed Start menu, from the left pane, click Settings.

  • On the opened SETTINGS window, click Network & Internet.

  • From the left pane of the opened NETWORK & INTERNET window, make sure that the Wi-Fi category is selected.
  • From the right pane, click the Manage Wi-Fi settings link.

  • From the opened MANAGE WI-FI SETTINGS window, move the Connect to suggested open hotspots button to Off.

  • Move the Connect to networks shared by my contacts button to Off.

  • Close the MANAGE WI-FI SETTINGS window and restart the PC.
  • Start using your secured Windows 10 PC normally.
Nathaniel Mott
Freelance News & Features Writer

Nathaniel Mott is a freelance news and features writer for Tom's Hardware US, covering breaking news, security, and the silliest aspects of the tech industry.

  • compprob237
    This is enabled by default? Whoever thought that was a good idea needs to find a new job.
    Reply
  • kcrossland88
    My wifi settings don't look like that. I don't have a "Manage Wifi Settings" link
    Reply
  • dennphill
    And every once in a while, when I think that when i assemble my "next' desktop, I will probably have to go to Win10, information like this makes me re-think the issue. Glad to have stayed with Win 8.1 after being forced to leave Win7. (But I should probably check my wife's laptop I guess.) Thanks for the infoo and tutorial. :-)
    Reply
  • ko888
    All of those instructions are completely useless if your system doesn't have a Wi-Fi adapter installed.
    Reply
  • USAFRet
    Also, the options here are different if you log in with an MS account or a local account.

    All of my systems log in with a local account, so some of those options and defaults are not available.

    For instance, "Connect to networks shared by my contacts" does not exist.
    Reply
  • BFG-9000
    Is this really still an issue? The ability to share Wi-Fi credentials with other contacts via Wi-Fi Sense was removed back in build 1607 and as of today, the number of Windows 10 installations still on 1507 or 1511 is a combined 1.5%.

    So this now is really just a list of SSIDs you choose to automatically connect to, which you have manually entered the key for.
    Reply
  • alan_rave
    I don't have this link too.
    Reply
  • NinjaNerd56
    Back in November, I spent $1200 to wire the whole house with Cat6e / coax dual gang outlets in every room.

    Yes, I have 2.4/5Ghz wireless but that’s restricted to phones and tablets and I do NOT offer a guest wireless to family and friends.

    All of our PCs are on the latest Win10 build, and those have everything non-essential to boot and run disabled/removed. Quicker boot, less BS.
    Reply
  • majora59
    Lol, making an article with an outdated/unregistered version of Windows so all the menus are not like they are with the up to date version. Well done!
    Reply