Disclosure: we make SofaDeck, which can make these changes for you. The manual steps work on their own. Checked on 20 October 2026 with Windows 11; the same settings exist in Windows 10.
Wake-on-LAN lets another device power your PC on over the network: handy for a media PC under the TV, a game PC you stream from, or a desktop you reach remotely. Windows ships with it switched off on most adapters. Here is where the settings live in Windows 11, what each one does, and how to check them.
Turn on Wake-on-LAN, step by step
- Right-click Start and open Device Manager.
- Expand Network adapters, right-click your Ethernet adapter (or Wi-Fi, if that's all you have) and choose Properties.
- On the Power Management tab, tick "Allow this device to wake the computer" and "Only allow a magic packet to wake the computer".
- On the Advanced tab, set "Wake on Magic Packet" to Enabled (some drivers also list "Wake on pattern match"; leave it off to avoid random wake-ups).
- Optional, to wake from Shut down: Control Panel → Power Options → Choose what the power buttons do → Change settings that are currently unavailable → untick "Turn on fast startup".
- If it still won't wake from Shut down, enable Wake on LAN (or Power On By PCI-E) in the BIOS/UEFI setup.
What each setting does
- Allow this device to wake the computer: the master switch. Without it the adapter never wakes the PC.
- Only allow a magic packet: stops ordinary network chatter from waking the PC at 3 a.m.
- Wake on Magic Packet (Advanced tab): the driver-level switch some adapters need as well.
- Fast Startup: a faster boot that blocks waking from Shut down on many PCs. Sleep is unaffected.
Check it with PowerShell
Get-NetAdapterPowerManagement lists each adapter's Wake on Magic Packet setting, and powercfg /devicequery wake_armed lists the devices currently allowed to wake the PC. If your adapter isn't in the second list, the Power Management box isn't ticked.
Let SofaDeck do it
SofaDeck's Wake & sleep page reads the same settings and shows them in plain words: wired or Wi-Fi, Wake on Magic Packet, allowed to wake, Fast Startup. With SofaDeck Pro ($9.99 once), Set up Wake-on-LAN lists the exact changes, then Windows asks for administrator permission; nothing changes if you decline, and Fast Startup is only touched if you tick it. Your phone then gets a screen that helps wake the PC when it doesn't answer — see wake your PC from your phone.
Direct installer .exe · 3.7 MB Store version signed by Microsoft No account Local network only Signed updates SofaDeck installs on your Windows PC. Your phone is the remote — it works in the phone’s browser.One email from support@dixonappstudio.com. No list unless you tick the box. PrivacyOr on your PC, go to sofadeck.com/getWi-Fi and laptops
Many laptops can't wake from Wi-Fi, and those that can often manage it only from Sleep while plugged in. If a laptop won't wake, a USB or dock Ethernet adapter may not help either — not all of them support waking. A desktop on a cable is the reliable case.
Related: shutdown and sleep timers and control a PC from your phone.
Frequently asked questions
How do I enable Wake-on-LAN in Windows 11?
In Device Manager, open your network adapter's Properties. On Power Management, allow the device to wake the computer and only with a magic packet; on Advanced, set Wake on Magic Packet to Enabled. Sleep then wakes on a magic packet.
Why is the Power Management tab missing?
Some adapters (often USB or virtual adapters) don't support waking the PC, so Windows hides the tab. Updating the adapter's driver from the PC or motherboard maker sometimes adds it.
Do I need to change the BIOS?
For waking from Sleep, usually not. For waking from Shut down, many desktops need Wake on LAN or Power On By PCI-E turned on in the BIOS/UEFI, and ErP/EuP or deep-sleep options turned off.
Does Fast Startup stop Wake-on-LAN?
Often, from Shut down. Fast Startup leaves the PC in a hybrid state that many adapters can't wake from. It doesn't affect waking from Sleep.
Can I check the settings with a command?
Yes. In PowerShell, Get-NetAdapterPowerManagement shows Wake on Magic Packet per adapter, and powercfg /devicequery wake_armed lists the devices allowed to wake the PC.