Either for diagnostic reasons, or it’s an old Wi-Fi name/SSID that you don’t need anymore, there will come a time when you’d want to forget a Wi-Fi network from your Windows device.
Whatever the case may be, there are two methods to achieve this goal. Although, one of them will only work for a W-Fi you’re connected to currently.
Method 1: Quickly Forgetting a Wi-Fi Network You’re Connected To
If for some reason, you need to forget the Wi-Fi you’re currently on, there is a quick and easy shortcut.
From your Windows 10 Taskbar, click on the Wi-Fi Icon to see with what you’re using your internet. (It would be highlighted with the blue background color).
Then, right-click on it, and select “forget.” See the attached below for context.
Method 2: Managing Known Networks
This method, is a more proper way to manage your known networks — as the name suggests.
Unlike most of the items in Windows 10, you cannot directly get to this setting by searching for it in the start menu. Where you’d need to first go however, is “Wi-Fi Settings.” To get there, as you may have guessed, search for the same in your start menu.
Once you’re in, look for “manage known networks.”
Choosing this option will open another Window, essentially, with a list of Wi-Fi names your device has previously connected with. By default, the list is sorted by preference, which I think is based on how many times you connected to a network, descending order. You can change that by name also.
In any case, to forget a network, select it, and then hit the forget button. (Image below for reference).
Fundamentally, the difference between method 1 and method 2 is that the former gives you the option to quickly forget & work with a Wi-Fi you’re currently using the internet with, while the latter gives you the full list of everything you’ve connected to ever (minus what you may have forgotten already).
A Few Other FAQs
You should be able to see the hidden network within the list of Wi-Fi SSIDs you can connect to. The only difference is that you would also need to know the SSID. Typically, when you want to connect to a Wi-Fi, you only need a password, but you need the name + the password in a hidden network.
The most workable candidate, that can come close to achieving this feat is using a VPN connection. A VPN can not only assign you a different IP Address (say you’re in Los Angeles, but you’re using an IP from Chicago), but it can further encrypt data packets — making it extremely hard for network admins to decipher what it is. The only irony here would be if you’re using a VPN connection that your network admin recommends.
Generally speaking, no. However, he or she might still be able to pull or at the least get some info if it’s the same primary account holder who pays the phone and the internet bills. It all depends on how much information the provider is willing to reveal, and how much they collect, in the first place. (This is assuming your phone and internet are from the same organization).
Regardless, it would be extremely hard to get the exact precise details. But a way to further mitigate that risk is to always clear your browsing, cache, and cookie history, or browse privately. For additional peace of mind, you can layer it by using a VPN connection, and combine that with TOR browsing.
You May Also Want to Check Out:
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- What Is Core Isolation and Memory Integrity in Windows 11?
- How to Kick People off Your Wi-Fi
- How to Disable Windows 10 Automatic Updates
- How Do I Stop Word From Opening on Windows 10 Startup
- About Hard Drive Defragmentation in Windows 10
- How to Turn On Windows Defender
- What Are Log Files in Windows 10, and How Can You Delete Them?
- How to Uninstall Drivers on Windows 10
- What Is a Modem (Modulator-DeModulator)?
- What Are Offline Maps in Windows 11, and How To Use Them?
Conclusion
Forgetting a network in Windows 10 is not hard at all. All you have to figure out is if you’d like to explore the full list (method 2), or just concern yourself with what you’re currently connected to (method 1).
Either scenario, remember that forgetting a network means you will have to enter the password again, next time you want to hook your device to that same Wi-Fi.
Lastly, for utmost privacy, use a VPN in conjunction with TOR browsing. This way, the chances of anyone sniffing on what you’re doing are very slim. If anything, they’ll have to work tremendously hard to get their hands on that information.