How to Fix a Missing Network Profile Type in Windows 10 and 11

October 22, 2022 Abraham Smith

There are three types of network profiles available on the Windows operating system that determine how certain features such as file sharing and network security are handled.

On Windows, you can view the network profile type in the Settings app. However, users have complained that the network profile type is missing. This guide explains why this happens and suggests troubleshooting methods you can try to restore the missing network profile option on Windows 10 or 11.

Why is your network profile missing in Windows 10 or 11?

If you are unable to view your network profile in Windows 10 or 11, here are some reasons why this might happen:

Your system is struggling with a temporary error that causes certain functions to disappear or interfere.
The corresponding drivers are either outdated or corrupted. Because drivers connect the hardware components to the system, if they don’t work, problems like the one at hand are likely to occur.
The system itself is outdated, causing problems with services like network service.
You are using a third-party security solution that interrupts the process of network services.
The network adapter that is responsible for ensuring that your system establishes stable connections has a problem.

Fortunately, the problem of network profile disappearing in Windows 10 and 11 is solvable. Whatever the cause of the problem in your case, the troubleshooting steps in this guide will help you fix it quickly.

Before starting the troubleshooting methods, we recommend that you restart your computer. In case the problem is caused by a transient error, a simple restart should fix the problem. If this doesn’t help, continue with the following steps.

1. Run the Network Adapter Troubleshooter

Since in most cases the error at hand has been caused by problems within the network adapter, we recommend that you start troubleshooting by running the Network Adapter Troubleshooter.

This utility is built into Windows and was developed by Microsoft to scan the system for potential problems that might lead to a network problem. If a problem is detected during the scan, the troubleshooter will automatically apply a solution.

Here’s how you can run the troubleshooter:

Press the victory + me Keys to open the Windows Settings app.
Choose system from the left pane.
Now click Troubleshooting and then select Other bug fixes.
In the window that opens, locate the network adapter Troubleshoot and click the To run button for it. Wait for the scan to finish.
If the troubleshooter finds problems, you will be notified. In this case, click Apply this fix.
If the troubleshooter does not identify the problem, click Close the troubleshooter. In this case, you can move on to the next troubleshooting method.

2. Update the system

Next, we recommend that you install the pending system updates available in the Settings app. Installing the updates for too long can make the system prone to corruption errors and viruses which can then lead to problems like the present one.

In case you are encountering a problem due to an outdated system, installing the pending updates should be sufficient.

3. Disable your security program

Another reason why you might encounter the problem is your security program that might be interfering with the network services process.

This is usually the case for users who use a third-party antivirus instead of Windows Defender. If you are one of them, try disabling the program temporarily. You can do this by simply right-clicking on the program icon in the system tray and selecting Deactivate > Disable until next reboot.

If this solves the problem, we recommend you switch to a better antivirus solution or use Windows Defender.

4. Change the network type

You can also try changing the network type from public to private to view the network profile and see if that makes a difference.

Here’s how you can do it:

Type powershell in Windows search and click Execute as administrator.
click Yes in the user account confirmation prompt.
Once you are in the Powershell window, type the command mentioned below and click Enter to execute it. Note the index number displayed after running this command.
```
Get-NetConnectionProfile
```
Next, run the following command. Replace those
by the previously noted number.
```
Set-NetConnectionProfile -InterfaceIndex <22> -NetworkCategory Private
```

However, in case this does not successfully change the network profile type, you can try making these changes through the registry editor. Before proceeding, we recommend backing up the registry. This will help you revert to the current registration status if something goes wrong during the process.

Follow the steps below to continue, but make sure you create a registry backup before proceeding.

Press victory + R to open Run.
Type regedit in Run’s text box and click Enter.
click Yes in the user account confirmation prompt.

In the window that opens, navigate to the following location:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE –> SOFTWARE –> Microsoft –> Windows NT –> CurrentVersion –> NetworkList –> Profiles

You should have one or more folders under the profile key. Expand each to search for that profile name Key corresponding to the network.
When you find the key with the value ProfileName, double-click the category value.
Enter 1 under Value data and click Enter.
Finally, restart your computer to save the changes.

This successfully changes the network type and fixes the error in the process.

Fixed the issue of missing network profile type

By now, you should be able to fix the missing network profile type issue in Windows. If the problem occurs again, you can try to contact the official Microsoft team and report the problem. The experts will help you to better understand the cause of the problem and propose an appropriate solution.

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