WLAN AutoConfig (Wlansvc) Service Defaults in Windows 10

The WLANSVC service provides the logic required to configure, discover, connect to, and disconnect from a wireless local area network (WLAN) as defined by IEEE 802.11 standards. It also contains the logic to turn your computer into a software access point so that other devices or computers can connect to your computer wirelessly using a WLAN adapter that can support this. Stopping or disabling the WLANSVC service will make all WLAN adapters on your computer inaccessible from the Windows networking UI. It is strongly recommended that you have the WLANSVC service running if your computer has a WLAN adapter.

Default Settings

Startup type:
Windows 10 Home 1507Manual
Windows 10 Pro 1507Manual
Windows 10 Education 1507Manual
Windows 10 Enterprise 1507Manual
Windows 10 Home 1511Manual
Windows 10 Pro 1511Manual
Windows 10 Education 1511Manual
Windows 10 Enterprise 1511Manual
Windows 10 Home 1607Manual
Windows 10 Pro 1607Manual
Windows 10 Education 1607Manual
Windows 10 Enterprise 1607Manual
Windows 10 Home 1703Manual
Windows 10 Pro 1703Manual
Windows 10 Education 1703Manual
Windows 10 Enterprise 1703Manual
Windows 10 Home 1709Manual
Windows 10 Pro 1709Manual
Windows 10 Education 1709Manual
Windows 10 Enterprise 1709Manual
Windows 10 Home 1803Manual
Windows 10 Pro 1803Manual
Windows 10 Education 1803Manual
Windows 10 Enterprise 1803Manual
Windows 10 Home 1809Manual
Windows 10 Pro 1809Manual
Windows 10 Education 1809Manual
Windows 10 Enterprise 1809Manual
Windows 10 Home 1903Manual
Windows 10 Pro 1903Manual
Windows 10 Education 1903Manual
Windows 10 Enterprise 1903Manual
Windows 10 Home 2004Manual
Windows 10 Pro 2004Manual
Windows 10 Education 2004Manual
Windows 10 Enterprise 2004Manual
Windows 10 Home 20H2Manual
Windows 10 Pro 20H2Manual
Windows 10 Education 20H2Manual
Windows 10 Enterprise 20H2Manual
Windows 10 Home 21H1Manual
Windows 10 Pro 21H1Manual
Windows 10 Education 21H1Manual
Windows 10 Enterprise 21H1Manual
Windows 10 Home 21H2Automatic
Windows 10 Pro 21H2Automatic
Windows 10 Education 21H2Automatic
Windows 10 Enterprise 21H2Automatic
Windows 10 Home 22H2Manual
Windows 10 Pro 22H2Manual
Windows 10 Education 22H2Manual
Windows 10 Enterprise 22H2Manual
Display name:WLAN AutoConfig
Service name:Wlansvc
Service type:own
Error control:normal
Group:TDI
Object:LocalSystem
Path:%SystemRoot%\system32\svchost.exe -k LocalSystemNetworkRestricted -p
File:%SystemRoot%\System32\wlansvc.dll
Registry key:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Wlansvc
Privileges:
  • SeChangeNotifyPrivilege
  • SeImpersonatePrivilege
  • SeAuditPrivilege
  • SeTcbPrivilege
  • SeDebugPrivilege
  • SeLoadDriverPrivilege

Default Behavior

WLAN AutoConfig is a Win32 service. It is starting only if the user, an application or another service starts it in all editions of Windows 10 1507, Windows 10 1511, Windows 10 1607, Windows 10 1703, Windows 10 1709, Windows 10 1803, Windows 10 1809, Windows 10 1903, Windows 10 2004, Windows 10 20H2, Windows 10 21H1, Windows 10 22H2. This service is starting automatically when the operating system starts in all editions of Windows 10 21H2.

When the WLAN AutoConfig service is started, it is running as LocalSystem in its own process of svchost.exe. If WLAN AutoConfig fails to start, the failure details are being recorded into Event Log. Then Windows 10 will start up and notify the user that the Wlansvc service has failed to start due to the error.

Dependencies

WLAN AutoConfig cannot be started under any conditions, if the following services are disabled, deleted or working improperly:

Restore Default Startup Configuration of WLAN AutoConfig

Before you begin doing this, make sure that all the services on which WLAN AutoConfig depends are configured by default and function properly. See the list of dependencies above.

1. Run the Command Prompt as an administrator.

2. Depending on the version of your operating system, copy the commands below, paste them into the command window and press ENTER.

For Windows 10 1507 Home, Windows 10 1507 Pro, Windows 10 1507 Education, Windows 10 1507 Enterprise, Windows 10 1511 Home, Windows 10 1511 Pro, Windows 10 1511 Education, Windows 10 1511 Enterprise, Windows 10 1607 Home, Windows 10 1607 Pro, Windows 10 1607 Education, Windows 10 1607 Enterprise, Windows 10 1703 Home, Windows 10 1703 Pro, Windows 10 1703 Education, Windows 10 1703 Enterprise, Windows 10 1709 Home, Windows 10 1709 Pro, Windows 10 1709 Education, Windows 10 1709 Enterprise, Windows 10 1803 Home, Windows 10 1803 Pro, Windows 10 1803 Education, Windows 10 1803 Enterprise, Windows 10 1809 Home, Windows 10 1809 Pro, Windows 10 1809 Education, Windows 10 1809 Enterprise, Windows 10 1903 Home, Windows 10 1903 Pro, Windows 10 1903 Education, Windows 10 1903 Enterprise, Windows 10 1909 Home, Windows 10 1909 Pro, Windows 10 1909 Education, Windows 10 1909 Enterprise, Windows 10 2004 Home, Windows 10 2004 Pro, Windows 10 2004 Education, Windows 10 2004 Enterprise, Windows 10 20H2 Home, Windows 10 20H2 Pro, Windows 10 20H2 Education, Windows 10 20H2 Enterprise, Windows 10 21H1 Home, Windows 10 21H1 Pro, Windows 10 21H1 Education, Windows 10 21H1 Enterprise, Windows 10 22H2 Home, Windows 10 22H2 Pro, Windows 10 22H2 Education, Windows 10 22H2 Enterprise:
sc config Wlansvc start= demand

For Windows 10 21H2 Home, Windows 10 21H2 Pro, Windows 10 21H2 Education, Windows 10 21H2 Enterprise:
sc config Wlansvc start= auto
sc start Wlansvc

3. Close the command window and restart the computer.

The Wlansvc service is using the wlansvc.dll file that is located in the C:\Windows\System32 directory. If the file is removed or corrupted, read this article to restore its original version from Windows 10 installation media.