If you own a Windows 2-in-1 device like a Microsoft Surface Pro or a Lenovo Yoga, the operating system is designed to seamlessly transition between “Desktop Mode” and “Tablet Mode.” One of the hidden automations tied to this transition involves power management. On many devices, the moment you physically detach the magnetic keyboard, Windows 11 assumes you are taking the tablet on the go and automatically enables “Airplane Mode” to aggressively conserve battery life.
While this might save a tiny amount of power, it is incredibly disruptive if you are simply removing the keyboard to read a PDF or watch a YouTube video on your couch. Suddenly losing your Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connection every time you want to hold your device like a tablet is an unnecessary frustration.
You can stop Windows from turning off your radios by configuring the Radio Management services.
How to Stop the Automatic Airplane Mode Trigger
The easiest way to fix this issue is by managing your network adapter’s power settings.
- Right-click on the Start Button in the Windows 11 taskbar.
- Select Device Manager from the power user menu.
- In the Device Manager window, look for the category labeled Network adapters and click the small arrow to expand the list.
- Find your primary Wi-Fi adapter (it will usually be labeled something like Intel(R) Wi-Fi 6 AX201 or Marvell AVASTAR).
- Right-click the adapter and select Properties.
- Click on the Power Management tab at the top of the properties window.
- Look for a checkbox labeled Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.
- Uncheck this box.
- Click OK.
By unchecking this box, you are revoking Windows 11’s permission to kill the Wi-Fi card based on power-saving hardware triggers (like detaching the physical keyboard cover). From now on, your internet connection will remain stable and active, no matter how you choose to physically hold or configure your 2-in-1 device.