{"id":13851,"date":"2023-06-23T13:55:07","date_gmt":"2023-06-23T13:55:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.auslogics.com\/en\/articles\/?p=13851"},"modified":"2025-09-23T22:57:15","modified_gmt":"2025-09-23T22:57:15","slug":"fix-public-wifi-login-page-not-showing-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.auslogics.com\/en\/articles\/fix-public-wifi-login-page-not-showing-up\/","title":{"rendered":"[FIXED] How to Fix Public WiFi Login Page Not Showing Up on Windows 10?"},"content":{"rendered":"

One of the joys of visiting a caf\u00e9 or shopping mall is the access to public Wi-Fi that we get to enjoy.<\/p>\n

But what if, after connecting to the network, the public WiFi login page is not showing up on your Windows 10 PC? As a result, you cannot browse the internet.<\/p>\n

What can you do when you find yourself in such a situation? Please keep reading to find out how to make a public Wi-Fi login page appear.<\/p>\n

How to Force a Public Wi-Fi Network Login Page to Open<\/h2>\n

Free and paid public Wi-Fi networks have one thing in common, and that is the captive portal<\/a>. This is a web page you encounter before internet access can be granted to you. It often requires entering a pre-assigned user ID and password or agreeing to some terms of use.<\/p>\n

Imagine the inconvenience when you are away from home. You have a conference to prepare for but can’t connect to a hotel Wi-Fi because the captive portal refuses to appear in the browser of your Windows 10 device.<\/p>\n

Public WiFi Login Page not Showing Up on Windows 10?\u00a0We suggest you try these solutions sequentially as presented. However, you are free to go at it in any order you prefer.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s get right to it, shall we?<\/p>\n

Fix 1: Restart Your PC<\/h2>\n

This workaround could be all that is required to resolve the issue. \u00a0What you need to do is:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Disconnect from the network and turn off your Wi-Fi.<\/li>\n
  2. Log out of the user account on your computer and shut down the system.<\/li>\n
  3. Turn the PC back on and log back into your user account.<\/li>\n
  4. Turn on your Wi-Fi and connect to the network once again. See if the login page will now appear in your browser.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Fix 2: Use a Different Browser<\/h2>\n

    If WiFi Login Page is still not showing up on your Windows 10 computer, the next best option is to set another browser<\/a>, such as Microsoft Edge or Firefox, as your default browser. Perhaps the captive portal will now come up.<\/p>\n

    You can follow these steps:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Go to the Start<\/em> menu (press the Windows<\/code> key on your keyboard).<\/li>\n
    2. Type Control Panel<\/code> in the search box. The option will appear as Best Match<\/em>. Click on it.
      \n
      \r\n
      \r\n \"\"\r\n <\/div>\r\n
      <\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/li>\n
    3. Select Category<\/em> under the View-by<\/em> drop-down.<\/li>\n
    4. Locate Programs<\/em> and click on it.
      \n
      \r\n
      \r\n \"\"\r\n <\/div>\r\n
      <\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/li>\n
    5. Now, click on Default Programs<\/em>.
      \n
      \r\n
      \r\n \"\"\r\n <\/div>\r\n
      <\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/li>\n
    6. Click Set your default programs<\/em>.
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      \r\n
      \r\n \"\"\r\n <\/div>\r\n
      <\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/li>\n
    7. Wait for the page to load. Then select the browser you wish to use and click the option that says Set this program as default<\/em>.
      \n
      \r\n
      \r\n \"\"\r\n <\/div>\r\n
      <\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/li>\n
    8. Click OK<\/em>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      You can go ahead and reconnect to the Wi-Fi network. Launch the new default browser and see if the login page will show up.<\/p>\n

      \r\n\t
      Note<\/div>\r\n\t
      You might not necessarily need to set the new browser as default. Simply launch it and try visiting a website. The captive portal could appear.<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n
      \n

      \ud83d\udccc Further reading:<\/strong> How to Hard Refresh Your Browser: Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Safari<\/a><\/p>\n

      \n

      Fix 3: Reset the Network Connection<\/h2>\n

      Here\u2019s what you have to do:<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Click the Wi-Fi<\/em> icon in the left corner of your taskbar.<\/li>\n
      2. Click the Wi-Fi<\/em> tab to disable it.<\/li>\n
      3. Enable the network connection again by clicking on the Wi-Fi icon and the Wi-Fi tab again.<\/li>\n
      4. Launch your browser and try visiting Google.com<\/code>. The login page may now appear.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        If the issue persists after you\u2019ve tried all the above four fixes, don\u2019t worry. It won\u2019t be long. Move on to the other solutions below.<\/p>\n

        \r\n\t
        Need help with your PC?<\/div>\r\n\t
        Try our Ask a Question<\/a> service — our experts will diagnose and resolve your PC issues completely free of charge.<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n
        \n

        Also Read:<\/strong> Windows Computer Won\u2019t Connect to Wi-Fi: What to Do?<\/a><\/p>\n

        \n

        Fix 4: Disable Pop-Up Blocking<\/h2>\n

        Your browser may be set to block pop-ups so as to save data, load pages faster, and also shield you from seeing annoying ads when you visit a website. However, this could also be a factor as to why the public WiFi login page is not showing up on your Windows 10 device.<\/p>\n

        We\u2019ll now look at how to disable pop-up blocking in Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Firefox.<\/p>\n

        Chrome:<\/strong><\/p>\n

          \n
        1. Launch the browser and click on the three-dot icon in the top-right corner of the window.<\/li>\n
        2. Click on Settings<\/em> from the context menu.
          \n
          \r\n
          \r\n \"\"\r\n <\/div>\r\n
          <\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/li>\n
        3. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on the Privacy and Security<\/em> drop-down to access more settings.<\/li>\n
        4. Click on Site settings<\/em> and scroll down to Pop-ups and redirects<\/em>.
          \n
          \r\n
          \r\n \"\"\r\n <\/div>\r\n
          <\/div>\r\n<\/div>
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          \r\n \"\"\r\n <\/div>\r\n
          <\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/li>\n
        5. In the page that opens, disable the option Blocked (recommended)<\/em> by clicking the slider on the right-hand side. It will then change to Allowed<\/em>.<\/li>\n
        6. Close the Settings<\/em> tab or re-launch your browser.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          Microsoft Edge:<\/strong><\/p>\n

            \n
          1. Launch the browser.<\/li>\n
          2. Click the More<\/em> button (the horizontal \u2018three-dot\u2019 icon in the top-right corner of the window).<\/li>\n
          3. Click Settings<\/em> and then click Privacy and Security<\/em> displayed on the left-hand side.
            \n
            \r\n
            \r\n \"\"\r\n <\/div>\r\n
            <\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/li>\n
          4. You\u2019ll find Block pop-ups<\/em> under Security<\/em>.
            \n
            \r\n
            \r\n \"\"\r\n <\/div>\r\n
            <\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/li>\n
          5. Click the toggle to turn it off.
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            \r\n
            \r\n \"\"\r\n <\/div>\r\n
            <\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/li>\n
          6. Close the Settings<\/em> tab or re-launch the browser.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            Firefox:<\/strong><\/p>\n

              \n
            1. Launch the browser.<\/li>\n
            2. Click the Menu<\/em> icon (the horizontal three dots).<\/li>\n
            3. Click on Preferences > Content<\/em>.<\/li>\n
            4. Unmark the checkbox for Block pop-up windows<\/em>.<\/li>\n
            5. Close the Preferences<\/em> tab or re-launch the browser.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

              Also, after you\u2019ve disabled the option in your browser settings, make sure to turn off any third-party pop-up blocker that\u2019s active on your PC.<\/p>\n

              Fix 5: Clear Browser Cache and Cookies<\/h2>\n

              If you’re unable to see the login page for a public WiFi network on your Windows 10 device, it could be due to issues with your browser’s cache and cookies. Clearing the cache and cookies can help resolve this problem. For example, let’s take a look at how to clear the browser cache and cookies in the Chrome browser:<\/p>\n

                \n
              1. Launch your Chrome<\/em> browser.<\/li>\n
              2. Navigate to the top right corner and click on More<\/em> (the three vertical dots).<\/li>\n
              3. Select More tools<\/em> from the menu and then click on Clear browsing data<\/em>.<\/li>\n
              4. Choose a time range. Select the All time<\/em> option if you would like to clear everything.<\/li>\n
              5. Check the Browsing history<\/em>, Cookies and other site data<\/em>, and Cached images and files<\/em> categories.<\/li>\n
              6. Select Clear data<\/em>.
                \n
                \r\n
                \r\n \"How\r\n <\/div>\r\n
                <\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                By clearing the browser cache and cookies, you are removing temporary files and data stored by your browser. This can help eliminate any conflicting or outdated information that might be preventing the login page from appearing correctly. After clearing the cache and cookies, try connecting to the public WiFi network again and check if the login page shows up as expected.<\/p>\n

                \n

                \ud83d\udccc Also read:<\/strong> How to Delete Temporary Internet Files?<\/a><\/p>\n

                \n

                Fix 6: Check Date and Time Settings<\/h2>\n

                Another possible reason why you may not see the login page for a public WiFi network on your Windows 10 device is incorrect date and time settings<\/a>. It’s important to ensure that your device’s date and time are accurate, as this information is used by the browser to establish secure connections.<\/p>\n

                To check and adjust the date and time settings on your Windows 10 device, follow these steps:<\/p>\n

                  \n
                1. Click on the Start<\/em> button located at the bottom left corner of your screen and select the Settings<\/em>\u00a0gear icon.<\/li>\n
                2. In the Settings<\/em> window, click on Time & Language<\/em>.<\/li>\n
                3. On the left-hand side, click on Date & Time<\/em>.<\/li>\n
                4. Make sure the Set time automatically<\/em> toggle switch is turned on. This allows Windows 10 to automatically synchronize the time with the internet.<\/li>\n
                5. If the toggle switch is already turned on and the date and time are incorrect, you can manually set them by turning off the toggle switch and clicking on Change<\/em> under the Set the date and time manually<\/em> section. Enter the correct date and time information and click Change<\/em>.
                  \n
                  \r\n
                  \r\n \"Check\r\n <\/div>\r\n
                  <\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                  Once you have verified or adjusted the date and time settings, restart your device and try connecting to the public WiFi network again. The correct date and time should ensure that the login page appears as expected.<\/p>\n

                  Fix 7: Disable VPN or proxy<\/h2>\n

                  If you’re experiencing difficulties accessing the login page for a public WiFi network on your Windows 10 device, it could be due to the presence of a VPN<\/a> (Virtual Private Network) or proxy connection.<\/p>\n

                  These network configurations can sometimes interfere with the proper functioning of the login page. To resolve this issue, you may need to disable your VPN or proxy temporarily.<\/p>\n

                  Here’s how:<\/p>\n

                    \n
                  1. If you’re using a VPN<\/em>, open the VPN client<\/em> or application. Look for an option to disconnect or disable the VPN connection. Click on it to disable the VPN<\/em>.<\/li>\n
                  2. If you’re using a proxy, access the proxy settings on your Windows 10 device. You can do this by following these steps:<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n