Add Virtual Network Adapter Windows 11 Link ❲Bonus Inside❳

Hyper-V is Microsoft's native hypervisor that allows you to create virtual machines. It also enables you to add virtual network adapters to these VMs.

Dependencies:

Risks:

If you want, I can:

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To add a virtual network adapter in Windows 11, you can use the Add Legacy Hardware wizard for a basic loopback adapter or Hyper-V Manager for virtual machine networking Method 1: Use the Legacy Hardware Wizard (Recommended) This method installs the Microsoft KM-TEST Loopback Adapter

, which acts as a virtual network interface on your physical machine. Open Device Manager : Right-click the button and select Device Manager Select Your Device

: Click on your computer's name at the very top of the list. Start the Wizard : Click the menu and select Add legacy hardware Manual Selection , then choose

Install the hardware that I manually select from a list (Advanced) Choose Hardware Type : Scroll down, select Network adapters , and click Select the Adapter Manufacturer Microsoft KM-TEST Loopback Adapter twice, then . You can now find and configure this adapter in your Network Connections window (type in Search). Method 2: Use Hyper-V (For Virtual Machines)

If you need a virtual adapter specifically for a virtual machine, use the Hyper-V Virtual Switch Manager Create a Virtual Switch Hyper-V Manager Virtual Switch Manager

from the Actions pane, choose a switch type (External, Internal, or Private), and click Create Virtual Switch Add Adapter to VM : Right-click your VM, select Add Hardware Network Adapter , and click : Select the virtual switch you created and click Microsoft Learn Troubleshooting Missing Adapters Hyper-V is Microsoft's native hypervisor that allows you

If your existing adapters aren't showing up, you can try these quick fixes:

Currently, adding a virtual network adapter in Windows 11 requires:

This process is error-prone, unsupported for modern drivers, and lacks GUI integration.

pnputil /add-driver "C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\netloop.inf_amd64_*\netloop.inf" /install

Note: The exact path may vary. Alternatively, use the built-in command:

Better method – use devcon (if installed from Windows SDK) or this script:

$netloop = Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_SystemDriver | Where-Object $_.Name -like "*loop*"
if (!$netloop) 
    Start-Process "hdwwiz.exe" -ArgumentList "/C" -NoNewWindow -Wait

But easiest is still the Method 1 GUI or this reliable PowerShell: Create a Virtual Switch :

Add-WindowsDriver -Online -Driver "C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\netloop.inf_amd64_neutral_*"

If errors occur, use Device Manager method.

Remove-VirtualNetworkAdapter -Name "TestNet"

A virtual network adapter is software that mimics a physical network card. It allows your PC to connect to virtual networks, often used with:

This guide focuses on manually adding virtual adapters using built-in Windows tools.

Hyper-V creates the most full-featured virtual adapters.