I cannot turn off the airplane mode on my HP Spectra. It is stuck and I cannot boot it up

[182913]

I have a second computer which is an HP Spectre several years old and it won't boot and says on the picture screen "airplane mode"  What do I do?

[Max3Aj]

Hello @182913, and welcome to the HP Support Community!

Thanks for posting your question. I'm here to help you get things back on track.

Your laptop is stuck in Airplane Mode and won’t boot properly. This could be due to a hardware switch, BIOS setting, or a system-level issue.

Let's work together to get your HP Spectre laptop back up and running.

Perform a Hard Reset

This helps clear temporary settings that may be causing the issue.

For laptops with removable battery:

1. Power off the laptop.
2. Remove the battery and unplug the AC adapter.
3. Press and hold the Power button for 15 seconds.
4. Reconnect the battery and power adapter, then try to boot.

For laptops with non-removable battery:

1. Press and hold the Power button for 15 seconds while the laptop is unplugged.
2. Reconnect the power and try to boot.

Check for Physical Wireless Switch or Function Key

Some HP Spectre models have a physical wireless switch or use a function key combo to toggle Airplane Mode.

• Try pressing Fn + F12 or F12 alone (look for a wireless icon).
• If your model has a side switch, make sure it’s set to ON.

Boot into Safe Mode

If the laptop powers on but doesn’t boot normally:

1. Power off the laptop.
2. Turn it on and immediately press F11 repeatedly to enter Recovery Mode.
3. Choose Advanced Options > Startup Settings > Restart.
4. Select Safe Mode with Networking.

Once in Safe Mode, check if Airplane Mode can be disabled via:

• Settings > Network & Internet > Airplane Mode

Reset BIOS Settings

Sometimes BIOS settings can interfere with wireless functionality.

1. Power on the laptop and press Esc or F10 repeatedly to enter BIOS.
2. Look for an option to Reset to Default Settings.
3. Save and exit.

Update Wireless Drivers (if accessible)

If you manage to boot into Windows:

• Go to Device Manager > Network Adapters
• Right-click your wireless adapter and choose Update Driver

I hope the information shared has been useful and resolves your concern.

Wishing you a smooth and hassle-free experience ahead!

If this solution helped, please click “Accepted Solution” so others can benefit too. Don’t forget to hit the “Yes” button if you found this helpful!

Warm regards,

Max3Aj

HP Support