What to do without internet connection on your computer.

A woman in a living room works on her computer without an internet connection.

Yes, you can use a computer without the internet. Learn fun and productive things to do — even without Wi-Fi.

Having internet issues or no access to Wi-Fi? Wondering what to do without internet connection? We’re so used to constant high-speed internet connections for both work and play that you might find yourself asking, “Can I even use my computer without internet?” Well, of course you can — believe it or not, the internet used to be a luxury. But in case you’re blanking on what to do when your Wi-Fi goes down, here are some things to do without an internet connection.

Can you use a laptop without Wi-Fi?

Yes, you can still use your laptop without the internet for tasks or apps that don’t require internet. However, if you don’t have an internet connection but still need to be online on your laptop, you can connect it to a hotspot from your cell phone.

Ideas for things to do without internet connection.

No internet? No problem. Believe it or not, there are ways to stay productive using your laptop without internet connection. No matter whether you’re at home, at the office, or traveling, here are a few ideas for what you can do.

Clean and organize your offline computer.

An internet outage can be a blessing in disguise since it’s the perfect time to run your virus and malware scanners. No new threats can get in, so it’s easier to identify those that may have already slithered into your system. You can also organize your files.

Learn to program without an internet connection.

It is possible to code without the internet. However, one of the essential tools that you will need for writing code is a text editor. Text editors allow you to write and edit code and save it as a source file. You can then run the code in a compiler or interpreter to test whether it functions or not. There are several free and open-source text editors available that you can use to practice coding offline, such as Notepad++, Sublime Text, and Visual Studio Code.

If you know you are going to be in a place or in a situation where you will not have an internet connection, you can download drawing software like Microsoft Paint that provides you with the features to create digital art.

One excellent option to download is Adobe Fresco. This is a vector drawing app, which means you can draw freely on a big canvas with several brushes, layers, and tool options.

Watch videos with no internet connection on your laptop.

You can still watch videos from your computer or mobile device library if you don’t have an internet connection. However, if you want to watch videos from YouTube, for example, you can download them to watch them offline later.

Listen to music offline.

Most good music streaming apps have an offline mode that lets you enjoy your tunes even without Wi-Fi. And if you still own CDs or vinyls, you could rip some favorites to your computer to make the music easier to take with you.

How to use a computer without Wi-Fi and play games.

If you just want to kill some time while waiting for the internet to come back, play a game or two. Practically every digital game launcher lets you play single-player games offline. You might even be able to play some multiplayer games by plugging another controller into your computer — just like in the good old days.

Write a story with offline computer programs.

You can write a story and save it in Microsoft Word, the notes app on your computer, or another computer software that you may download before losing internet connection.

Edit photos offline.

If you’re on a trip or in a remote location without access to Wi-Fi, you can still use photo editor software previously downloaded to your laptop or mobile device.

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom does not require internet access. There is also a native mobile app version that works anywhere you have a mobile phone, although it’s necessary to have an internet connection if you are installing or licensing your apps. In addition, Lightroom does not require cloud storage, which means that you can still view and edit your photos without internet access.

You can also use the photo app on your phone to edit photos and videos.

Create a visual journal with Word.

You don’t need an internet connection to use Word and create a visual journal. You can write about the best moments of your vacation or write about your favorite memories to keep a record of your family history.

If you have pictures of your trip already downloaded to your computer, you can use them to help visualize that hike in the mountains or that beach resort you visited over the summer.

Get some offline computer work done.

You could also just keep working remotely. Many file-sharing and email services have an offline mode, so you can still access your work files. Also, most of the common office software suites don’t require an internet connection.

Adobe Acrobat, for example, lets you work on PDFs offline. You can easily add comments and annotations, convert and compress files, fill and sign forms, and more without internet.

Why does my Wi-Fi say no internet?

A common reason why your computer has a Wi-Fi connection but no internet access is that there is a technical issue with your router. There are times when your router may be experiencing bugs or problems that affect your devices staying connected to Wi-Fi.

This can also mean that your service provider is down or that your computer has an incorrect internet protocol.