This adapter is how a Hyper-V virtual machine reaches the network: it acts as the software equivalent of a network card plugged into a virtual switch. It appears the moment you enable the Hyper-V feature and disappears when you remove it, so it is not generally something you download. If it stops passing traffic, the fix lies in Hyper-V's switch configuration and the underlying physical adapter, not in the virtual adapter itself.
Microsoft Hyper-V Virtual Ethernet Adapter at a glance
| Detail | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Device kind | Virtual network adapter for VMs |
| What created it | The Hyper-V optional feature |
| Where the driver comes from | Windows itself, not a download |
| How to service it | Update Windows; toggle the feature to refresh |
| Appears in | Network adapters, with Hyper-V in the name |
| Typical failure mode | Wrong switch binding cuts VM traffic |
Worth knowing: Installed by enabling the Hyper-V optional feature; serviced by Windows Update.
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Installed by enabling the Hyper-V optional feature; serviced by Windows Update.
Shared identification, preparation, installation, verification, and rollback procedures are maintained on the complete virtual devices guide, rather than repeated on every family page. The citations below follow this family’s declared vendor, Windows, PC-maker, or motherboard-maker source policy.
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Microsoft Support: Microsoft's instructions for Windows Update and Device Manager.
Microsoft: Microsoft's searchable catalog of published update packages.
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Microsoft Hyper-V Virtual Ethernet Adapter next to the other 13 families in this category
| Family | Manufacturer | Documented Windows releases | How you recognize it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Hyper-V Virtual Ethernet Adapter (this page) | Microsoft | Windows 10, Windows 11 | Listed under Network adapters with Hyper-V in the name |
| Hyper-V Virtual Switch Extension | Microsoft | Windows 10, Windows 11 | Configured in Hyper-V Manager, not Device Manager |
| WSL Virtual Network Adapter | Microsoft | Windows 10, Windows 11 | Appears under Network adapters when WSL is installed |
| Windows Sandbox Virtual Devices | Microsoft | Windows 10, Windows 11 | Present only when the Windows Sandbox feature is enabled |
| Microsoft Loopback / KM-TEST Adapter | Microsoft | Windows 10, Windows 11 | Named Microsoft KM-TEST Loopback Adapter |
| Microsoft Wi-Fi Direct Virtual Adapter | Microsoft | Windows 10, Windows 11 | Shown under Network adapters with Wi-Fi Direct in the name |
| NVIDIA Virtual Audio Device (companion feature) | NVIDIA | Windows 10, Windows 11 | Listed under Sound, video and game controllers or audio endpoints |
| AMD Virtual Audio / Display Endpoint (companion feature) | AMD | Windows 10, Windows 11 | Appears as an AMD audio or display endpoint |
| Intel Virtual Display / Graphics Endpoint (companion feature) | Intel | Windows 10, Windows 11 | Shown as an Intel graphics or display endpoint |
| Realtek Virtual Audio Endpoint (companion feature) | Realtek | Windows 10, Windows 11 | Listed among audio playback endpoints in Sound settings |
| ASUS Utility Virtual Audio Mixer (companion software) | ASUS | Windows 10, Windows 11 | Appears as extra virtual audio channels in Sound settings |
| MSI Utility Virtual Device (companion software) | MSI | Windows 10, Windows 11 | Registered by MSI companion software |
| Gigabyte Utility Virtual Device (companion software) | Gigabyte | Windows 10, Windows 11 | Created by Gigabyte motherboard software |
| Corsair Virtual Audio Device (companion software) | Corsair | Windows 10, Windows 11 | Listed as a Corsair audio endpoint in Sound settings |
Microsoft
The virtual switch is the software network hub that connects virtual machines to each other and, through an external switch, to your real network card. You manage it in Hyper-V Manager rather than as a driver you install, and its behavior decides whether VMs are isolated, share the host's connection, or sit on the physical LAN. Most connectivity problems here trace back to choosing the wrong switch type or binding it to the wrong physical adapter.
Microsoft
The Windows Subsystem for Linux creates its own virtual network adapter so the Linux environment can reach the internet and talk to Windows. It is provisioned and serviced by WSL itself, which means the way to keep it healthy is to keep WSL updated rather than to look for a separate driver. When WSL networking breaks after an update, refreshing WSL and rebooting may restore this adapter.
Microsoft
Windows Sandbox spins up a lightweight, disposable Windows session, and to do so it registers virtual networking, display, and storage devices for the duration of that session. These devices are provided entirely by the Sandbox optional feature and Windows Update, so there is nothing to download or maintain by hand. They exist only while Sandbox is enabled, and enabling the feature also requires hardware virtualization turned on in firmware.
Microsoft
The loopback adapter is a virtual network card with no physical port, used mainly by developers and testers who need a stable interface that lets the PC talk to itself. You add it by hand through Device Manager's Add legacy hardware wizard rather than by downloading anything, then assign it a static address for your scenario. It is harmless when present but pointless unless a specific test setup calls for it.
Microsoft
This virtual adapter is created by the Windows wireless stack to support Wi-Fi Direct connections and features like a mobile hotspot, riding on top of your real Wi-Fi card. Because it is generated by the physical Wi-Fi adapter's driver, its health depends on that driver being current and working. You do not install it separately; if it misbehaves, update the wireless adapter driver from your PC or Wi-Fi chip maker.
NVIDIA
This is a virtual audio endpoint that NVIDIA installs alongside its graphics driver to support certain broadcasting and capture features. It is not a standalone product; it appears because you installed the GPU driver, and it is refreshed whenever you update that driver. To fix or remove it, work with the NVIDIA graphics package rather than treating the endpoint as separate hardware.
Microsoft hardware documented outside virtual devices
| Family | Category | Documented Windows releases |
|---|---|---|
| Windows Precision Touchpad (Microsoft Standard) | Touchpads | Windows 10, Windows 11 |
| Windows HID Keyboard (Standard Typing Support) | Keyboards | Windows 10, Windows 11 |
| Windows UVC Camera (Standard Support) | Webcams | Windows 10, Windows 11 |
| Hyper-V Virtual Switch Extension | Virtual Devices | Windows 10, Windows 11 |
| WSL Virtual Network Adapter | Virtual Devices | Windows 10, Windows 11 |
| Windows Sandbox Virtual Devices | Virtual Devices | Windows 10, Windows 11 |
| Microsoft Loopback / KM-TEST Adapter | Virtual Devices | Windows 10, Windows 11 |
| Microsoft Wi-Fi Direct Virtual Adapter | Virtual Devices | Windows 10, Windows 11 |
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