diff --git a/esphome/components/wifi/__init__.py b/esphome/components/wifi/__init__.py
index 4bb6629da1..21162d4d59 100644
--- a/esphome/components/wifi/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/wifi/__init__.py
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ from esphome.const import (
     CONF_ID,
     CONF_IDENTITY,
     CONF_KEY,
+    CONF_LOCAL,
     CONF_MANUAL_IP,
     CONF_NETWORKS,
     CONF_ON_CONNECT,
@@ -343,24 +344,38 @@ def _apply_min_auth_mode_default(config):
     return config
 
 
-def final_validate(config):
-    has_sta = bool(config.get(CONF_NETWORKS, True))
+def final_validate(config: ConfigType) -> None:
+    has_sta = bool(config.get(CONF_NETWORKS))
     has_ap = CONF_AP in config
     full_config = fv.full_config.get()
     has_improv = "esp32_improv" in full_config
     has_improv_serial = "improv_serial" in full_config
     has_captive_portal = "captive_portal" in full_config
-    has_web_server = "web_server" in full_config
+    web_server = full_config.get("web_server")
     if not (has_sta or has_ap or has_improv or has_improv_serial):
         raise cv.Invalid(
             "Please specify at least an SSID or an Access Point to create."
         )
-    if has_ap and not has_captive_portal and not has_web_server:
+    if has_ap and not has_captive_portal and web_server is None:
         _LOGGER.warning(
             "WiFi AP is configured but neither captive_portal nor web_server is enabled. "
             "The AP will not be usable for configuration or monitoring. "
             "Add 'captive_portal:' or 'web_server:' to your configuration."
         )
+    elif (
+        has_ap
+        and not has_sta
+        and not has_captive_portal
+        and web_server is not None
+        and not web_server.get(CONF_LOCAL)
+    ):
+        # AP only: the device is reachable only through its own AP, where browsers
+        # usually have no internet to download the hosted web_server interface.
+        _LOGGER.warning(
+            "WiFi is AP only and web_server loads its interface from the internet, which "
+            "clients of the AP usually cannot reach, so the page stays blank. "
+            "Set 'local: true' under 'web_server:' or add 'captive_portal:'."
+        )
 
 
 def _consume_wifi_sockets(config: ConfigType) -> ConfigType:
diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/components/test_wifi.py b/tests/unit_tests/components/test_wifi.py
index 3899b3d854..b625aafaf7 100644
--- a/tests/unit_tests/components/test_wifi.py
+++ b/tests/unit_tests/components/test_wifi.py
@@ -1,10 +1,13 @@
 """Tests for WiFi component public helpers."""
 
+import logging
+
 import pytest
 
 from esphome.components.esp32 import const
 from esphome.components.wifi import (
     check_placeholder_credentials,
+    final_validate,
     has_native_wifi,
     variant_has_wifi,
 )
@@ -17,6 +20,7 @@ from esphome.const import (
     Platform,
 )
 from esphome.core import EsphomeError, Lambda
+import esphome.final_validate as fv
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
@@ -197,3 +201,32 @@ def test_check_placeholder_credentials_skips_template_ssid() -> None:
     """A templated (Lambda) SSID is not a string and is skipped."""
     config = _wifi_config(networks=[{CONF_SSID: Lambda('return "x";')}])
     assert check_placeholder_credentials(config) is None
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    ("wifi_config", "full_config", "expect_warning"),
+    [
+        # AP only with a hosted web_server page: warn.
+        ({CONF_AP: {}}, {"web_server": {}}, True),
+        # local: true serves the page from the device.
+        ({CONF_AP: {}}, {"web_server": {"local": True}}, False),
+        # captive_portal serves its own local page.
+        ({CONF_AP: {}}, {"web_server": {}, "captive_portal": {}}, False),
+        # STA with AP fallback: the AP is rarely used, stay quiet.
+        ({CONF_AP: {}, CONF_NETWORKS: [{CONF_SSID: "x"}]}, {"web_server": {}}, False),
+    ],
+)
+def test_final_validate_ap_only_hosted_web_server_warning(
+    wifi_config: dict,
+    full_config: dict,
+    expect_warning: bool,
+    caplog: pytest.LogCaptureFixture,
+) -> None:
+    """AP only configs with a hosted web_server page get a hint to use local: true."""
+    token = fv.full_config.set({"wifi": wifi_config, **full_config})
+    try:
+        with caplog.at_level(logging.WARNING):
+            final_validate(wifi_config)
+    finally:
+        fv.full_config.reset(token)
+    assert ("AP only" in caplog.text) is expect_warning