Did you know that 1.8 billion Apple devices are now active worldwide? Of that impressive number, more than a billion are of the iPhone product line. That popularity, in turn, has a lot to do with iPhones being sleek, fast, and user-friendly. Moreover, they’re easy to integrate with other Apple devices.
Unfortunately, Apple’s smartphones aren’t impervious to technical issues. A perfect example is an iPhone not connecting to Wi-Fi, a pervasive problem many users face.
If you’re in the same boat, don’t panic yet, as you can try several DIY fixes before getting your iPhone repaired by a tech.
This guide covers the top troubleshooting steps you can take, so read on.
Go Closer to Your Router
The average Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz router has an operating range of about 150 feet indoors. However, that goes up to 300 feet outdoors. Newer models can reach even greater distances.
Routers have longer ranges outdoors because there are fewer physical obstructions. Thus, their indoor effectiveness dips because of interferences like siding, walls, and floors.
Therefore, the farther your iPhone is from the wireless router; the poorer your signal can be. The more obstructions between the two, the higher the odds of your iPhone Wi-Fi not connecting.
If you can’t get any Wi-Fi connection, try moving your phone next to the router itself. Its network name should now appear in your list of Wi-Fi networks, or your phone may even auto-connect to it.
Forget It
In many cases, a Wi-Fi password change disconnects all devices connected to the router. If that happened to your network, your iPhone might keep trying to auto-connect to it.
You can fix that by going to your iPhone’s network list and forgetting the one that just had a password change.
Open your phone’s Settings, tap Wi-Fi, and tap the blue ‘i’ icon next to that network. Next, select Forget This Network and tap Forget to confirm your choice.
Go back to the Wi-Fi page of your iPhone Settings and tap the network’s name. Next, enter the new Wi-Fi Password and tap Join. As long as you key in the proper login credentials, your iPhone should connect to it within seconds.
Check for Network Outages or Problems
Perhaps it’s not your iPhone that has a Wi-Fi problem but your network itself, such as in the case of a service outage. That means your iPhone does connect to the network, but there’s no Internet service at all.
Such outages are already prevalent, but experts expect them to worsen this 2022.
You can check if your problem has to do with your Internet service by going to the Wi-Fi Settings page again. If it is, you might see a note that says “No Internet Connection.”
Before you call your Internet service provider, though, check your other devices first. If they don’t have a connection either, then it’s likely an Internet or network outage.
Your router itself may be the culprit; for instance, a power outage may have messed with the device. That can cause signal interruptions, leading to your No Internet Connection problem.
Try rebooting your router by unplugging it from the wall outlet. Wait for about 10 seconds, and then plug it back in. Next, check if your iPhone and other devices now connect to the Internet.
If not even one of them does, it’s time to contact your ISP to inform them about the problem.
Restart Your iPhone
If your iPhone is the only device not connecting to Wi-Fi, try restarting it. That may help purge your phone’s RAM of glitches interfering with the Wi-Fi connection.
Here’s how to restart an iPhone from models X to 13:
- Press and hold either the volume up or volume down button
- Press and hold the side button
- Keep holding both buttons down until you see the power-off slider
- Drag the slider to the right
If you have an iPhone 6 to 8 or 2nd to 3rd gen SE, you only have to press and hold the side button. The power-off slider should appear after a few seconds, so slide it to the right once it does.
If you have an iPhone 5 or earlier model or a 1st gen iPhone SE, the top button is what you need to press and hold down. Then, follow the rest of the steps above.
Once powered off, count to ten before turning on your iPhone.
- Hold down the side button on iPhone models X to 13
- Long-press the side button on iPhone models 6 to 8 or 2nd to 3rd gen SE
- Press and hold down the top button on an iPhone 5 or older model or 1st gen SE
Keep pressing until the Apple logo appears. Wait until your phone’s screen lock page appears. Unlock it, and try connecting to the Wi-Fi again.
Update Your iPhone
Updating a Mac, iPad, and iPhone ensures they get loaded with the latest security features. Moreover, these updates usually fix hardware and software issues. That includes prior Wi-Fi bugs and other connectivity glitches.
So, download and install all available updates as soon as your iPhone prompts you. Doing so may help fix incompatibilities or problems affecting your Wi-Fi.
Reset Your iPhone’s Network Settings
If your iPhone still doesn’t connect to the Wi-Fi, try resetting its Network Settings.
If you’re running iOS 15 or later, open Settings, tap General, then choose Transfer or Reset [Device]. Next, tap Reset, and finally, select Reset Network Settings.
The steps are almost the same if you have an older iOS, except you don’t need to choose Transfer or Reset [Device].
Fix That iPhone Not Connecting to Wi-Fi Now
As you can see, there are many ways to troubleshoot and fix an iPhone not connecting to Wi-Fi. It may not even be your phone but your router or ISP. Either way, rebooting or resetting your devices may help address the issue.
However, if your iPhone still doesn’t work even after all the steps above, you might have a hardware issue.
In that case, it might be best to have our team here at Fruit Fixed check your device. Email or call us now, and we’ll be happy to fix your phone ASAP.