Phone Won't Connect to Wi-Fi: 10 Ways to Fix the Problem!

Your smartphone won't connect to Wi-Fi and you don't know what to do to get it working again? This is a common situation and some simple procedures can fix this problem. If your cell phone won't connect to Wi-Fi it's good to know these tips to fix the failure.

Whether it is due to authentication error, connection without network or any other difficulty. One of the signs that something may be going wrong is, according to Google, having downloads that won't start, expire or stay at 0%. And, of course, not being able to load web pages in the browser.

10 tips when your cell phone won't connect to Wi-Fi

This time we have gathered the best tips that can help you when Wi-Fi is not working on your phone. The guidelines and steps to fix this inconvenience, in general, work for both Android smartphones and iPhones.

1. Confirm that your Wi-Fi settings are turned on

Yes, it sounds like a silly tip, but it happens often. It's common to think that the Wi-Fi option is enabled and, when you check, it simply isn't. On iPhones, just confirm that the Wi-Fi setting is enabled. On iPhones, simply follow the route Settings → Wi-Fi and see if the switch relating to the option is on.

On Android devices, on the other hand, it is generally enough to access the option from the shortcut menu. To do this, drag your finger from the top of the screen down and go to Wi-Fi.

If you do not find it, follow the path: Configure → Network & Internet or Wireless & Other Networks or Connections (may vary depending on the device). Then turn on the switch related to the Wi-Fi item.

2. Turn off the airplane mode

Airplane mode is a feature that disables all data sharing functions such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GSM at once. Google itself suggests activating it for 10 seconds and deactivating it shortly after to try to resolve connection issues.

On Android devices, simply access the option in the shortcuts menu by dragging your finger from the top of the screen down and enter Airplane Mode.

If you do not find it, follow the path: Settings → Network & Internet or Wireless and other networks or Connections (may vary depending on the device) → Advanced. Next, activate the switch relating to airplane mode. Keep it activated for 10 seconds and then deactivate it.

On the iPhone, go to Control Center and tap the airplane icon to activate it. You can also do the process through the route Settings → activate the key related to Airplane Mode. Leave it on for 10 seconds and turn it off again.

3. Make sure Bluetooth is not turned on.

It is not common, but it can happen, especially on Android devices, that activated Bluetooth creates conflicts with Wi-Fi. That is, Bluetooth, when enabled, can disable Wi-Fi. Therefore, disable the feature to see if you can recover the Internet connection.

On Android, you need to follow the path: Settings → Connected Devices → Connection Preferences → Bluetooth → Turn off the switch related to the option. On iOS, instead, go to Settings → Bluetooth → Disable the switch related to the Bluetooth option.

4. Restart your phone

"It may sound simple, but sometimes it's enough to troubleshoot a connection", Google explains. So when nothing works, it doesn't hurt to resort to this option to fix the situation and get your phone connected to Wi-Fi.

5. Reset the network settings

If none of the above options have fixed the problem, try resetting the device's network settings. This resets all data connection settings to factory defaults. This covers not only Wi-Fi, but also mobile data (3G and 4G) and Bluetooth.

It should be noted that the procedure deletes all Wi-Fi networks saved on the smartphone. This means losing the passwords saved on the device. So, if necessary, write down the most important ones beforehand.

On Android, follow the path: Settings → System → Advanced → Advanced → Reset options → Reset Wi-Fi, mobile network and Bluetooth → Reset settings. On the iPhone, on the other hand, go to Settings → General → Reset → Network → Reset network settings.

6. Check if the system is up to date.

The operating system of smartphones is usually constantly updated. Often, these updates bring security improvements and some new features to users.

When it is outdated, there may be a malfunction due to some software bug. Therefore, check if your Android or iOS is up to date.

On Android, follow the path: Settings → System → Advanced → System update. If it is up to date, you will see the information Your system is up to date.

On iOS, go to Settings → General → Software update. If there is no notification, this is a sign that you are up to date.

7. Check if the router/modem is turned on.

Another simple, but functional rule. If you are not using a public network (or if you have a way to ask the site administration), check if the modem is turned on or working properly.

Also check if your smartphone is within signal range and if you happen to be using the wrong password. If possible, check if other devices can connect to the Wi-Fi network. Also try connecting your phone to other networks, as the problem may be with the network and not the device.

8. Restart the modem (if you can, of course).

This is the first guideline when calling an Internet service provider when the connection is not working. However, this step can only be followed if you are not trying to use a public Wi-Fi network.

First, check that all cables are connected correctly. Next, turn off the modem, wait about 10 seconds and turn it back on. Wait for all the lights to stabilize and try to connect the device once again.

9. Check recently installed applications

Some downloaded applications may have errors that cause conflicts with Wi-Fi settings. So check the applications you have recently downloaded since you started having connection problems.

If you identify any suspicious programs, remove them immediately and restart your phone.

10. Reset the phone to factory settings

If, unfortunately, none of the above options have worked to correct the error, the last alternative is to restore the device to its factory settings. This means that all your preferences, photos, downloaded apps, among others, are deleted.

As the name suggests, it leaves the system as if it was just purchased. If you do not want to lose important information, make a backup of this content first.