How to fix an iPhone not connecting to WiFi?

Has the Wi-Fi symbol disappeared off your screen (and has been replaced by a 3G/4G icon)? When your iPhone won’t connect to Wi-Fi, this can be a frustrating situation especially if you’re on limited mobile data!

This is a common problem reported by Apple users, especially if you have just updated your iOS software. But don't panic. We will help to get your Wi-Fi up and running in no time. 

Below is a guide with some helpful tips and tricks that you can carry out when your iPhone won't connect to Wi-Fi. And if this won’t solve the issue, bring your phone in to one of our stores for our team to take a look at!

Why wont my iPhone connect to WiFi?

iPhones can remember every Wi-Fi you have ever been connected to. Your device should automatically reconnect after going out and returning home. So we can understand the frustration when your iPhone forgets Wi-Fi and is constantly searching for network leaving you unable to access the internet for daily usage and fun! An issue some Apple users may face is the WiFi symbol being greyed out. Listed in our tips are ways to resolve this issue if software related. If you are unable to get the WiFi symbol back to showing a blue background, this may be a hardware issue.

There could be a number of reasons why your iPhone wont connect to wifi and this guide will help you tackle those issues:

• Many users report that they can’t connect to Wi-Fi after an iOS update.
• Accidental changes in settings can also affect iPhone’s Wi-Fi settings.
• There might be an issue with your wireless router - your iPhone might connect to all Wi-Fi networks, except to the one at home.
• The Wi-Fi antenna in your iPhone might be broken and you will have to replace it.
• A greyed out WiFi symbol on your iPhone.
• Wifi keeps getting disconnected.

How to Fix iphone not connecting to wifi?

A common issue reported by Apple users is that their iPhone keeps getting disconnected from Wifi. This can be a frustrating problem, especially if you are mid-way through watching your favourite show and your WiFi completely disconnects. But, this could just simply be a poor connection or perhaps an issue with your WiFi router. So before you panic, make sure that your router is fully functioning and test the strength of your connection. We have enlisted some tips below in how to get your device back up and connected to WiFi.

Below we’ve listed some ways to help troubleshoot an iPhone wifi not working;

Restart your Wifi Router

As with iPhones, Wi-Fi routers can also suffer from software flaws. If you haven't tried this already, turn your Wi-Fi router on and off. Simply unplug the power cord, wait a couple of seconds then plug it back in. Once that is done, attempt to reconnect your iPhone to Wi-Fi. Make sure that the router is connected to the internet! If this doesn't work, it may be time to call the network provider.

If that didn’t solve the problem, head out to a public area and try using your iPhone to connect to other Wi-Fi hotspots. If you are able to hold a connection, this is not a hardware/software issue but could be an issue with the Wi-Fi you’re using currently. 

If this doesn’t solve the issue, try our other tips! 

Reboot your iPhone

Your iPhone may just need a quick reboot! Restarting your device helps reset all connectivity and this works in most cases. Hold down the power button till you see the Apple sign, slide off and then use the same process to power on. 

Once your device comes back on: Go to Settings > Wi-Fi > Turn your Wi-Fi on and off > Choose a Network > Forget This Network > Re-connect > Enter Password. Hopefully this should have solve the Wi-Fi issue. If your iPhone wifi is still not working,  continue reading our guide!

Reset all Settings

Firstly, make sure your iPhone is not set to airplane mode. To check this, slide up the control panel and check if the airplane symbol is lit orange.

In restoring your device it is also good to make sure that the latest iOS has been updated. Go to Settings > General > Software Update. This could be another glitch to the Wi-Fi not working if your device is running off old software. Before updating your iOS, make sure that all your data is backed up! Restart your device once the iOS has been updated - hopefully this should solve the problem. 

You can also update the iOS by plugging your iPhone into a laptop and opening up iTunes - this will also save your data to your computer!

If that hasn’t fixed your issue, try to Reset iPhone's network settings. Go to Settings > General > Reset > Reset network settings. This will wipe all data that has been saved to your iPhone i.e. it will forget all Wi-Fi networks and passwords that have automatically been saved. 

You should try turning off location services for Wi-Fi network connections:. To do this, go to your Settings > Privacy > Location Services > turn off. 

Finally, try turning your Bluetooth off. This can be done in Settings > Bluetooth > Slide to turn off this feature. Another simple way is to slide up your Control Centre and tap on the symbol.

If the above doesn't work, you could probably try a factory reset by going to Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings. Before you attempt this, ensure you have taken a backup as this erase all content including settings of your device.

WiFi greyed out?

A greyed out WiFi symbol on your iPhone can indicate a possible hardware problem which will mean your device may need a logic board repair as the WiFi chip is a component on the main board. Possible causes of the WiFi being greyed out is that perhaps dirt, debris has found it’s way inside your device or any liquid damage can cause this component to short.

This can affect all models of the iPhone with the headphone jack. For the iPhone 4, 5 and 6 (including S models), the WiFi antenna is located just under the headphone jack. Although this can still affect the 7, 8, and X as the WiFi is still connected to the main board.

To clean the headphone jack for iPhone 4, 5 and 6 (including S) of any dirt or debris, gently remove with tweezers until its clear then grab a can of compressed air and blow this directly into the headphone jack. Use the same process to also clean the charging dock.

For the iPhone 7, 8 and X without a headphone jack, clean out the charging dock using the same process listed above. Also the indicator at the bottom of the charging dock and on the sim tray will indicate if your device is water damaged.

A white dot is located at the bottom of your headphone jack and also on your sim tray. If this has turned red, this indicates that your device is water damaged and this can be the cause as to why the WiFi symbol is now greyed out.

Before diagnosing this issue as hardware related, try out all of our tips below as this may help to get your WiFi back to being connected, if it is a software issue. 

iPhone won't connect to Wifi - may be Hardware issue?

If you have tried out all of tips enlisted above and your device shows no signs it will be back connected to WiFi anytime soon-this will be a hardware problem. We would suggest booking your device in for our diagnostics service. This will source the root of the problem and will confirm the repair that is required. We offer a logic board repair for this issue if necessary, and we can help get your device back connected to WiFi.

Before you visit our team, make sure that you are still within your Apple warranty. They may be able to solve this issue for you free of charge if it is a software issue, if it is hardware that is root of the problem, it may cost extra. 

Our technicians in store are trained in all aspects of repairing issues relating to hardware of iPhones, so rest assured, if you visit our team we will make sure that you leave the store with your device ready to connect to Wi-Fi.

At iSmash, carrying out the highest quality of iPhone repairs with efficiency and offering a fair price to our customers is important.  If our team are unable to figure out the real cause of the Wi-Fi issue during an initial inspection of your device, we would suggest booking in your iPhone for a signal issue diagnostics. This is a standard fee of £20 and the process can take up to 48 hours. This will determine the causes to the issues you are experiencing and our team will then quote you on the cost of repair, once this is completed. 

If the signal issue can be solved by replacing the Wi-Fi/signal antenna - check our prices below on the cost of repair: 

• iPhone 4/4s- £29.99 
• iPhone 5/5s/SE- £29.99
• iPhone 6/6 Plus- £39.99 
• iPhone 6s/ Plus/ 7/ Plus- £49.99
• iPhone 8/8 Plus/ X- £59.99