Why Won't My iPhone Connect to Wi-Fi? Here's One Quick Fix!

By Jim Karpen Updated 07/05/2023

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Sometimes, you may find that your iPad or iPhone has problems connecting to Wi-Fi in certain areas or locations, or you may have found that your iPhone keeps disconnecting from Wi-Fi and you're not sure why. In this useful tip, we cover one way you may be able to resolve this issue.

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Why You'll Love This Tip

Resolves most simple Wi-Fi issues.
Works for both iPhone and iPad.

iPhone Can't Join Wi-FI

The first thing to try is the most simple and obvious: turn your devices off and then on again. Restart your iPad or iPhone by holding down the power button, and restart your Wi-Fi router by unplugging it and then plugging it back in after about a minute. If that doesn't work, keep reading to find out what to do. If you want to learn more useful tips about how to use your Apple devices, sign up for our Tip of the Day!

On your iPhone or iPad, swipe down from the right (or up from the center if you have home button) to access the Control Center.
Press and hold the Wi-Fi button.

Press and hold Wi-Fi on the menu.
This will take you to a list of all available networks. Make sure choose the correct one.

Tap outside the box to go back.
Tap the Wi-Fi button to turn Wi-Fi off. It will be white when disconnected.

Wait 10-15 seconds, and then tap the Wi-Fi button again to turn it back on. It will be blue when turned on.

This should fix most problems. I find that if I'm in a public area and am not in a position to turn off the public router, I can at least try restarting my iPad by holding down the power button. That alone will usually fix the problem. Also, I've found that sometimes even though my iPad shows that it's connected, but nothing is working, I simply need to log onto the network again. If none of these solutions work, you may have a more serious issue with your iPhone or iPad or even your wireless router, and we would recommend you contact Apple Support.

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Author Details

Jim Karpen

Jim Karpen holds a Ph.D. in literature and writing, and has a love of gizmos. His doctoral dissertation focused on the revolutionary consequences of digital technologies and anticipated some of the developments taking place in the industry today. Jim has been writing about the Internet and technology since 1994 and has been using Apple's visionary products for decades.

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