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Your iPhone happily shows the WiFi icon, but in the meantime … nothing is happening at all. Pages don’t load, apps get stuck, and your messages just won’t get sent. We all recognize it. Your iPhone seems connected, but internet? Ho. Does that network hassle on your iPhone sound familiar? Then it’s time for a simple but effective solution: resetting your network settings. No complicated hassle, just get your affairs in order.

In this blog, we discuss:

Why doesn’t my iPhone automatically connect to the network?

Your iPhone is smarter than you think. It remembers which network you were previously connected to, how strong the signal was then and what your settings were. That usually gets you connected automatically as soon as you’re back in range of a known network. Yes, your iPhone probably still remembers the WiFi details of that long-lost friend from back in the day.

But even smart iPhones can lose the thread. Maybe your device has accumulated a mountain of old networks, a software update didn’t go quite right, or there’s a glitch in a VPN setting? All that data can start to conflict with each other, and then your iPhone itself no longer understands what to do.

Consequence? You’re “connected” but getting nowhere. That’s exactly the time to come clean.

When is it time to reset my network settings?

If your connection goes down more often than it works, or if your iPhone says it’s connected but you still can’t access the Internet, it’s time to intervene.

Start with the basics: check your router. Sounds simple, but just turning it off and on solves something more often than you might expect. Doesn’t that do anything? Then reboot your iPhone.

Doesn’t that help either and by now you’ve gone through all the settings three times? Then resetting your network settings is a logical next step. You then delete all saved networks, so your iPhone starts again with a clean slate. Without the WiFi data of that friend from the past, nice right?

It is a short operation, you do not lose personal data, and in many cases it solves the irritation immediately.

Here’s how to reset your iPhone’s network settings

Follow these steps to reset your iPhone’s network settings:

  1. Open the Settings app
  2. Go to General
  3. Scroll down and tap Transfer or Reset iPhone
  4. Choose Reset
  5. Tap Restore network settings
  6. Enter your access code and confirm

Your iPhone will reboot automatically after that. You will need to reconnect to your WiFi network, so make sure you have the password handy!

After that, you often notice an immediate difference: more stable Internet, no more crazy delays and your device knows exactly what to do again.

Is your network still not working? ThePhoneLab helps you further

Network problems are usually easy to fix, especially with a reset of your network settings. But does your iPhone keep giving you trouble, even after going through all the steps? Then it’s smart to have your device professionally checked.

At ThePhoneLab, we perform a free diagnosis and check whether there might be more to it, such as a hardware problem or a bug in iOS. That way you know quickly where you stand, without any hassle. Easily schedule a appointment online or walk into our office. We’re happy to help you get back online effortlessly!