Your phone is probably fine, but something between it and your internet service is broken

When your phone stops connecting to the internet, the problem is almost never the phone itself. Your device is usually working exactly as it should — it is just not reaching the internet service that is supposed to be there. The break happens in one of three places: your home WiFi network, your internet service provider's equipment, or the connection between them. You can find which one by testing in a specific order, and most of the time you will fix it in under five minutes.

The reason this matters is that each problem has a different fix. Restarting your phone helps with some problems but makes others worse. Knowing where the break is means you do not waste time on the wrong solution.

Key Takeaways

  • Most connection problems live in your WiFi router or modem, not in your phone — test by moving to a different WiFi network or using cellular data first.
  • Restart your modem (the box from your internet provider) before you restart your router, and wait 30 seconds between unplugging and plugging back in.
  • If your phone connects to WiFi but has no internet, the problem is between your router and your internet provider, not between your phone and router.
  • Forgetting and reconnecting to your WiFi network fixes most connection problems that happen after your phone has been connected for a while.
  • If only one device cannot connect, the problem is on that device; if all devices fail at once, the problem is your WiFi network or internet service.

Test whether the problem is your phone or your WiFi network

Before you touch anything, check whether other devices in your home can reach the internet. Ask someone else to open a web browser on their phone, tablet, or computer. If their device works and yours does not, the problem is on your phone. If their device also fails, the problem is your WiFi network or your internet service — not your phone.

If you are the only person home, use cellular data instead. Turn off WiFi on your phone and use your phone's data plan (the connection that costs you money each month). If the internet works on cellular data, your WiFi network is broken. If the internet does not work on cellular data either, your phone itself may have a problem, or your phone's data service is down.

This test takes 30 seconds and saves you from restarting your phone ten times for a problem that lives in your router.

Restart your modem and router in the right order

Your modem is the box that connects to the cable or phone line coming into your home — it is usually provided by your internet service provider. Your router is the separate box (or built into the modem) that creates your WiFi network. When your internet stops working, restart the modem first, then the router, and wait between each step.

Unplug the modem from power. Wait 30 seconds. Plug it back in and wait two minutes for all the lights to stop blinking and settle into a steady pattern. Then unplug the router, wait 30 seconds, and plug it back in. Wait another two minutes. This order matters because the modem needs to reconnect to your internet service provider before the router tries to use that connection.

If you have a combined modem-router unit (one box that does both jobs), unplug it once, wait 30 seconds, and plug it back in. Wait two minutes for the lights to stabilize. Do not unplug it again unless the first restart did not work.

Forget and reconnect to your WiFi network

Sometimes your phone remembers old information about your WiFi network that is no longer correct. Forgetting the network and reconnecting forces your phone to start fresh.

On an iPhone: go to Settings, then WiFi, find your network name, tap the information icon next to it, and tap "Forget This Network". Then tap your network name again and enter your WiFi password. On an Android phone: go to Settings, then WiFi, find your network name, press and hold it, and tap "Forget". Then tap your network name and enter your password.

This fixes most problems that happen after your phone has been connected to the same network for weeks or months. It takes two minutes and works more often than restarting your phone.

Check whether your phone is connecting to WiFi but has no internet

Your phone may show that it is connected to your WiFi network (you see the WiFi symbol in the status bar) but still cannot load web pages or use apps. This means your phone is talking to your router, but your router is not talking to your internet service provider.

Open a web browser and try to visit a website. If you see an error message instead of a web page, your phone is connected to WiFi but has no internet. This is a problem with your modem or your internet service, not your phone or your router. Restart your modem using the steps above. If that does not work within five minutes, contact your internet service provider — they can see on their end whether your service is working.

Move closer to your router or check for interference

WiFi signals weaken over distance and through walls. If your phone is far from your router or in a room with thick walls, concrete, or metal, the signal may be too weak to connect. Move closer to your router and try again. If the connection works when you are near the router but fails when you move away, your router is working but its signal does not reach that part of your home.

WiFi also interferes with other wireless devices. Microwaves, cordless phones, baby monitors, and some security systems all use the same radio frequencies as WiFi. If your connection is weak or drops often, try moving your router away from these devices, or move your phone away from them. This is a less common problem than distance, but it happens.

Check your phone's WiFi settings for a saved network that is blocking you

Some phones have a setting that tells them to connect only to certain networks, or to avoid certain networks. If your phone is set to avoid your home network, it will not connect even if the network is working. Go to your WiFi settings and look for a list of networks your phone has saved. If your home network is in the "Avoid" or "Blocked" list, remove it. Then forget and reconnect to the network using the steps above.

This is rare, but it happens when someone else set up your phone, or when you accidentally tapped "Block This Network" instead of "Forget This Network" months ago.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I restart my phone first?

Not usually. Restarting your phone helps only if your phone's software has a problem, which is rare. Start by testing whether other devices can connect, then restart your modem and router. Restart your phone only if everything else is working but your phone still cannot connect.

What if my WiFi network does not show up at all?

Your router may be off, or your phone's WiFi may be turned off. Check that your router is plugged in and the power light is on. On your phone, go to Settings and make sure WiFi is turned on. If the network still does not appear, restart your router and wait two minutes for it to fully start up.

Why does my phone connect but then disconnect after a few minutes?

Your phone may be too far from the router, or your router may be overheating. Move closer to the router and check that the router has space around it for air to flow. If the problem continues, restart your router. If it keeps happening, your router may be failing and may need to be replaced.

Can I fix this without restarting anything?

Yes, sometimes. Forgetting and reconnecting to your WiFi network fixes many problems without a restart. If that does not work, restarting your modem and router is the next step. Most problems need at least one restart to fix.

What if I restart everything and it still does not work?

Contact your internet service provider. Tell them you have restarted your modem and router, and that other devices cannot connect either. They can check whether your service is active and whether there is an outage in your area. If only one device cannot connect after everything else works, the problem is on that device, not your internet service.