The most common reasons your phone loses WiFi or won't connect
Your phone fails to connect to WiFi for one of five reasons: the router is too far away or blocked by walls, your phone's WiFi is turned off or in airplane mode, the password is wrong, the router needs to restart, or your phone's WiFi hardware needs to reset. Most of the time, moving closer to the router or restarting both devices solves it within two minutes.
Distance and obstacles matter more than people expect. WiFi signals weaken through walls, metal, water, and dense materials. A phone that connects fine in your kitchen may not reach the bedroom upstairs, especially if there is plumbing or HVAC ductwork in between. Interference from microwaves, cordless phones, and neighboring networks also degrades the signal.
The second most common cause is user error: airplane mode is on, WiFi is toggled off in settings, or you typed the password wrong. The third is that your router has gotten into a bad state and needs power cycled. The fourth is that your phone's WiFi radio has crashed and needs a restart. The fifth is that your router's WiFi channel is congested or your phone is trying to connect to an old saved network instead of the current one.
Key Takeaways
- Check that WiFi is turned on in your phone's settings and airplane mode is off before troubleshooting anything else.
- Move within 30 feet of your router with a clear line of sight, because distance and walls are the most common culprits.
- Restart your phone first, then restart your router by unplugging it for 30 seconds, because most connection problems clear after a reboot.
- If your phone connects but drops frequently, forget the network in your phone's settings and reconnect with the password, which clears corrupted connection data.
- If nothing works, check whether other devices connect to the same router, because that tells you whether the problem is the router or your phone.
Check that WiFi is actually turned on
Open your phone's settings and look for WiFi. On Android, go to Settings > Network & Internet > WiFi and make sure the toggle is on. On iPhone, go to Settings > WiFi and check that the toggle is on. If WiFi is off, turn it on and wait 10 seconds for your phone to scan for networks.
Also check whether airplane mode is on. On Android, swipe down from the top of the screen twice to open Quick Settings, and look for an airplane icon. On iPhone, swipe down from the top right corner and look for the same icon. If airplane mode is on, tap it to turn it off. Airplane mode disables all wireless radios, including WiFi, even if the WiFi toggle appears to be on.
If WiFi is on and airplane mode is off, look at the list of available networks. Your network should appear in the list. If it does not, your router may not be broadcasting its name, or you are out of range. If your network does appear, tap it and enter the password.
Move closer to the router and remove obstacles
WiFi range depends on your router model and the obstacles between you and it. Most home routers reach 100 to 150 feet in open space, but walls, metal, and water cut that distance in half or more. A phone that will not connect in the bedroom may connect fine in the same room as the router.
Walk to within 20 to 30 feet of your router with a clear line of sight. If your phone connects at that distance, the problem is range or obstacles, not your phone or the router. If it still will not connect, the problem is elsewhere.
If range is the issue, you have two options: move the router to a more central location in your home, or add a WiFi extender or mesh network to reach dead zones. A mesh system replaces your single router with multiple units that work together and usually provides better coverage than an extender.
Restart your phone, then restart your router
Restart your phone first. Hold the power button until the power-off menu appears, tap Power Off, wait 10 seconds, then hold the power button again until the phone boots. This clears temporary memory and resets the WiFi radio.
If your phone still will not connect, restart your router. Unplug the power cable from the back of the router, wait 30 seconds, then plug it back in. The router will take 2 to 3 minutes to fully restart. Wait for the lights to stabilize before trying to connect again.
Restarting the router clears its memory, refreshes its connection to your internet service provider, and resets any stuck processes. This solves most WiFi problems that are not caused by distance or obstacles.
Forget the network and reconnect with the password
If your phone connects but drops frequently, or if it remembers the wrong password, forget the network and reconnect. On Android, go to Settings > Network & Internet > WiFi, long-press your network name, and tap Forget. On iPhone, go to Settings > WiFi, tap the info icon next to your network, and tap Forget This Network.
After you forget the network, your phone will no longer auto-connect to it. Open the WiFi list again, tap your network, and enter the password carefully. Make sure Caps Lock is not on, because passwords are case-sensitive. If you are not sure of the password, check the sticker on the back or bottom of your router.
Forgetting and reconnecting clears corrupted connection data that your phone stored. This is especially useful if you changed your router's password recently or if your phone has been trying to connect to an old saved network with the same name.
Check whether other devices connect to the same router
Ask someone else in your home to try connecting a different device — a laptop, tablet, or another phone — to the same WiFi network. If other devices connect without trouble, the problem is your phone. If no devices connect, the problem is your router or your internet connection.
If other devices connect fine, your phone's WiFi hardware may be failing, or its WiFi drivers may be corrupted. Try restarting your phone again. If that does not work, check your phone's settings for a WiFi troubleshooting option. Some phones have a built-in WiFi diagnostic tool under Settings > System > Diagnostics or Settings > About Phone > Diagnostics.
If your phone is old or has been dropped, the WiFi antenna may be damaged. In that case, you may need to have the phone repaired or replaced. But before you do, try one more thing: update your phone's operating system, because WiFi bugs are sometimes fixed in software updates.
Check your router's WiFi channel and password
If your phone connects but slowly, or if it keeps dropping, your router's WiFi channel may be congested. Most home routers use the 2.4 GHz band, which has only three non-overlapping channels. If your neighbors' routers are also using the same channels, they interfere with each other.
Log into your router's admin page by opening a web browser and typing 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1 into the address bar. The login credentials are usually on a sticker on the router. Look for the WiFi settings and try changing the channel to 1, 6, or 11 on the 2.4 GHz band. These three channels do not overlap. If your router supports 5 GHz, try switching to that band instead, which has more channels and less interference.
Also verify that your password is correct. If you changed it recently and your phone is still using the old password, it will fail to connect. Check the router's admin page to see what password is currently set, then update your phone's saved network with the correct one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my phone connect to WiFi but the internet does not work?
Your phone is connected to the router but the router has no internet. Restart the router by unplugging it for 30 seconds. If that does not work, check whether other devices have internet. If they do not, contact your internet provider. If other devices do have internet, restart your phone and forget and reconnect to the network.
Why does my phone keep disconnecting from WiFi?
Your phone is too far from the router, the signal is weak, or the connection data is corrupted. Move closer to the router. If that does not help, forget the network and reconnect. If disconnections continue, restart your router and check whether the WiFi channel is congested by switching to channel 1, 6, or 11.
How do I find my WiFi password if I forgot it?
Check the sticker on the back or bottom of your router. The password is usually labeled "WiFi Password" or "Network Key." If the sticker is missing, log into your router's admin page at 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1 and look in the WiFi settings. You will need the router's admin password, which is also on the sticker.
Can I connect to WiFi if my phone is in airplane mode?
No. Airplane mode turns off all wireless radios, including WiFi. Turn off airplane mode in your phone's Quick Settings or Control Center before trying to connect. Some phones allow you to turn WiFi back on after airplane mode is enabled, but this is not reliable.
Why does my phone show my WiFi network but will not connect to it?
The password is wrong, your phone is out of range, or the connection data is corrupted. Move closer to the router. Check that Caps Lock is off and type the password again carefully. If that does not work, forget the network and reconnect. If the problem persists, restart both your phone and router.