Your iPad is probably forgetting the network or stuck on an old connection

When an iPad refuses to connect to WiFi, the problem is almost always one of three things: the iPad has forgotten the network password, it is stuck trying to connect to an old network it remembers, or there is a temporary glitch between the iPad and your router. Most of the time you can fix it yourself in under five minutes by forgetting the network and reconnecting, restarting the iPad, or restarting your router. If none of those work, the issue is usually something specific about how your router is set up — not a broken iPad.

The steps below move from fastest to slowest and from most common to least common. Start at the top and work your way down until your iPad connects.

Key Takeaways

  • Forgetting the network and reconnecting forces your iPad to re-enter the password, which fixes most connection problems.
  • Restarting your iPad clears temporary glitches that prevent it from seeing or connecting to your network.
  • Restarting your router fixes problems where the router stops responding to new connection requests.
  • If your iPad connects but the internet does not work, the problem is usually your router or internet service, not the iPad.
  • Some routers have settings that block certain devices — checking your router's admin panel can reveal whether your iPad is being blocked.

Forget the network and reconnect with the password

When your iPad remembers a network but cannot connect, it is usually because the password changed, the network settings changed, or the iPad is holding onto old information. The fastest fix is to tell the iPad to forget the network entirely, then reconnect from scratch.

On your iPad, go to Settings > WiFi. Find your network name in the list. Tap the information icon (a small circle with an "i" inside) next to the network name. Tap Forget This Network, then confirm. Now tap your network name again and enter the password. Make sure you type the password exactly — uppercase and lowercase letters matter, and spaces count.

If you do not know your WiFi password, check the sticker on the back or bottom of your router. The password is usually labeled "Network Key", "WiFi Password", or "Passphrase". If the sticker is worn off or missing, you can reset the router to its factory password, but that will disconnect all your other devices until you reconnect them.

Restart your iPad

A temporary glitch in the iPad's WiFi system can prevent it from connecting even when the network is working fine. Restarting the iPad clears this glitch and usually takes less than two minutes.

For iPad models with a Home button, press and hold the top button and the Home button together until the power-off slider appears. Drag the slider to turn off the iPad. Wait 10 seconds, then press the top button again to turn it back on. For newer iPad models without a Home button, press and hold the top button and either volume button until the power-off slider appears, then follow the same steps.

Restart your router

Your router can get stuck in a state where it stops responding to new connection requests, even though devices already connected to it still work. Restarting the router clears this state and usually fixes the problem within two minutes.

Unplug the power cable from the back of your router. Wait 30 seconds — this is important, as it gives the router time to fully shut down. Plug the power cable back in and wait for the lights to stop blinking and settle into their normal pattern. This usually takes one to three minutes. Then try connecting your iPad again.

Check whether your router is blocking the iPad

Some routers have a feature that blocks certain devices from connecting, either because you set it up that way or because the router is in a restricted mode. You can check whether your iPad is being blocked by logging into your router's admin panel.

Open a web browser on any computer or phone connected to your WiFi. Type 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1 into the address bar and press Enter. You may be asked to log in — the username is often "admin" and the password is often "admin" or "password", or it may be on a sticker on your router. Once you are logged in, look for a section called Device List, Connected Devices, DHCP Clients, or Wireless Devices. If your iPad is not in the list, it is not connecting at all. If it is in the list but shows as "blocked" or "denied", your router is preventing it from connecting — look for a setting to unblock it or remove it from a blacklist.

If you cannot find the admin panel or do not remember the login password, you can reset the router to factory settings by holding down a small reset button on the back for 10 to 15 seconds. This will erase all your settings, so you will need to set up the network name and password again.

Check whether the internet is actually working

Sometimes an iPad connects to the network but cannot reach the internet. This means the problem is not the iPad or the WiFi connection — it is your router or your internet service provider. Test this by opening a web browser on the iPad and trying to load a website. If the page does not load, try the same website on another device connected to the same WiFi. If it does not load on that device either, the problem is your internet connection, not your iPad.

If your internet is down, restart your router (see the section above). If restarting does not fix it, contact your internet service provider — they can tell you whether there is an outage in your area or whether something is wrong with your account.

Update your iPad's software

WiFi problems can sometimes be caused by bugs in older versions of iPad software. Updating to the latest version can fix these bugs. Go to Settings > General > Software Update. If an update is available, tap read and Install. Your iPad will restart during the update, so make sure the battery is charged or the iPad is plugged in.

Software updates also include security patches that protect your iPad when it connects to public WiFi networks. Keeping your iPad current makes it safer to use on any network.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my iPad connect to WiFi but then disconnect after a few seconds?

This usually means the iPad is connecting but then losing the connection because the password is wrong or the network settings changed. Forget the network and reconnect with the correct password. If that does not work, restart your router — sometimes a router stops responding to the iPad after a few seconds if it is overloaded or stuck.

My iPad sees the network but says "cannot connect" when I try to join

The password is almost always the problem. Make sure you are typing it exactly as it appears on the router sticker, including capital letters and spaces. If you are sure the password is correct, restart your router and try again. If the problem continues, check your router's admin panel to see whether the iPad is being blocked.

My other devices connect fine but my iPad will not — is the iPad broken?

Probably not. If other devices work, the problem is specific to the iPad. Try forgetting the network and reconnecting, then restarting the iPad. If that does not work, check whether your router has a device blacklist and whether the iPad is on it. You can also try connecting the iPad to a different WiFi network (like a phone's hotspot) to see whether it connects — if it does, the problem is your home router, not the iPad.

What if I have tried everything and the iPad still will not connect?

If you have forgotten the network, restarted the iPad, restarted the router, and checked the router's admin panel, the problem may be a hardware issue with the iPad's WiFi chip. You can try a factory reset as a last step — go to Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings. This erases everything on the iPad, so back up your data first. If it still will not connect after a factory reset, the WiFi hardware may be damaged and the iPad may need repair.