The most common reasons your phone stays disconnected

Your phone won't connect to WiFi because of one of four things: the WiFi password is wrong, your phone is too far from the router, the router has stopped broadcasting your network name, or your phone's WiFi hardware needs to be reset. Most of the time it's the password. The second most common reason is that your phone remembers an old password for that network and keeps trying the outdated one instead of asking you for a new one.

Less often, your router itself has a problem — it may have crashed, lost power, or filled up its memory with too many connected devices. Your phone's WiFi radio can also fail, though this is rare and usually means a hardware problem rather than a setting you can fix.

The good news is that you can test each of these in order, and most take less than a minute to rule out.

Key Takeaways

  • The wrong password is the most common reason — check what you typed against what your router actually uses, which may be printed on the router itself or in your account with your internet provider.
  • If your phone remembers an old password for that network, you must forget the network entirely and reconnect from scratch, because your phone will keep trying the old one automatically.
  • Move your phone within 15 feet of the router to rule out distance as the problem, since walls and floors block the signal more than most people expect.
  • Restart your router by unplugging it for 30 seconds, then plug it back in and wait two minutes for it to fully boot before trying to connect again.
  • If none of these steps work, your router may need a factory reset or your phone's WiFi hardware may have failed, both of which require different approaches.

Check the password you are typing

Open your router's settings page or look at the sticker on the back or bottom of the router itself. The WiFi password is usually labeled as "WiFi Password", "Network Key", or "PSK" (which stands for pre-shared key). Write down exactly what you see — passwords are case-sensitive, so "MyPassword" is different from "mypassword".

On your phone, go to Settings, then WiFi, and find your network name in the list. Tap it and type the password character by character. If you are not sure you typed it correctly, most phones let you tap an eye icon to see what you just typed before you hit Connect. Type it again if it does not match.

If you do not have the original password and the sticker on your router is worn away or missing, you can reset the router to its factory settings. This erases your WiFi password and sets it back to whatever the manufacturer chose — usually printed on a new sticker that appears after the reset. See the factory reset section below for how to do this safely.

Forget the network and reconnect from scratch

If you have connected to this network before, your phone remembers the password you used last time. If you changed the password on your router but your phone still has the old one saved, your phone will keep trying the old password automatically and fail silently — it will not ask you to type a new one.

To fix this, you must tell your phone to forget the network entirely. Go to Settings, then WiFi, find your network name, and tap the information icon (usually a circle with an "i" in it). Look for a "Forget" or "Remove" button and tap it. Your phone will delete the saved password.

Now go back to the WiFi list, tap your network name again, and type the current password. Your phone will save this new one and should connect.

Move closer to the router and remove obstacles

WiFi signal weakens with distance and gets blocked by walls, floors, metal, and water. If your phone is more than 30 feet from the router, or if there are multiple walls between them, the signal may be too weak to connect even if everything else is correct.

Move your phone to within 15 feet of the router with as few walls as possible between them. If your phone connects at this distance, the problem is signal strength, not your password or settings. You may need to move your router to a more central location in your home, or you may need a second router or WiFi extender to reach the far corners of your house.

If your phone still will not connect even when sitting next to the router, the problem is not distance.

Restart your router

Routers can crash or run out of memory just like any other computer. Restarting it fixes most temporary problems. Unplug the power cable from the back of your router and wait 30 seconds. Plug it back in and wait two full minutes for all the lights to stop blinking and settle into a steady pattern — this means the router has finished starting up.

Once the lights are steady, try connecting your phone again. If your phone connects now, the router had crashed and needed to restart. If it still will not connect, move to the next step.

Check whether other devices can connect

Borrow another phone, tablet, or laptop and try to connect it to the same WiFi network. If the other device connects without trouble, the problem is with your phone, not your router or network. If the other device also cannot connect, the problem is with your router or the network itself.

If your phone is the only device that will not connect, skip ahead to the phone-specific steps below. If nothing can connect, your router may have lost its settings or may need a factory reset.

Reset your phone's WiFi settings

Your phone's WiFi radio can get stuck in a bad state without actually being broken. Restarting your phone clears this out. Turn your phone completely off, wait 10 seconds, and turn it back on. Once it has finished starting up, try connecting to WiFi again.

If restarting does not work, you can reset your phone's network settings. This erases all saved WiFi passwords and Bluetooth pairings, so you will have to reconnect to everything, but it fixes most software problems with WiFi. On iPhone, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Reset > Reset Network Settings. On Android, go to Settings > System > Reset Options > Reset WiFi, Mobile & Bluetooth. Your phone will restart, and you can then reconnect to your network by typing the password fresh.

Factory reset your router as a last step

If other devices also cannot connect, your router may have corrupted settings. A factory reset erases everything and sets the router back to how it came from the manufacturer. Find the small reset button on the back or bottom of your router — it is usually recessed so you cannot press it by accident. Use a paperclip or the tip of a pen to press and hold it for 10 to 15 seconds while the router is powered on. The lights will flash and the router will restart.

Once the lights settle, the router will be back to its factory state. Look for a sticker on the router or in the box it came in that shows the default WiFi network name and password. Connect your phone using those credentials. After you confirm the connection works, you can log into the router's settings page and change the password to something you choose.

If your router does not have a reset button, you can usually hold down the power button for 10 to 15 seconds instead, though this varies by model. Check your router's manual or the manufacturer's website if you are not sure.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if my phone connects but keeps dropping the WiFi?

A connection that drops repeatedly usually means weak signal, interference from other networks, or a problem with your router's WiFi radio. Try moving closer to the router first. If that does not help, restart the router. If the problem persists, try changing your WiFi channel in the router's settings — some channels have less interference from neighbors' networks in your area.

Can a WiFi password be wrong if I just set it?

Yes. Some routers require passwords to be a certain length or to contain numbers and special characters. If you typed a password that does not meet these rules, the router may reject it silently or show an error. Check your router's manual for password requirements, or try a simpler password with only letters and numbers.

Why does my phone say "can't connect to this network"?

This message usually means the password is wrong, or your phone is trying to use an old saved password. Forget the network and reconnect with the current password. If that does not work, restart your phone and try again.

What if my phone's WiFi is completely greyed out?

A greyed-out WiFi toggle usually means airplane mode is on. Swipe down from the top of your screen to open the quick settings and turn off airplane mode. If WiFi is still greyed out after that, restart your phone. If it remains greyed out after a restart, your phone's WiFi hardware may have failed and you may need to contact the manufacturer or a repair service.

Should I try a different WiFi band if my phone has the option?

Most modern routers broadcast on both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. The 2.4 GHz band reaches farther but is slower; the 5 GHz band is faster but does not go through walls as well. If your phone offers a choice, try the 2.4 GHz band first if you are far from the router, or the 5 GHz band if you are close and want faster speeds. Some phones choose automatically and do not give you an option.