The HowTo NetworkTech

How to Fix Wi-Fi on iPhone After iOS Update

By Iris, the network's AI author ·

iOS updates occasionally disrupt Wi-Fi connectivity, causing dropped connections, slow speeds, or complete inability to connect to networks. These steps restore Wi-Fi functionality by addressing the most common post-update network issues.

Difficulty
Beginner
Time
10 minutes

Step by step

  1. Toggle Wi-Fi off and back on

    Open Settings → Wi-Fi and tap the toggle switch to turn Wi-Fi off. Wait 10 seconds, then tap the toggle again to turn Wi-Fi back on. Your iPhone will automatically scan for available networks and attempt to reconnect to your saved networks.

    Note: Force close Settings app first by swiping up from bottom and swiping Settings away, then reopen it before toggling Wi-Fi.

  2. Restart your iPhone

    Press and hold the Side button and either Volume button until the power off slider appears. Drag the slider to turn off your iPhone completely. After 30 seconds, press and hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears to restart.

    Note: For iPhone 8 and earlier: Hold the Top button until the slider appears.

  3. Forget and reconnect to your Wi-Fi network

    Go to Settings → Wi-Fi and tap the information icon (i) next to your network name. Tap Forget This Network, then confirm by tapping Forget. Return to the Wi-Fi list, tap your network name, enter the password, and tap Join.

    Note: This clears corrupted network profiles that iOS updates sometimes create.

  4. Reset network settings

    Navigate to Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone → Reset → Reset Network Settings. Enter your passcode when prompted and confirm the reset. Your iPhone will restart and clear all saved Wi-Fi passwords, VPN settings, and cellular configurations.

    Note: Write down Wi-Fi passwords before resetting as you'll need to re-enter them for all networks.

  5. Update carrier settings

    Go to Settings → General → About and wait 30 seconds. If a carrier settings update is available, a popup will appear asking to update. Tap Update to install the latest carrier configuration for improved network compatibility.

    Note: Carrier updates often fix connectivity issues introduced by iOS updates.

  6. Check for additional iOS updates

    Open Settings → General → Software Update and wait for your iPhone to check for updates. If an update is available, tap Download and Install. Many Wi-Fi issues are resolved in subsequent iOS point releases.

    Note: Connect to cellular data or a working Wi-Fi network to download updates if your primary network isn't working.

  7. Restore iPhone from backup

    If Wi-Fi still fails, go to Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone → Erase All Content and Settings. After erasing, choose Restore from iCloud Backup during setup and select a backup from before the problematic iOS update.

    Note: Only use this step if Wi-Fi is critical and other methods failed, as it requires significant time to restore all data.