9 Steps To Resetting Network Settings On Your iPhone

Key Points

• When you reset the network settings on your iPhone, the device deletes all network settings and reverts to the default settings.
• Resetting the network setting on your iPhone is a pretty straightforward process.
• After following these steps, your iPhone will reset its network settings and then restart. It can take a minute or two.

iPhones are powerhouse devices with incredible communication, business, and entertainment features, but with so many cloud-based apps nowadays, an internet connection on your iPhone has never been more vital. So, what happens when the internet stops working? In that case, you might want to take steps to resetting network settings on your iPhone.

It’s incredibly frustrating when the internet on your iPhone stops working, regardless of whether you’re hooked up to a Wi-Fi connection or your mobile data. When that happens, and you’re unable to send a very crucial mail or watch a very entertaining video, a network setting reset might be necessary. Here are 9 steps to reset network settings on your iPhone.

9 Steps to Reset Network Settings on iPhone

Resetting the network setting on your iPhone is a pretty straightforward process. Please keep in mind that the information provided below applies to devices running iOS 8 through iOS 14 or, more specifically, to iPhone 8 through iPhone 12. Take the following steps to reset the network settings on your iPhone:

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Tap General.
3. Scroll down near the bottom of the list and tap Reset.
4. Tap Reset Network Settings.
5. If prompted, enter your iPhone’s passcode.
6. A prompt window will appear notifying your that the action will reset network settings to factory default.
7. Tap Reset Network Settings.

However, if you’re using the iPhone 13 with iOS 15, the process of resetting your iPhone’s network settings is very similar. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Tap General.
3. Scroll down near the bottom of the list and tap Transfer or Reset iPhone.
4. Tap Reset.
5. A pop-up window will appear, offering different settings you might want to reset.
6. Tap Reset Network Settings.
7. Enter your passcode (if necessary).
8. A prompt window will appear notifying your that the action will reset network settings to factory default.
9. Tap Reset Network Settings.

After following these steps, your iPhone will reset its network settings and then restart, which may take a minute or so. When the iOS boots up or, in other words, your iPhone turns on, enter your passcode to unlock the phone. Your phone should automatically reconnect to your cellular provider. Please note that this might take a minute.

When it comes to Wi-Fi networks, you’ll have to reconnect to your local and other networks once again by doing the followings:

1. Tap Settings.
2. Tap Wi-Fi.
3. Make sure that your Wi-Fi is turned on, and tap the name of the network you want to join.
4. If prompted, enter the network password, and tap Join.

How Does Network Reset work on an iPhone?

When you reset the network settings on your iPhone, the device deletes all network settings and reverts to the default settings. The reset also clears all custom network configurations that you might’ve used, such as VPN settings. Here’s what happens when you reset:

• All stored Wi-Fi data (networks and passwords) are deleted.
• Wi-Fi Assist is reverted to default settings.
• All stored VPN and APN data and information are deleted.
• All paired Bluetooth connections are deleted.
• Cellular data plan settings are reset and reverted to the default configuration.
• The device name, found under About in the General settings menu, is restored to factory settings.
• Finally, any certificates that were manually set to trust (usually on websites) are set to untrusted.

Setting Up a New Network

In most cases, you won’t have to enter any SIM or access point data manually. Apple has a massive database of the carrier-specific setting for most worldwide providers, and once the SIM card is detected, the iOS will automatically re-configure itself according to the features of the data plan you’re subscribed to.

If, by any chance, Apple doesn’t have the data for your particular cellular provider, most phones, including the iPhone, communicate their make and model to the network, which responds by sending the custom APN settings via a configuration text, which has to be installed manually — the phone will ask you whether to install the APN settings or not.

However, as we stated above, the reset will revert all of your iPhone’s network settings to default, which also implies the removal of custom VPN settings and Wi-Fi networks and passwords — all of which have to be entered manually.  

How Does Network Reset Affect the iPhone?

Resetting the network settings on your iPhone has no adverse effects on the phone’s hardware or software, and apart from losing access to a few Wi-Fi spots, a network reset has no drawbacks. In fact, it helps clear caches and potentially resolves any network issues on the device, allowing it to connect to a network that you either couldn’t see on the network list or couldn’t access for whatever reason.

The only drawback is the loss of custom settings, which might be important if an organization manages your device (if you’re using a work phone). In that case, we strongly recommend you acquire the necessary configuration settings from the admin before resetting the network settings or asking them to reset the settings for you.

Additional Tips and Tricks

Before you reset the network settings on your iPhone and lose all those Wi-Fi passwords, there are quick-fix solutions that might help you resolve connectivity issues on your phone, like resetting your Wi-Fi router or toggling an Airplane Mode. They’re usually quicker than going through the network resetting process; in most cases, these actions often solve the problem.

Make Sure You’re Within Wi-Fi Range

If you’re too far from the Wi-Fi router, your iPhone won’t be able to pick up its signal, so you need to ensure you’re in range of the device. If you are, the next things you should check are the cables and connections going to the router while making sure that the router is on. However, if you’re connected to a Wi-Fi network, but can’t get online, try using the same network on a different device.

In case you’re connected to Wi-Fi but can’t get online, there’s usually a problem with the internet connection itself, usually due to one of two possible reasons: either the router and modem are bugged, or there’s an outage. While you can’t actually do anything about the latter, a device restart usually solves the issue when it comes to the former.

To restart your router and modem, unplug the power cord from the source of each device, and wait at least 30 seconds (2 minutes recommended) before plugging them back in. A general rule of thumb is to plug in your modem first, followed by your router a minute later.

Forget Your Wi-Fi Network

Another thing you can try when facing Wi-Fi connectivity issues with your iPhone is to forget and reconnect with your Wi-Fi network. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Open the Settings app and tap Wi-Fi.
2. Next, tap the i-within-the-circle symbol to the right of the Wi-Fi network in question.
3. The network properties menu will appear, listing all details about the network.
4. Tap Forget This Network.
5. A pop-up window will appear, prompting you to confirm the action. Do so by tapping Forget. This will force your iPhone to disconnect from the network and return you to the screen with network selection.
6. Tap the name of the network you want to connect to, enter the network protection password, and tap Join.

Toggle an Airplane Mode

Airplane Mode is a setting available on your iPhone that, when activated, suspends the phone’s signal transmission technologies allowing such devices to be used on board an aircraft. This effectively disables all-analog voice and digital data services, preventing them from interfering with the aircraft’s communication systems.

But instead of just preventing you from connecting to the internet, the Airplane Mode also performs a “soft-reset” of your internet connection. This often solves connectivity issues without deleting your passwords and web certificates and reverting your settings to default.

Restart Your iPhone

While most Apple enthusiasts like to point out that Apple doesn’t need an occasional restart to maintain peak performance — unless required by an update — most electronic experts wouldn’t agree. In fact, most electronic hardware and smartphone experts agree that you should restart your phone once a week to help preserve memory and prevent crashes. So, if toggling Airplane Mode doesn’t work, consider restarting your device. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Hold the Power button on the iPhone. On some phones, you’ll need to simultaneously hold the Power button and a Volume button.
   1. iPhones X, 11, 12, and 13 require you to press both buttons; iPhone 6, 7, 8, and 2^nd and 3^rd Gen iPhone SE require you to press the Power button alone, located on the right-hand side of the phone. iPhone SE 1^st Gen, iPhone 5, or earlier, requires you to press the Power button located on the top of the phone.
2. Hold the appropriate button or a combination of buttons until a Power-off slider appears.
3. Move the Power-off slider to the right to power off your iPhone.
4. Leave the phone powered off for about a minute or two. Next, press the Power button for a few seconds until an Apple logo appears, signaling that the phone is turned on.
5. Enter your passcode to sign in when your device starts, and check whether your network connections are working.

Final Thoughts

We hope our guide helped shed some light on resetting network settings on your iPhone. However, if you continue facing connectivity issues, examine your connections physically (cables, routers, and modem), or in case you can’t connect using cellular data, contact Apple or your carrier.

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