9 Fixes for iPhone Keep Switching From Wi-Fi to Cellular Data

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Having your Wi-Fi connection constantly getting dropped on your iPhone while you’re working or watching movies online can be really frustrating, especially when you’ve used up all of your cellular data. But worry not, we got you covered. In this article, we will share multiple solutions that will stop your iPhone from switching between Wi-Fi and cellular data.

1. Inspect Your Wi-Fi Router

Before we proceed with some technical or complex steps, you should inspect your Wi-Fi router first. See if there is no object interfering with your wireless signal or if there is no internet outage in your area. You can even try restarting your router to see if it fixes the issue.

2. Turn Off Wi-Fi Assist

Wi-Fi Assist is a super useful feature that maintains the flow of your internet connectivity by automatically switching to a mobile network whenever the Wi-Fi signal or speed is poor. However, despite its amazing functionality, it is also one of the main reasons why your iPhone frequently switches from Wi-Fi to a 5G or 4G connection.

By default, this feature is enabled on your device and to turn it off, all you need to do is open the Settings app, select Mobile Data/Cellular, and turn off the toggle next to Wi-Fi Assist.

3. Forget and Reconnect to Your Wi-Fi Network

For many users, the Wi-Fi Assist solution would have resolved this issue. However, if it didn’t work for you, try reconnecting to the same Wi-Fi network. Here’s how:

1. Open the Settings app.

2. Go to the Wi-Fi settings and hit the ‘i’ icon next to the saved Wi-Fi network.

3. Next, select the Forget This Network option and confirm your selection by tapping on the Forget button.

4. After that, select the same wireless network and re-enter the password.

After a few hours of usage, see if the issue still persists. If yes, proceed to the next step.

4. Switch to the Better Wi-Fi Band

Most modern Wi-Fi routers come with dual bands — 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. If your router also supports this, you can try switching to another band. The 2.4 GHz band provides a longer Wi-Fi range, but it comes at the cost of reduced speed. Whereas, the 5 GHz band will provide you with a faster data transfer speed but has a shorter range.

So if your Wi-Fi keeps getting disconnected due to a low signal, switch to the 2.4 GHz band and if it is getting disconnected because of slow internet connectivity, switch to the 5 GHz band.

Routers often include a 5 GHz marking in the network name to differentiate it from the 2.4 GHz band. You can also customize the network name in router settings for easier identification and connection.

5. Disable Low Data Mode (Wi-Fi)

You will find a feature called Low Data Mode within the saved Wi-Fi network properties. This functionality minimizes your data consumption when connected to a particular Wi-Fi network.

On the bright side, this is quite a nifty feature to have, but it can also be the reason why you’re frequently seeing drops in your Wi-Fi connection. After all, this mode can interfere with your internet connectivity and as a result, your iPhone may switch to LTE or 5G network.

Follow the below steps to turn off this feature:

So to turn off this feature, navigate to Wi-Fi Settings, select the current Wi-Fi network, and then toggle off the Low Data Mode feature.

6. Enable Low Data Mode (Cellular)

Unlike the previous method, in this case, you need to turn on the Low Data Mode. Since your iPhone’s Wi-Fi keeps switching to mobile data; by enabling this mode, at least it will not suck up your cellular data as it normally would.

Here’s how to enable this mode:

1. Simply go to the Mobile Data/Cellular settings and choose Mobile Data Options.

2. After that, enable the toggle next to Low Data Mode.

7. Reset Network Settings

There’s also a possibility that there might be some misconfiguration or conflict within your iPhone’s network settings, which could be the reason why you are experiencing connectivity problems. In such a situation, resetting your network settings can be an effective solution to resolve any issues related to Wi-Fi, cellular connectivity, Bluetooth, and other network-related functions.

Note: It will erase all your saved Wi-Fi networks, Bluetooth pairings, cellular network settings, and VPN Configurations.

Here’s how to reset network settings on your iPhone:

1. Navigate to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone.

2. After that, hit the Reset button and choose Reset Network Settings.

3. On the next screen, you will be asked to enter the passcode. Once done, your iPhone will restart.

After the reset, the network settings will be restored to their factory defaults and afterward, you need to reconnect to the Wi-Fi network.

8. Update to the Latest iOS Version

There are times when the operating system may be the cause of frequent Wi-Fi disconnections. In such cases, updating to the latest version of iOS might resolve the problem.

To update the iPhone, visit Settings > General > Software Update.

If the update is available, tap the Download and Install option.

9. Temporary Turn off Cellular Data

If you’re at home, I’m sure you won’t be using cellular data on your iPhone to access the internet or perform data-intensive tasks. So if none of the above methods fixes your issue, temporarily disable your mobile data unless you’re going outside or have an absolute need for it.

Force Your iPhone to Stay Loyal to Wi-Fi

It can be frustrating when your iPhone keeps switching between Wi-Fi and cellular network. This behavior not only drains your cellular data but also impacts your battery life. Thankfully, the methods mentioned above should help you fix this issue.

If you’re interested, you can also check out how to share a Wi-Fi password from your iPhone to Android, Windows, iPhone, and Mac.