Wi-Fi Stopped Working After Updating to iOS & iPadOS 17
Several users have been complaining that they started having Wi-Fi issues after updating their iPad or iPhone to iPadOS/iOS 17. If you’re dealing with sluggish internet, a dropping Wi-Fi signal, or the complete inability to connect on your iPhone or iPad, this article covers several steps to fix the problem.
Anyone can encounter Wi-Fi issues unexpectedly. If you’re faced with a Wi-Fi problem you haven’t dealt with before, there’s no need to stress about not knowing how to resolve it. Most Wi-Fi issues can be addressed easily.
There are a few problems users say started to occur after the iOS or iPadOS 17 update, including:
- Wi-Fi is not working even though the other devices using the same Wi-Fi networks experience no problem connecting to it.
- Wi-Fi does not connect automatically after a restart.
- The iPhone or iPad indicates that it is connected to Wi-Fi, but there is no Internet.
- Wi-Fi is Extremely slow.
The steps below are in order. Start from the number one and keep going until your issue is resolved.
Step 1: Update your iPhone or iPad
Ensure that your iPhone or iPad has the latest version of iOS or iPadOS 17. Apple periodically releases updates to its operating systems. Go to Settings > General > Software Update to check for updates. If there is an update, follow the onscreen instructions to update your device.
Please note that even if you have turned on Automatic Updates, you should still do this, as Automatic Updates do not update your device right away.
Step 2: Restart everything
Restart your Wi-Fi router and your iPhone or iPad:
- Restart your Wi-Fi router: First, unplug the power cable from the power outlet, wait 30 seconds and then plug the power cable back.
- Restart your iPhone or iPad: If your iPhone or iPad has a Home button, press and hold the Side or Top button. If your iPhone or iPad has a Face ID, press and hold the Side or Top button and one of the Volume buttons together until you see the power-off slider. Drag the slider. Wait for your device to turn off. Then press and hold the Side or Top button until the Apple logo appears.
Step 3: Turn off Private Wi-Fi Address
Private Wi-Fi address is a privacy feature. Your iPhone and iPad can use a randomized private MAC address when connecting to Wi-Fi networks for added privacy. Turn this off to see if this can fix the issue. Here is how:
- Move somewhere out of the range of the affected Wi-Fi network.
- On your iPhone or iPad, tap Settings > Wi-Fi.
- Tap Edit from the top-right corner of the screen.
- You will need to authenticate using your password, Face ID or Touch ID.
- You will see all known networks that you previously connected to. This may be a long list.
- Find the affected Wi-Fi network’s SSDI, which is the Wi-Fi name and tap the info (i) button next to it.
- Tap to turn Private Wi-Fi Address off.
Now move to the range of the Wi-Fi network and see if it is working now.
Step 4: Turn off VPN
Sometimes, a VPN may cause issues with your connection. Some VPN software may have bugs or compatibility issues that could affect your network connection. Also, certain routers may have compatibility issues with VPNs. A lot of times, users are unaware if they are using a VPN. To test if your VPN is causing issues, turn off VPN and delete the VPN profiles to see if that makes any difference. Here is how:
- On your iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > General > VPN & Device Management > VPN.
- If Status says Connected, turn it off.
- Then tap the info (i) button next to the VPN name and tap Delete VPN. If you have more than one profile, delete them all.
Step 4: Reset network settings
Resetting all network settings on an iPhone or iPad means that all network-related settings will be returned to their default configurations. This includes, but is not limited to, settings for Wi-Fi, cellular data, VPN, and Bluetooth. We previously wrote about what resetting network settings will do on your iPhone or iPad. If you want to do this, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset [iPhone or iPad] > Reset > Reset Network Settings and then follow the onscreen instructions.
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