How to fix iPhone 8 that is showing no service, searching, or no signal error? [Troubleshooting Guide]

This post will help you find out the main reason why your iPhone 8 is prompting no service, searching for network, or no signal. It also highlights some helpful solutions and walkthroughs to help you troubleshoot and fix the problem on your end.

When you see any of these messages on the status bar of your iPhone, it denotes that something is preventing your device from establishing connection thus unable to communicate with your network tower. As a result, pertinent services like calling and texting are likewise not available on your device. While in most cases the root cause of the problem is on the network base, there are ways for end-users to troubleshoot and fix it on their end.

In this context, I have demonstrated a few standard solutions to network-related errors including the main issues being tackled. Feel free to refer to the subsequent walkthroughs should you attempt to resolve network errors on your iPhone 8 device. Let’s get started by finding out the underlying cause of the problem.

Before we move any further, if you are looking for a solution to a different problem, them drop by our iPhone 8 troubleshooting page for we have already addressed some of the most common problems with this device. Odds are that there are already existing solutions to your problem. Try to find issues that are similar with yours and use the solutions we suggested. If they don’t work or if you need more help, fill up our iPhone issues questionnaire and we’ll help you with you problem.

ALSO READ: How to fix No Service error on iPhone, cannot send / receive calls and text

Why is your iPhone 8 showing no service or no signal?

The problem is apparently tied to a network error that is attributed to a number of factors including account issues, network proximity, incorrect settings, faulty updates, and minor software glitches transpirining on the iPhone. There are also some cases where a bad SIM card or damaged component is to blame.

Before you start to troubleshoot, try to ensure that the hardware is totally free from any sort of damage. You’ve got a higher chance of fixing the problem if it’s software-related. Otherwise, you will need to take your device to a technician for service.

Aside from ensure no damage to any of your iPhone components, also make sure that your account is in good standing. By good standing means that you don’t have any unsettled balances or any other account-related issues that might have prompted your carrier to disable the account services temporarily. Contact your carrier to verify and/or settle this matter. Also ensure that there are no ongoing maintenance services that might have affected or caused network unavailability at the moment. For ongoing outages, all you can do is wait until it’s over and your network signal should become available again by then. Network services normally resume after that.

When and how to troubleshooting the problem?

Make sure that you are using your iPhone in an area within your network’s coverage. Otherwise, you really cannot be reached and that you have to go back to where there’s a signal from your network tower. If the problem persists even when you’re using your iPhone in an area within your network proximity, then you may go ahead and begin to troubleshoot. Here are your options.

First method: Reboot your iPhone (soft reset) twice or three times.

To make sure that it’s not just a minor glitch, try to restart your iPhone. If you’ve done that already, give it another try. Some glitches require more than one reboot to be rectified completely.

To do so, press and hold the Power or Side button for a few seconds until the Slide to Power Off screen appears. Drag the slider to power off the device completely. After 30 seconds, press the Power or Side button again until the Apple logo appears.

Alternatively, you can do a forced restart. Here’s how:

Press and quickly release the Volume Up button. Then press and quickly release the Volume Down button. And finally, press and hold the Side button or Power button until you see the Apple logo.

Either ways can help give your iPhone a service refresh without affecting any of your data and personal information.

ALSO READ: How to fix an iPhone 6 Searching error, no signal detected

Second method: Toggle Airplane mode on and then off again.

This simple old trick can likewise offer solution for network errors inflicted by random system errors. While there’s no definite explanation as to how this workaround is able to fix a glitching network on the iPhone, many have found remedy from doing so. There’s nothing to lose if you’d give it a try. Here’s how it’s done:

Go to your iPhone Settings menu.
Tap Airplane mode.
Drag the slider to turn Airplane mode on for a few seconds.
Then drag the slider again to turn it back off.

Finally, restart your iPhone (soft reset).

Third method: Check for available carrier settings update to install.

While many people have found no luck from installing software updates as they ended up having troubled by post-update flaws, iOS updates always contain fix patches for less-common software bugs that can trigger the no service or no signal error on your device. So it’s still highly recommended to update your iPhone’s software and carrier settings. Here’s how:

Go to Settings-> General-> Software Update menu. If an update is available, you’d normal receive a notification.
If no software update is available at the moment, go to Settings-> General-> About section. Check for a carrier settings update for your device.

You’ll find no button to check for available carrier settings update so all you have to do is stay in the About page for 10 to 20 seconds. If nothing pops up, then your carrier settings are up to date.

Downloading the carrier settings for your new carrier would be necessary if you insert a new SIM card into your iPhone 8.

Fourth method: Reset network settings.

A network settings reset might be the required solution especially if the problem is caused by incorrect or messed up network settings on your device. You may resort to this method if the problem has started after downloading or installing new contents including software updates on your iPhone. It’s possible that your settings were automatically altered by the recent software installation. So here’s what you should do then:

Tap Settings from the Home screen.
Tap General.
Tap Reset.
Tap Reset Network Settings.
If prompted, enter the device passcode.
Tap Reset Network to confirm.

Your iPhone will reboot after the network settings are reset.

Resetting network settings will reset all data connections back to the original configurations or factory defaults. This means that your Wi-Fi configurations, stored tethered networks, Bluetooth connections, and other relevant settings will be deleted.

Fifth method: Turn Cellular Data off and then on again.

This will refresh the Cellular Data function of your iPhone. And here’s how it’s done:

Tap Settings from the Home screen.
Tap Cellular.
Tap the Cellular Data switch to turn the feature off or on. In this case, turn it on.
If you’re currently using LTE data, try to switch to another network band or option by selecting Cellular Data Options-> Enable LTE-> then tap to select a different network option like 4G or 3G.

If you are travelling internationally, verify and ensure that your iPhone is set up for data roaming. You can check on it by going to Settings-> Cellular-> Cellular Data Options-> Data Roaming. Just toggle the switch to turn the feature on if necessary.

Sixth method: Remove and reinsert the SIM card on your iPhone 8.

It’s possible that your iPhone shows no signal or no service error because the SIM card is dislodged. To make sure this isn’t the trigger, removing and reinstalling the SIM card can help. Here’s how it’s properly done:

Power off your iPhone completely.
Pop the SIM tray open by inserting a paper clip or SIM eject tool into the hole beside the tray.
Gently push in towards the iPhone until the tray pops out.
Remove the SIM card from the tray.
Check the SIM card for any signs of damage. If everything looks good, then place it back into the SIM tray.
Make sure the notched corner aligns.
Reinsert the SIM tray into the iPhone.

When everything is secured, you may turn your iPhone back on.

If the SIM card is damaged or for some reasons, doesn’t fit in the SIM tray, contact your carrier for recommendations.

Last resort: Backup and restore your iPhone 8.

If the problem started after installing a new software update and that it persisted even after doing all prior workarounds, then you may attempt to continue to troubleshoot the software problem with a full system restore as your final option. This will result to deletion of your critical data and information from your device though so make sure you back them up before you start. You can carry out a system restore through iTunes on a Windows or Mac computer. Whenever you’re all set, here’s how to restore your iPhone 8 in recovery mode with iTunes:

Connect your iPhone to your computer with the supplied USB connector or Lightning cable.
When connected, force your iPhone 8 to restart with these steps:
- Press and release the Volume Up button.
- Then press and release the Volume Down button.
- And finally press and hold the Side button (Power) button until your phone reboots. Keep holding down the Side button even after the Apple logo appears.
Release the Side button once you see the Connect to iTunes logo on the display.
Launch iTunes and you should see a message saying that There is a problem with the iPhone and that it requires to be updated or restored. If you see this message prompt, select from the given options to Update or Restore.
Click Restore to continue.
Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the iOS restore process and see if that fixes the problem.

Usually, network errors caused by major software glitches are resolved by a recovery mode restore but if it fails, you may proceed with a DFU mode restore instead. A more detailed walkthrough on how to perform a DFU Mode restore on iPhone 8 is available on your Tutorials section under our dedicated troubleshooting page for iPhone 8. Feel free to visit that page if ever you more help.

Escalate the problem

If the problem persists after you’ve exhausted all means possible and available, then it’s more likely a hardware issue. Your iPhone 8 might have acquired some sort of physical or liquid damage that makes it unable to receive signal or establish connection with the network. Check your device and the SIM card for any signs of physical or liquid damage then. Or you can just take your iPhone to a service center and have it properly diagnosed by a technician instead. Unfortunately, there’s nothing much can be done on your end to fix no service or no signal error that’s attributed to hardware damage. You may also opt to escalate the problem to Apple Support or your network service provider for more inputs especially if you suspect that a faulty update is to blame.

Connect with us

If you need more help with the use of certain functions and features of the new Apple iPhone 8 smartphone, feel free to visit our Tutorial Page. There you can find a list of how-to contents, step-by-step tutorials, as well as answers to FAQs regarding iPhone 8. If you have other concerns or encountered some troubles while using the phone, you can reach us through this form. Just be sure to tell us more details of the problem or device issue(s) you may have and we will be more than happy to assist you further.

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