Cellular data plays an essential role whenever Wi-Fi isn’t available. By enabling this feature, you can still stay online even if you’re away from home, office, or any place where a Wi-Fi source is installed. The iPhone 8 is capable of connecting to the internet via GSM, HSPA, and LTE networks. All you have to do is to enable its cellular data feature. In case you’re having trouble getting this done on your iPhone 8 because for some reason, cellular data stops working after the iOS 13 update, I’ve lined up a few simple solutions for you to refer to. Read on to find out what to do if your iPhone 8 cellular data is not working in iOS 13.
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Troubleshooting your iPhone 8 cellular data that’s not working in iOS 13
Before troubleshooting, check and ensure that your iPhone is getting a strong and stable cellular network signal. The network signal strength is shown in the status bar of your device. The more bars your phone gets, the better the connection would be. You will know if your iPhone is connected to the Internet via cellular data network if the 5G E, LTE, 4G, 3G, E, or GPRS icon appears in the status bar.
First solution: Turn cellular data off and on.
For features that suddenly stop working after a system transition, turning them off and on again usually aids. So if you haven’t already, follow these steps to disable cellular data on your iPhone 8 for a few seconds and then enable it again:
- Tap to open the Settings app from the Home screen.
- Select Cellular.
- Toggle the Cellular Data switch to turn cellular data off for a few seconds then tap the switch to turn it back on again.
Alternatively, you can enable mobile data through the Control Center. Simply swipe up from the bottom of the screen to access the Control Center then tap the Cellular Data icon.
Second solution: Reboot your iPhone 8 (soft reset).
Various types of software issues including those attributed to software updates are resolved by a soft reset. Aside from refreshing the phone system, a soft reset also clears out errant caches including those that trigger occurrence of post-update network errors. If you haven’t restarted
- Press and hold the Top (or Side) button until the power off slider appears.
- Drag the slider to turn your device completely off.
- After your device turns off, press and hold the Top (or Side) button again until you see the Apple logo.
Wait for your phone to finish booting up and re-establish network signal. Once the signal becomes stable, try connecting the Internet via cellular data and see if it works.
Third solution: Update carrier settings to fix your iPhone 8 cellular data that’s not working in iOS 13.
Network-related issues including those that instigated from a major system update can also be dealt with by updating carrier settings. If your iPhone can connect to the Internet through a Wi-Fi network, then you can manually check for and install a carrier settings update for your device. Simply follow these steps:
- From the Home screen, tap Settings.
- Select General.
- Tap About.
If you see an option to update your carrier settings, then that means an update is available and your device is eligible. Just follow the onscreen instructions to install new carrier updates for your iPhone 8.
Carrier settings updates are updates coming from your network service provider. These updates usually embed permanent network fixes and network security enhancements to improve cellular network connectivity and performance.
Fourth solution: Reset network settings on your iPhone 8.
Network issues caused by faulty overrides must also be eliminated. Some software updates would override your existing settings and that could result in some conflicts, especially if you’ve customized your device according to your own preferences. To clear this out, reset network settings on your iPhone to delete all recent network settings and then restore the original network values. Here’s how:
- From your Home screen, tap Settings.
- Select General.
- Scroll down to and tap on Reset.
- Select Reset Network Settings from the given options.
- Enter your device passcode if prompted to continue.
- Then tap the option to confirm that you want to reset network settings on your phone.
Your iPhone should restart on its own when the reset is finished. After it reboots, you can start re-enabling necessary network features, including cellular data and see if the problem is gone.
ALSO READ: How to fix iPhone Wi-Fi signal that keeps dropping in iOS 13
Fifth solution: Reinstall the SIM card on your iPhone 8.
Another workaround that can help rectify cellular issues is to reinstall the SIM card. This means removing the SIM card from your iPhone and then placing it back. This is usually needed if the problem is attributed to a corrupt SIM card system. It can also help rectify SIM card errors due to dislodged SIM card on your phone. Just follow these steps:
- Turn off your iPhone completely.
- While the phone is turned off, insert the SIM ejector tool into the small hole on the SIM tray located on the side of your phone.
- Gently push the tool until the tray ejects.
- Remove the SIM card from the tray. Also care to examine the card for any visible signs of damage like scratches and liquid traces. If there’s none, place it back into the tray in the same orientation before you removed it.
- Make sure the SIM card is properly seated.
- Then push the tray back into the phone until it locks.
As soon as the SIM tray is secured, you can turn your iPhone back on then try to try and see if cellular data is already working properly again.
Last resort: Restore factory default settings on your iPhone 8.
Restoring your iPhone to its factory default settings or from a previous iOS backup may be the only way to fix the problem if major iOS bugs had ruined the phone’s cellular functions completely. But before you do, be sure to back up all critical data you’ve stored on your iPhone to iCloud or iTunes. Otherwise, you will end up losing them permanently after the reset. A faster way to erase your iPhone and restore factory default settings is through settings. And it’s done through these steps:
- From the Home screen, tap Settings.
- Select General.
- Scroll down and tap on Reset.
- Select the option to Erase all content and settings. This will erase all customized options and new settings overrides from the recent update, including all saved information on the phone storage.
- Enter your device passcode if prompted to continue.
- Then tap the option to confirm that you want to erase and factory reset your iPhone.
Alternatively, you can use iTunes to manually erase and restore your iPhone to its factory default settings or from a recent iOS backup stored on your computer. Simply follow these steps:
- Open iTunes on your computer, if you haven’t already. Be sure to use the latest version of iTunes software to avoid system conflicts.
- Connect your iPhone to the computer using the USB cable and Lightning cable that came with it.
- Wait for your iPhone to show up in iTunes and then click on its icon to select it.
- Scroll to the Summary section then click the Restore [iPhone] button.
- If prompted, click the Restore button again to confirm.
Wait for iTunes to finish wiping your device and then follow the rest of the onscreen commands to restore iOS from a recent backup or set your iPhone up as new.
ALSO READ: How to fix your iPhone 8 that cannot make or receive calls in iOS 13, phone bug
Is your iPhone 8 cellular data still not working in iOS 13?
Reaching this point having the same problem means that the problem may not be rectifiable on your end. Although the symptoms had started after the iOS 13 update was installed, the blame isn’t always against iOS bugs. This is likely the case if temporary network problems are occurring and cellular services are affected. Account-related issues may also be the underlying cause and therefore must be ruled out, too. For further assistance in dealing with complex network issues, contact your network service provider. Also don’t forget to check on your account status to ensure that you’re still eligible for data services.
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