Connecting to the Internet on your iOS device is supposed to be quick and easy but it’s not always the case to some people. Here in this post, we will tackle a similar issue on a particular iOS device and that is the new iPhone X handset. Read on to find out why you cannot connect to Wi-Fi on your iPhone X, how to fix the problem and have access to wireless internet.
What prevents your iPhone X from connecting to Wi-Fi?
When it comes to Wi-Fi issues, there are a lot of factors to consider as possible cause. Among the common triggers are network outages, account issues, router issues, software issues on the iPhone, and worst, a hardware damage.
Network outages can occur at any time, either scheduled or sudden. This is usually the case when your network service provider is conducting maintenance checks on their base towers, lines, and network system. These falls under scheduled outages and that are usually announced by your service provider ahead. On the other hand, unexpected network problems happen when sudden expected errors occur on the main system, or something goes wrong with the base towers, etc. Services are expected to resume once the outage is over.
Account problems must also be considered among the probable causes as service providers usually impose temporary disconnection to problematic accounts. This is often the case if you haven’t paid your prior bills and that you’ve exceeded the grace period. To verify and ensure this isn’t the issue, contact your service provider and make sure that your account is in good standing and that all your services are active.
Firmware issues on the wireless router or modem in use can also be regarded among the culprits especially if all your devices cannot access the Internet through the same wireless network. It is possible that the router’s firmware has crashed and that’s making the device unable to carry out its main task. Minor issues with the wireless router are often rectified by a power cycle or reboot though.
Software errors on the iPhone including those inflicted by incorrect settings, rogue apps, software bugs, malware, and faulty updates can also affect wireless connectivity functions of your iPhone X. In this case, a series of software troubleshooting including system resets would be necessary to get your Wi-Fi back up and running smoothly again.
In worst cases, a damaged hardware might be the main reason why your iPhone X cannot connect to Wi-Fi or cannot access the Internet. A previous dropping or liquid exposure might have damaged the Wi-Fi antenna or any other relevant components, thus resulting to your iPhone X Wi-Fi to stop working. Unfortunately in this case, your best hope for an ultimate fix is a technician’s aid.
How to fix Wi-Fi connectivity issues on your iPhone X?
There are actually a lot of possible solutions to Wi-Fi issues affecting iOS devices like your iPhone X. But these can be summed up into five solutions as demonstrated below.
First solution: Power cycle or reboot your router/modem/iPhone X.
As mentioned earlier, a crashing firmware on the router or modem can be the root cause of the problem. So to rule this out, you can do a restart. Aside from the wireless router or modem, it is also imperative to restart or power cycle your iPhone X. This will also help rectify any minor glitches that might have led to your iPhone X software to crash.
To power cycle or reboot your wireless router or modem, follow these steps:
- Press the Power button to power off.
- Unplug the AC adapter from the power source and keep it that way for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- After the elapsed time, plug the AC adapter back in to the power source.
- Press the Power button to turn your router back on.
Wait until all the lights on your router become stable. After the router has power cycled, reboot your iPhone X
Reboot your iPhone the usual way by pressing the Side or Power button then Slide to Power off. After 30 seconds, press the Side or Power button again until the Apple logo appears.
Reconnect to Wi-Fi then see if it’s now working as intended.
Second solution: Forget wireless network then reconnect.
If a reboot doesn’t help, your next option and possible solution is to forget your wireless network from your iPhone X. The network might have been corrupted and therefore needs to be set up again. To forget wireless network from your iPhone X, follow these steps:
- Navigate to the Home screen then tap Settings-> Wi-Fi.
- Make sure that Wi-Fi switch is enabled or turned on.
- Tap the Information (i) icon next to your wireless network.
- Then tap the option to Forget this Network.
- Tap Forget to confirm. You can also forget all wireless networks from your iPhone using the same steps.
- Restart your iPhone X then connect to your wireless network again.
- To reconnect or rejoin to your wireless network, go back to Settings-> Wi-Fi.
- Wait until your wireless network appears, then tap on it.
- Select the option to Join or Connect.
- Enter your wireless network password if prompted.
That should allow your iPhone to connect to your wireless network like the first time it does.
Third solution: Reset network settings on your iPhone X.
A network settings reset might be necessary if the problem persists. It’s possible that the network settings have been messed up by an update or some rogue apps on your iPhone X and therefore needs a reset. Please note though that all your wireless network information including Wi-Fi passwords and server settings will be deleted in the process. That said, take note of your wireless passwords before you begin as you will need them later after the setup.
Follow these steps to reset network settings on your iPhone X:
- Tap Settings from the Home screen.
- Tap General.
- Scroll to and tap Reset.
- Select the option to Reset Network Settings.
- If prompted, enter your device passcode to continue.
- Tap Reset Network settings to confirm.
Your iPhone will then reboot when the network reset is finished. You will then need to reconnect to your Wi-Fi network afterwards.
To do so, head over to Settings-> Wi-Fi. If necessary, tap the switch to enable Wi-Fi again and then try to connect to your wireless network.
Fourth solution: Perform a Factory reset on your iPhone X.
A factory reset might already be necessary if none of the prior methods is able to fix the problem and that your iPhone X still cannot connect to Wi-Fi or access the Internet. It might be a more serious software problem that needs total system clean up. Performing a factory reset can be a tedious job especially if you’ve already stored a lot of contents on your device. This means the need for you to back up and restore more contents after the factory reset. But on the positive note, performing a factory reset on your iPhone X could be the ultimate solution to the problem.
To factory reset your iPhone X, navigate to the Home screen then go to Settings-> General-> Reset-> Erase All Content and Settings. Enter your device passcode if prompted and then tap Erase iPhone to confirm reset.
Wait until the reset is finished then proceed with the initial device setup. Setup your wireless network then try to see if you can now connect to Wi-Fi on your iPhone X.
Fifth solution: Perform a DFU mode restore on your iPhone X using iTunes.
The last option and possible solution you may resort to if all else failed to fix your iPhone X Wi-Fi is a DFU mode restore. It’s the deepest type of system restore you can do on your iPhone. Putting your device in this state allows it to communicate with iTunes even without activating the bootloader or operating system. That said, you will need to secure a computer (Windows or Mac) with the latest iTunes software installed in order to continue. Also note that this restore will wipe every data from your iPhone so be sure to backup your iPhone beforehand.
Should you wish to proceed with this method, you may refer to a comprehensive guide on how a DFU mode restore works and how it’s done on your iPhone X. Visit our Tutorials section for iPhone X for more details.
Seek more help
Assuming that you’ve already tried everything on your end but still you end up having the same problem and that your iPhone X still cannot connect to Wi-Fi or cannot access the Internet, what’s there left for you to do is to contact your carrier or Apple Support and seek further assistance and official recommendations. Otherwise, you may just set a date for a service center visit and have your iPhone diagnosed by an Apple technician instead. It’s possible that your iPhone X might have acquired some sort of damage, afflicting its wireless functions.