Internet services in mobile devices can be accessed through either Wi-Fi or cellular data network. If you are in an area where Wi-Fi network isn’t available, you will still be able to browse the internet and use internet-based apps and services through cellular data on your smartphone.
This feature is often used when travelling or using your device in remote places, where Wi-Fi networks aren’t available. Cellular data provides an unlimited range of internet access as long as you are within your carrier’s network coverage and you have sufficient data plan. All it takes is to enable the preferred Internet feature to use and get started browsing the web.
Nonetheless, using your phone’s cellular feature isn’t always straightforward as expected because there are many factors that can trigger occurrence of connectivity errors. Account related-issues, network connection errors, and random software glitches are usually the underlying causes. Tackled in this post is a relevant issue with the iPhone XS Max iOS 13 cellular data that’s not working.
Read on to find out why this happens and what must be done to fix the problem on your end.
Troubleshooting iPhone XS Max iOS 13 cellular data that’s not working
The following procedures are used to eliminate software-related factors, including post-update bugs that caused your iPhone XS Max cellular data to stop working in iOS 13. Don’t forget to test browse after performing each of these solution to find out whether or not the problem is fixed. But before you do, make sure you’ve got sufficient data credits to use the service. Check your account status, if needed.
First solution: Toggle the Airplane Mode on and off on your iPhone XS Max.
Minor iOS bugs can be eliminated by utilizing the Airplane Mode trick. This process will disable your phone’s wireless radios and relevant features such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and cellular data connections at once, and thereby gives them a fresh start. This trick is already proven effective by many end-users when dealing with various types of wireless connectivity issues. If you wish to give it a try, here’s how it’s done:
- From Home, go to Settings.
- Select Airplane Mode menu and toggle the switch to enable the feature.
- While Airplane Mode is on, reboot (soft reset) your iPhone XS Max. This should clear out errant cellular data that are stored among other cached files from the recent iOS update.
- Once your iPhone turns back on, head back to Settings-> Airplane Mode menu and tap the switch again to turn the feature off. Doing so will re-enable your phone’s wireless features including the cellular connection.
Another way to enable or disable your phone’s Airplane Mode feature is through the Control Center. Simply swipe down from the upper-right hand corner of any screen of your iPhone to launch the Control Center. Then find the Airplane Mode icon and toggle it to turn the feature on for a few seconds and then off again. After disabling Airplane mode, enable cellular data again and wait for your phone to reconnect to your cellular network. Then turn cellular data on and launch a browser to check if you’ve got access to the Internet.
Second solution: Turn your Cellular Data off and then back on.
It is possible that your phone’s mobile data system has been totally corrupted from the recent iOS 13 implementation, resulting in some flaws while activating cellular services. If the simultaneous disabling of your phone’s wireless services via Airplane Mode trick didn’t fix the problem and your iPhone XS Max mobile data is still not working, disable the feature for a few seconds and then enable it back. Just refer to these steps:
- From Home, go to Settings.
- Scroll down to and select Cellular.
- Toggle the Cellular Data switch to disable the feature for a couple of seconds then tap the switch again to turn the feature back on.
Wait until your phone shows stable to excellent cellular data connection. Then check if you are already able to access online services. If your cellular data is still not working on your iPhone XS Max, continue troubleshooting your device.
Third solution: Check for and install carrier settings update, if available.
Network-related issues like cellular data that doesn’t work from an update can also be fixed by installing a carrier settings update. Network service providers typically push mandatory carrier settings update, containing network system enhancements and network fixes. These updates are automatically installed. There are also other carrier updates that need to be manually installed. Since this process requires an internet connection, you have to find other ways to connect your iPhone XS Max to the Internet, and that is by joining a Wi-Fi network within range. To do so, enable Wi-Fi on your iPhone by heading to Settings-> Wi-Fi menu and then tap the switch to turn the feature on. Wait for your device to scan for available Wi-Fi networks then select the network that you wish to connect to. Once you’re connected to Wi-Fi and the Internet connection is stable, continue with these steps to download and install any available carrier settings update for your iPhone XS Max:
- From Home, go to Settings.
- Select General.
- Tap About.
Wait for a couple of seconds until an update notification appears on the carrier section. Then follow the onscreen instructions to download and install the available carrier settings update for your iPhone XS Max.
ALSO READ: How to fix iOS 13 no internet problem on your iPad Air 3, no internet access while connected to Wi-Fi network
Fourth solution: Reset network settings to fix iOS 13 cellular data that’s not working.
Cellular data that is not working after an iOS update can also be due to some invalid or incorrect network settings. An iOS update might have automatically overridden your phone’s current network settings that results in some conflicts with its cellular data system. To rule this out, follow these steps to do a network settings reset on your iPhone XS Max:
- From Home, go to Settings.
- Select General.
- Scroll down to and tap on Reset.
- Then select Reset network settings from the options.
- Enter your device passcode when prompted to continue.
- Tap on Reset network settings again to confirm.
Your iPhone XS Max will then reboot automatically after the reset and then restores the original network values and options. Once it’s turned back on, re-establish your cellular data connection and check if the issue has already been resolved.
Fifth solution: Remove and reinstall your SIM card.
SIM card problems can directly affect your phone’s cellular services. Hence, if cellular data is still not working after applying the aforementioned solutions, reinstalling the SIM card can be considered as the next option and possible solution to try on. Though the problem has started after installing the iOS 13 update,it doesn’t always denote that an update bug is to blame. To make sure the SIM card isn’t to blame, try to remove then reinstall the SIM card on your iPhone XS Max. Before you do, turn off your device to prevent causing damage to its SIM card components or the device itself. Once your iPhone is completely shut down, continue with these steps:
- Insert the SIM ejector tool or a paperclip into the provided slot on the SIM tray.
- Gently push the ejector tool until the SIM card tray pops out.
- Pull the SIM card out from the tray and check for scratches or possible liquid damage.
- If there are no indications of physical or liquid damage and the SIM card is free of debris, put it back into the tray in the same way before it was removed.
- Then push the tray back into your phone until it locks.
Turn your phone back on once the tray is locked in place. Wait until your device acquires cellular network signal and wait until the signal indicator becomes stable then enable your cellular data. Open your browser or any online apps and services to see if your cellular data issue has already been resolved.
ALSO READ: How to fix iOS 13 slow internet browsing problem on your iPhone 8, websites loading very slowly
Is your iPhone XS Max iOS 13 cellular data still not working?
If you’ve reached this point having the same problem, it’s possible that you’re dealing with some complex network bug from the recent iOS update the requires more advanced fixes. Should you wish to troubleshoot further, you may resort to a full system reset (factory reset) or restore your iPhone XS Max in iTunes either via recovery mode or DFU mode.
You can also utilize alternative iOS repair and recovery tools aside from iTunes. Among the most reliable tools to use for this purpose include but are not limited to PhoneRescue for iOS, Dr. Fone – Repair, FonePaw iOS System Recovery, Joyoshare UltFix and Tenorshare ReiBoot. Just download a compatible software to your computer and then start using it just like how you do with iTunes.
If none of these works and your iPhone XS Max cellular data is still not working in iOS 13, report the problem to Apple Support for further assistance and official suggestions. Also talk to your carrier to ensure that the problem isn’t due to account-related issues or temporary problems affecting cellular network services.