It was all working fine but after installing the latest iOS update, your iPhone XS WiFi keeps dropping and since then your Internet connection became unstable. This has happened to many people from prior updates and continues to plague more users at present. Read on to learn what to do if you ever encounter the Wi-Fi signal constantly drops after updating your iPhone XS to iOS version 12.1.4.
For those who are looking for a solution to a different problem, drop by our troubleshooting page for we have already addressed some of the most common issues with this phone. Browse through the page to find issues that are similar with yours and use the solutions we suggested. If they don’t work for you or if you still need our help, contact us anytime through our iPhone issues questionnaire.
Why does your iPhone XS WiFi keeps dropping?
While the symptoms might have started from the recent iOS update implement, the underlying cause isn’t always an update bug. That denotes the possibility that the symptoms had just occurred coincidentally after the new update was installed. If it is not due to an iOS Wi-Fi bug, other factors that can possibly cause WiFi keeps dropping problem would include temporary outage, firmware issues on the wireless router/modem, corrupted Wi-Fi network, invalid or misconfigured network settings, and other forms of software glitches. There are also some cases where the problem is isolated to the browser app in use. In worst circumstances, frequent Wi-Fi drops can be attributed to hardware damage like a defective router/modem in use, damaged Wi-Fi component on the iPhone, and the like.
To rule out software-related factors from the underlying cause, you can try some workarounds and troubleshooting procedures including the ones I’ve outlined below. Read further to view step-by-step solutions.
Before troubleshooting, make sure that you’re close to your wireless router or modem. Your device will end up having an unstable Wi-Fi signal if it’s too far from the router/modem. Again, the distance between your phone and wireless router/modem could also affect your overall Wi-Fi experience.
Troubleshooting iPhone XS with WiFi keeps dropping issue
Applying these subsequent solutions will help you determine the underlying cause and fix your iPhone XS Wi-Fi signal that keeps dropping after the most recent iOS update implementation. Don’t forget to test your Internet connection after performing each method to find out if the problem is solved.
First solution: Reboot or power cycle your wireless router/modem.
When dealing with Wi-Fi Internet problems in computers and mobile devices, working on the main source of the Internet connection is the first recommended solution. This is imperative if all your devices are experiencing the same symptoms using the same Wi-Fi network. Simply follow these steps to get started:
- Press and hold down the Power switch on the router/modem for a few seconds until the device turns off.
- While it’s powered off, unplug its AC adapter from the power source and keep it that way for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- After the elapse time, plug it back in and then press the button to power on.
Wait until the router/modem lights are stable then allow your devices to re-establish connection. Your iPhone should automatically reconnect to the Wi-Fi network if you’ve set it to auto-connect to your network. Once it has reconnected, try launching a browser app and then navigate to different websites to test and see if WiFi keeps dropping still, then move on to the next procedure.
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Second solution: Restart or soft reset your iPhone.
Minor glitches usually occur after installing new updates and this could be the one that’s affecting your phone’s wireless network services. To clear this out, performing a soft reset or restarting the phone is recommended. Here’s how it’s done:
- Press and hold the Side/Power button and either Volume buttons simultaneously for a few seconds.
- Release the buttons when the Slide to Power Off command appears and then drag the power off slider to the right.
- After 30 seconds, press and hold the Power/Side button again until the phone reboots.
Wait for your iPhone to finish booting up then reconnect to the network and then see if WiFi keeps dropping still.
Third solution: Turn WiFi off and on.
If the previous method failed to solve the problem and Wi-Fi signal drops continue, try to turn Wi-Fi off and then back on. This helps refresh your phone’s Wi-Fi functions and likewise eliminates minor flaws from the recent iOS installation. Here’s how it’s done:
- Tap Settings from the Home screen.
- Select Wi-Fi.
- Toggle the Wi-Fi switch to turn the feature OFF and ON shortly.
Allow your device to reconnect to your Wi-Fi network and then see if that fixes the problem.
Fourth solution: Toggle Airplane Mode on and off.
An old simple method that’s found to be effective in dealing with different types of problems affecting wireless features of an iPhone is the so-called Airplane mode trick. It works by enabling Airplane Mode briefly thus, allowing wireless features to have a quick restart. Here’s how it works:
- From the Home screen, tap on Settings.
- Select Airplane Mode.
- Toggle the Airplane Mode switch to turn the feature ON. Doing so disables your phone’s wireless radios including Bluetooth connections and Wi-Fi.
- While Airplane Mode is turned ON, restart or soft reset your iPhone.
- Allow your phone to finish restarting then head back to Settings-> Airplane Mode menu.
- Toggle the switch to turn Airplane Mode off again.
Wireless radios and relevant services are then restored. Make sure you’re connected to the correct network then see if the WiFi keeps dropping issue is gone.
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Fifth solution: Forget WiFi network then reconnect.
It’s possible that your Wi-Fi network has been corrupted after installing the new update and because of that, it’s no longer working as intended. To fix a corrupt network, you will need to delete it and set it up again. Here’s how to get this done:
- From the Home screen, tap Settings.
- Then select Wi-Fi. Make sure that Wi-Fi is enabled or turned ON.
- Tap on the information “i” icon next to the name of your Wi-Fi network.
- Then select the option to Forget this Network.
Follow the rest of the onscreen prompts to confirm Wi-Fi network deletion. If you see any other saved WiFi networks on your device, follow the above steps to delete or forget those network. Doing so will prevent any other saved networks from causing conflicts.
After forgetting WiFi networks, restart your iPhone then head back to Settings-> Wi-Fi menu to set up and reconnect to your network and then try to see if WiFi keeps dropping still because if so, then you have to reset the network settings.
Sixth solution: Reset network settings on your iPhone.
Network errors can occur from an update especially if automatic overrides are implemented. When an update overrides your network settings, there’s a tendency for conflicts to occur. To eliminate post-update network errors that might have triggered your iPhone XS to keep losing Wi-Fi signal, reset the network settings with these steps:
- From your Home screen, tap on Settings.
- Select General.
- Scroll down to and then tap on Reset.
- Select the option to Reset network settings.
- If prompted, enter your passcode then follow the onscreen instructions to confirm network settings reset.
After the reset, your phone should reboot and then loads the default network values. This also denotes the need for you to set up and reconnect to your WiFi network. Then see if the WiFi keeps dropping problem is gone.
Seventh solution: Reset all settings to fix WiFi keeps dropping.
Another reset that you may consider doing if the previous reset failed to fix the problem is all settings reset. This works by deleting all customized settings on the phone and then restores the default values and options. Any flawed settings caused by the recent update will likely be removed in the process. Here’s how it’s done:
- From your Home screen, tap on Settings.
- Select General.
- Scroll down to and then tap on Reset.
- Select the option to Reset all settings.
- If prompted, enter your passcode then follow the onscreen instructions to all settings reset.
Wait for the reset to finish and then allow your iPhone to reboot. As soon as your device boots up, you can start enabling features that you want to use again including Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.
Eighth solution: Restore your iPhone to factory settings.
Performing a factory reset can be considered among the last options to consider if none of the prior methods is able to solve the problem. The recent update might have caused complex errors that are mainly affecting its Wi-Fi functions. Before you factory reset your iPhone, be sure to back up all your important files to iCloud or iTunes so you can still recover and use them later. Note that this reset will wipe everything from your device including saved contents from the phone memory. That said, it’s cause permanent data loss. Should you wish to proceed, here are the steps for you to factory reset your iPhone XS:
- From your Home screen, tap on Settings.
- Select General.
- Scroll down to and then tap on Reset.
- Select the option to Erase all content and settings.
- If prompted, enter your passcode then follow the onscreen instructions to full system reset.
Complex system errors including those that are inflicted by the recent iOS update bugs are likewise obliterated in the process. After the reset you can proceed to the initial setup and set up your iPhone as new. You should be able to connect to a network but observe closely to see how far your device can go before WiFi keeps dropping again.
Ninth solution: Restore your iPhone from a backup.
If a factory reset won’t suffice, performing an iOS restore via recovery mode or DFU mode can be considered as the last resort. The problem could be too fatal that it requires ultimate system repair. But also note that you could lose some critical information in this process. Should you wish to process, try to back up all your files to iTunes beforehand.
Performing an iOS restore through iTunes will require the use of a Windows or Mac computer that has the latest iTunes version installed. If you have the equipment set, then you can go ahead and connect your iPhone to the computer using the Apple-supplied syncing cable or Lightning cable. Once connected, continue with these steps to put your device in recovery mode and restore iOS through iTunes:
- Press and quickly release the Volume Up button.
- Next, press and quickly release the Volume Down button.
- Then, press and hold the Side/Power button until you see the Connect to iTunes screen. This means that your iPhone has entered recovery mode.
- When you see the option to Update or Restore, choose Update if you want to restore without deleting files. Doing so will prompt iTunes to start downloading the latest software for your device. If you opt to restore from a previous iOS backup, then select the option to Restore.
The process could take 15 minutes (utmost), so just wait until it’s done. Just follow the onscreen prompts in iTunes to complete the entire restore process.
Alternatively, you can try running your iPhone XS in DFU mode and then repair iOS. This is often needed when dealing with a corrupted operating system. A more detailed walkthrough on how to restore iPhone XS in DFU mode can be found on this site’s tutorials section. You can access that guide from the iPhone XS troubleshooting page of this site.
WiFi keeps dropping on your iPhone XS after troubleshooting?
If your iPhone XS Wi-Fi signal continues to drop after performing all the above solutions, it’s probably a problem on your network provider’s end that needs to be settled. To figure that out, contact your Internet service provider and check the current status of your Internet services. If necessary, you can ask them to refresh or reprovision your wireless router/modem remotely.
Alternatively, you can escalate the problem straight to Apple Support so they can make some further assessments on their end. Should this be found a widespread issue, Apple is likely obliged to provide a dedicated fix patch.
If you suspect that the problem is attributed to hardware damage, then you can bring your iPhone to the nearest Apple service center for thorough assessment. If all your devices are experiencing the same symptoms, then that could be a problem with the router or modem you are using. In that case, modem/router repair would be an option to consider. Contact your service provider for further suggestions on that matter.
I hope that we’ve been able to help you fix the problem with your device. We would appreciate it if you helped us spread the word so please share this post if you found it helpful. Thank you so much for reading!