Top 10 Fixes to WiFi Not Working After iOS 16,17 Update

Why won't my iPhone connect to Wi-Fi?

New version of operating systems always comes with various new features and improvements, however, just like the previous update, it also comes with a series of problems. And WiFi connectivity problem is a major one. Quite a few people have reported that the WiFi not working after iOS update, such as:

• iPhone not connecting to WiFi network

• WiFi keeps disconnecting randomly

• WiFi button greyed out

• iPhone/iPad can’t find WiFi

• WiFi speed is extremely slow

• Getting an incorrect password prompt

Are you experiencing one of the above WiFi issues? Keep reading to learn how to fix these iOS 16, 17 WiFi problems.

How to Fix iOS 16 WiFi Problems

►The following methods apply to all iPhone & iPad models:
iPhone 7/7 Plus, iPhone 8/8 Plus, iPhone X/XR/XS (Max), iPhone 11/11 Pro (Max), iPhone SE (2020), iPhone 12/12 mini/12 Pro (Max), iPhone 13/13 mini/13 Pro (Max), iPhone 14/14 Plus/14 Pro (Max), iPhone 15/15 Plus/ 15 Pro (Max), iPhone SE 2022 & iPad Pro/Air/mini

Solution 1. Force Restart Your Device

This is the first simple trick to fix the iOS 16, 17 WiFi problems. A force restart can help fix many minor glitches on the device.

● Force restart iPhone 8 and later & iPad with Face ID:

Quickly press and release the Volume Up button > Quickly press and release the Volume Down button > Press and hold the Side button until you see the Apple logo.

● Force restart iPhone 7/7 Plus:

Press and hold the Power button and Volume Down button together > Release both buttons when the Apple logo appears.

● Force restart iPhone 6s, SE and earlier & iPad with Home button:

Hold down the Home button and the Power button at the same time > Release both buttons when the Apple logo appears.

Solution 2. Check Your Wi-Fi Router

Your iPhone/iPad unable to join network may be caused by the router. You can go to check whether the router is working well. You may restart it to have a try. A restart can help free up the caches and reset any errors.

Turn off the router > Unplug the power source > Reconnect the power source after at least 5 minutes to make sure a fully drain, and every bit of memory is cleared > Restart your router.

Solution 3. Rejoin Wi-Fi Network

The parameters related to a particular network may be corrupted after the update. So you meet the WiFi not connecting after iOS 16, 17 update problem. It keeps telling you the password is incorrect and iPhone won't connect to WiFi but working on other devicecs. In this case, you can choose to forget the Wi-Fi network then reconnect it.

Go to Settings > Tap Wi-Fi > Tap the information icon (i) next to the name > Tap Forget This Network and tap Forget on the popup to confirm > Restart your device and enter the password to join the network again.

Solution 4. Disable Wi-Fi Networking Services

Some users have successfully solved the WiFi not working after iOS 16, 17 update issue by turning off the Wi-Fi networking services. Go to Settings > Tap Privacy > Tap Location Services > Tap System Services > Find Wi-Fi Networking and toggle it off.

When the problem is solved, you can turn on this feature as per your needs.

Solution 5. Turn Off/On Wi-Fi Assist

Some users have reported that disable and re-enable Wi-Fi Assist seems to help solve the Wi-Fi connection issue in iOS 16, 17. Go to Settings > Tap Cellular > Disable Wi-Fi Assist and turn it on again after a few seconds.

Solution 6. Reset Network Settings

“Reset Network Settings” will erase all network settings/caches and restore to original network options and values. It can help get rid of the errors that lead to the iOS 16, 17 Wi-Fi problems. It will only reset the network settings but all other saved data will not be affected.

Go to Settings > Tap General >Tap Transfer or Reset iPhone > Tap Reset > Tap Reset Network Settings > Enter your passcode to confirm > Restart your device > Enter the WiFi passcode to rejoin the Wi-Fi to see if it resolves the issue.

Note: Besides resetting network settings, you can also choose to Reset All Settings. All your customized settings will be deleted.

Solution 7. Disable the VPN

The VPN may interfere with the Wi-Fi connection so the WiFi not connecting or keeps disconnecting. If you using a VPN, you can disable the VPN to see if it resolves the issue. You can disable the VPN connection via the VPN app or make it through the Settings app.

• Disable VPN in Settings app: Tap General > Tap VPN and disconnect it.

• Or you can also delete the VPN totally: Go to Settings > General > VPN > Tap (i) > Tap Delete VPN.

When the WiFi issue is solved, you can activate the VPN again according to your convenience.

Solution 8. Change the Current DNS

Generally, it will automatically assign the DNS based on your router configuration. If you meet iOS 16, 17 Wi-Fi not working issue, you can switch your current DNS to Google DNS or Open DNS.

Go to Settings > Tap WiFi > Tap (i) next to the name of Wi-Fi > Tap Configure DNS > Tap Manual > Tap Add Server > Enter GoogleDNS (8.8.8.8 or 8.8.4.4) or OpenDNS (208.67.222.222 or 208.67.222.220).

Solution 9. Update to the Latest Version of iOS

Apple always continues releasing new iOS to fix bugs and errors. You can go to have a check whether there is a new update available. It may help fix iOS  WiFi problems.

Solution 10. Reset Your Device

If all the above methods cannot help you fix the iOS 16 WiFi not working problem, the last option is to erase and restore your iPhone. Go to Settings > Tap General > Tap Transfer or Reset iPhone > Tap Erase All Content and Settings to make it.

Tip: Backup iPhone to avoid data loss

Please be aware that it will erase all content and settings on your device. So you’d better backup your iPhone or iPad in advance to prevent data loss.

As is known to all, the traditional way to backup iPhone is to use iTunes or iCloud. However, neither of these two methods support both full and selective backup and restore. To make things simple, you can try FoneTool - a free iPhone backup tool instead.

● It helps you backup all or only the most important data like contacts, messages, photos, songs, etc.
● It allows you to preview and select the data you really need before the backup and restore.
● It will not erase any existing data on your device during the restoration.

Example: steps to full backup iPhone

1. Click the download button to get FoneTool and take a few minutes to secure your data. Plug in your iPhone/iPad to computer.

2. Click Phone Backup > Locate Full Backup and click Get Started.

3. Enable Backup encryption as you like. If it is enabled, your data such as Fitness records, Health, and Keychain can be private > Select a storage path to save the backup > Click Start Backup and wait until it finishes.

Conclusion

That’s all for how to fix the WiFi not working/connecting/slow speed after iOS 16/17 update. Does this passage solve your problem? You could share it to help more people. Or if you have any other ideas, you could share them with us by leaving a comment.