Your iPhone 12 keeps dropping wi-Fi connection and you don’t know why. Your iPhone 12 can’t seem to stay connected to wi-Fi while you’re browsing the Internet. In this troubleshooting Guide, I’ll explain exactly why your iPhone 12 is dropping wi-Fi connection and show you how to fix the problem for good!
Being able to use a Wi-Fi network is pretty much an essential function of any smartphone these days, so if you find your iPhone 12 not holding Wi-Fi it can very quickly become frustrating – especially if you have limited data available on your contract and don’t want to switch to 5G, 4G or 3G in order to get a better signal.
How to fix iPhone 12 keeps dropping Wi-Fi connection issue
Here’s a few things to try if you want to find out why your iPhone 12 keeps losing internet connection and stop it from happening.
Before moving onto more complex solutions, it’s best to make sure that simple things aren’t causing the problem. Here’s a few settings and process to check at the outset.
1. Update iPhone
It’s usually* a good idea to ensure that your iphone 12 is running the latest version of iOS, as sometimes older versions can contain bugs that were subsequently fixed by updates.
To check if your iPhone 12 is running the latest version of iOS, head to Settings > General > Software Update and if you see a newer iteration is available.
If it is tap Download and Install.
2. Check your settings
It might seem obvious, but it’s also worth having a quick look at your settings to ensure that you haven’t inadvertently disabled Wi-Fi or enabled Airplane Mode, as both will make it impossible to connect to a Wi-Fi network.
To quickly check your connection status launch control centre (swipe down from the top right of your screen.
In the top left the icon for Airplane Mode should be faded out and below that the Wi-Fi icon should be blue.
Alternatively, open the Settings app and you should see controls for both of the aforementioned features at the top of the page.
Airplane mode should have its toggle switch moved to the left, grey not green, while the Wi-Fi option should show a network name rather than the word Off.
3. Check you are connected to the right Wi-Fi
Speaking of which, check that the Wi-Fi network you are connected to is the right one. If there are multiple networks in your area you may have managed to connect to a different one that perhaps you have used in the past (we know someone whose iPhone used to connect to a printer network!) Switch to the one you mean to use and follow the instructions below to permanently disconnect from the unwanted network.
4. Disable Wi-Fi assist
If your Wi-Fi is a bit temperamental you may want to stop your iPhone 12 from connecting to 4G or 3G whenever the Wi-Fi is weak.
Wi-Fi Assist was one of those useful (not useful) features Apple added years ago in iOS 9 that if it detects that the Wi-Fi network has a poor signal will ‘helpfully’ drop the signal in favour of your 4G or 3G signal.
To turn off this setting follow the steps below:
Go to Settings > Mobile Data and scroll down to the bottom where you will find the Wi-Fi Assist option.
Make sure it’s not selected.
See also: iPhone Connected to Wi-Fi But No Internet?
5. Reboot your iPhone
It’s a strange but immutable fact that many of life’s tech-related issues can be solved by simply restarting your device. There’s a reason the chaps in the TV show The IT Crowd started all tech-support queries with the mantra, “have you tried turning it off and on again?” That’s because it’s often the easiest and most effective ways of overcoming problems. If you aren’t sure how to do that here’s how to reboot your iPhone.
6. Reboot your router
If your iPhone 12 keeps dropping Wi-Fi connection, it’s a a good idea to turn the router off and on again too.
When you turn off your router you should wait 20-30 seconds before turning it on again. Or even better, unplug your router, wait a few minutes and then then plug it back in again. Now wait while your router reconnects.
7. Check it’s not your broadband provider’s fault
There is a likelihood that there are issues with your line that aren’t fixed by restarting or resetting. You could check whether there is a local outage for BT, Sky, or Virgin, for example.
We often find out Wi-Fi is at its worse when it’s raining – which could be a sign that there is a problem with your cables. It’s worth flagging with your provider.
If having tried all these steps you are still having problems with your iPhone 12 dropping the Wi-Fi connection we have some slightly more complex steps to follow below.
8. Check signal strength
If you’ve checked all the above and your iPhone 12 keeps dropping Wi-Fi connection, then the issue must be elsewhere. A good place to start your investigation is signal strength. Houses and other locations can have dead spots where the Wi-Fi network becomes unstable. Big, old houses are notorious for this problem.
Start by opening the Settings app and tap on the Wi-Fi option.
To the right of the network name you want to use, check to see how many of the three lines in the Wi-Fi symbol are black. If all three are filled in then the signal should be strong enough to maintain the connection, meaning the problem lies in another area, but if only one of the lines is black then it shows that the signal strength is low, which could cause the iPhone 12 to drop connection.
If it’s the latter, you can try moving to another part of the room, building or general area to see if the strength improves.
9. Check the password
Another common problem is either the wrong password being used or the existing one somehow becoming corrupted. For the first issue, check that the password you’re entering is using the correct upper and lower cases, as Wi-Fi passwords are sensitive to this.
10. Forget the network
If your iPhone 12 keeps dropping Wi-Fi connection after trying the above steps, you can try ‘forgetting’ the network details and starting over.
To do this, head to Settings > Wi-Fi then tap on the network name you want to use.
You’ll see the option Forget This Network. Tap this.
Next go back to the Wi-Fi section and tap on the network name once more. You’ll need to enter the details again.
11. Reset the network
If iPhone 12 keeps dropping Wi-Fi connection, then a stronger approach might be needed.
Head to Settings > Reset and select the Reset Network Settings option.
You’ll need to type in your iPhone passcode to confirm the decision, then the device will reboot.
When it’s ready, go to the Wi-Fi section, select the network, then type in the password again. Hopefully this time it will all work.
12. Reset all network connections
Should all else fail, you can take a more unilateral approach and reset all of your network connections. This will require you to enter the details of all of them afterwards, but it has been know to fix lingering connection issues. This is a destructive method though, so it might be worth backing up your iPhone before attempting it.
Head to Settings > General > Reset then select the Reset All Settings option. Again, you’ll need to enter your passcode to confirm the decision after which your iPhone will reboot.
13. Visit an Apple Genius
If you’ve performed all of the above steps and still find your iPhone 12 keeps dropping Wi-Fi connection, then there may be a technical fault with the device itself. So, it might be worth booking an appointment at the Genius bar to have one of Apple’s technicians take a look.