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Figure Out if the Problem Is With the WiFi or the Device
To fix your iPhone 12 WiFi issues, you need to be sure that the problem is with your smartphone and not the WiFi router. Figuring this out is not as simple as seeing how well other devices on the network are performing.
Many broadband connections have rough limits on the number of devices that can connect to WiFi. So instead of looking at how good other phones' connection to your WiFi is, you need to see how well your iPhone connects to other WiFi networks.
If the smartphone connects with other networks smoothly, then the issue is with your router. If it doesn't, then the issue is with your iPhone 12. Figuring this out early on will cut the number of steps you need to take by half.
That's because you'll not need to try any solutions pertaining to the router if the problem isn't in the router. But if you don't try connecting your iPhone 12 to the local McDonald's WiFi or free public WiFi at the mall, you'll have to try all the steps to fix your phone as well as your router.
To eliminate the unnecessary steps from the rest of this post, connect to a friend's WiFi or the free WiFi anywhere it is available. If the issues persist, assume that the problem is with your phone.
Restart the Router and Your Device
In this step, you need to restart the device that has the problem. If the issue is exclusive to your phone, you'll hard-restart your iPhone 12 by pressing the volume down button and the power button until the Apple Logo appears.
In case the problem is with your WiFi router, you'll need to turn it off and unplug it for 1 minute before plugging it back and turning it on. Obviously, if you're not sure where the problem lies, you'll need to restart both.
Stand Closer to the Router
Once you restart the relevant device, you should stand close to the router. If this improves the connection, then the chances are that the issue is with your WiFi signal strength. This is a problem that can be mutual, where the router gives out weak signals, and the iPhone is a poor recipient. Getting a WiFi extender
Techfacture WiFi Extender can boost WiFi coverage up to 6000 square feet, making it the perfect long-range WiFi booster. It eliminates dead zones in your home by making sure every area has strong WiFi coverage. But it is not the solution if the proximity to your WiFi router doesn't improve your iPhone 12 WiFi issues.
One thing you can do during the restarting step is to disable at least three devices' WiFi. This can be as simple as asking your spouse and kids (or siblings and parents) to disconnect from WiFi temporarily. If this fixes the internet problems on your iPhone 12, then the issue is the device limit.
If the problem is the number of devices on the network, you can get better internet on your iPhone 12 by upgrading your router or getting a WiFi booster.
Disable the VPN Settings on Your iPhone
At this point, you have already tried everything you could do to fix the issues outside of your phone to give your iPhone the best shot at having the perfect WiFi connection. If your iPhone is still having problems, you should disable its VPN settings and see if it can connect to the internet.
Follow these steps to disable iPhone 12 Pro Max VPN Settings:
- Go to your iPhone's settings by tapping the gear icon
- Tap 'General' to open general settings
- Scroll to (and select) VPN
- Toggle the connection status slider to not connected.
After this step, you should disconnect your iPhone from the WiFi and then connect again. If the connection issues persist, the problem might be in how the iPhone connected to the WiFi in the first place.
Forget the Network and Join Again
By forgetting the network and reconnecting, you give your iPhone a fresh start at establishing a connection with your broadband network. This can fix problems from pre-existing late-connection limits to poor prioritization.
Reset Network Settings
If the problem is not in your smartphone's VPN settings, it can still be in the iPhone's network settings. In case you've tried to fix your WiFi issues by personally experimenting with your network settings before reading this post, you need to reset your iPhone's network settings.
To reset your iPhone 12 network settings, you should:
- Open settings by tapping the gear icon
- Tap general to open general settings
- Go to 'Transfer or Reset [Device]'
- Go further to the 'Reset' option
- Tap the 'Reset Network Settings' option
- Confirm if prompted to do so.
After this, reconnect your iPhone to the WiFi and see if its performance improves.
Update Your iOS
At this point, you have tried everything that you can to fix the issues from the WiFi router and the network settings standpoint. If the problem isn't fixed, then the issue is in the meta-settings (the overall smartphone). And there are two ways to fix that.
The first is to update your smartphone to the latest available operating system. For this, you'll go to 'General' in the iPhone settings and tap 'Software Update.' If no update is available, you'll have to factory reset your iPhone.
Factory Reset Your Phone
iPhone 12 can have WiFi issues if it is the last device to connect to the network because it is not prioritized by the WiFi router. By restarting the router and resetting network connection settings, one can get better internet access on their iPhone.
If everything fails, you should reset your phone. This is the step with the highest stakes, which is why you should not take it unless you are sure you have tried everything you can. If all the solutions in this post (including getting a WiFi booster) don't work, then you need to factory reset your iPhone by following these steps.
- Backup all your phone media and data on the iCloud
- Open iPhone settings by tapping the gear icon
- Navigate to General
- Go to Transfer or Reset iPhone
- Tap and confirm 'Erase All Content and Settings.'
After this, your iPhone 12 should be able to connect with the WiFi. If it doesn't, then the issue is with the actual hardware of the smartphone, and you'll need to visit the local Genius Bar or contact Apple to get a replacement.
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