Learn how to speed up Wi-Fi on your iPhone or iPad with these 7 easy tips, and say goodbye to slow loading times and frustrating buffering!
Restart the Wi-Fi router
The first thing you should probably do when you have Wi-Fi issues is restart your modem or router. Most of the time, the network can get clogged, and a simple restart will fix the problem.
Turn off your router, wait for at least 10-15 seconds, and then turn it back on. Check if the Wi-Fi on your iPhone is back to normal.
Restart your iPhone
You may also want to restart your iPhone if resetting the Wi-Fi router doesn’t fix the slow internet speed. Often, this simple solution is all you need to fix these kinds of issues.
Connect to the 5 GHz band
Most modern routers support both 2.4 GHz (slower speed but better range) and 5 GHz (faster speeds but less range) bands. Go to your phone’s Wi-Fi settings and make sure you’re connected to the 5 GHz (or higher) band. You can even set your iPhone to always connect to this faster band and ignore the slower one.
Run a speed test on another device
Usually, during peak times or when there is a major event, internet speeds might worsen due to increased load. In these situations, the issue may be from your network provider’s end and not you.
To test, run a speed test on another phone or computer connected to the same Wi-Fi network. If the speed is also significantly down on that device, then the problem is from your network provider’s end.
In that case, contact their service center or wait for normal speeds to resume. If the speed is fine on another device but not yours, move on to the remaining solutions below.
Note: It’s also possible that the website or streaming service you’re trying to access is having issues and, therefore, not loading quickly or playing videos in the highest quality. In this case, force quit the app and reopen it. Also, check by visiting another app or website.
Reset Network Settings
Resetting your iPhone’s network settings can also fix slow Wi-Fi or cellular connections. Once the reset completes, your iPhone should restart automatically, and you’ll need to enter your Wi-Fi password again.
Forget and add the Wi-Fi network again
If you don’t want to reset the Network Settings on your iPhone, then you can simply forget the Wi-Fi network and add it again. This could potentially fix the issue, as forgetting a network will remove all its data.
- Open Settings on your iOS device and select Wi-Fi.
- Tap the info button ⓘ next to the connected Wi-Fi name.
- Tap Forget This Network and confirm.
Then restart your iPhone and reconnect to this Wi-Fi network. You’ll need to enter the Wi-Fi password to add it back. Once connected, test the internet speeds to see if things are back to normal.
Change DNS settings
In some cases, slow Wi-Fi on your iPhone could be due to poor DNS servers. You can change these servers on your iPhone to improve the speed. Find the best DNS servers online and use them to improve Wi-Fi speed. After switching to a different DNS, check whether the slow Wi-Fi issue is fixed.
The tips above should help you fix slow Wi-Fi on your iPhone or iPad. If none of them work, the problem may be with your Wi-Fi router or your Internet Service Provider (ISP). Contact your ISP and have a technician visit your home to fix the problem.
On a related note: 18 tips to increase cellular data speed on iPhone and iPad