How to Connect the iPhone to a Wi-Fi Network
The iPhone Settings app contains a Wi-Fi section for managing connections to these networks.
Monitoring Network Connections on the iPhone
The upper-left corner of an iPhone’s screen displays icons indicating its network status:
Connection strength: A value between one and four bars indicates the wireless signal strength the iPhone detects for the current connection (either Wi-Fi or cellular). Cellular provider: The name of the cell provider (e.g., AT&T) appears next to the connection strength, even when the iPhone has a Wi-Fi connection. Connection type: The type of network connection appears next to the provider’s name. This will be text like “5G” or “LTE” if the iPhone is connected to a cellular network. A Wi-Fi icon will appear if that’s what the iPhone is using.
An iPhone will automatically switch from the cellular connection when it successfully makes a Wi-Fi connection. Likewise, it will go back to cellular connectivity if the user turns Wi-Fi off or the connection drops. Using iPhone Wi-Fi connections provides a couple of benefits:
Time savings: Wi-Fi provides much higher network bandwidth than the cellular protocols the iPhone supports. That typically means noticeably faster app downloads and browsing. Cost savings: Any network traffic while the iPhone is connected via Wi-Fi does not count toward monthly data plan quotas.
How to Make the iPhone Forget Wi-Fi Networks
To remove a previously configured Wi-Fi network so that iPhone no longer attempts auto-connecting to it or stores the password:
How to Restrict iPhone Apps to Use Wi-Fi Only
Some iPhone apps, particularly those that stream video and audio, generate high amounts of network traffic. Because the iPhone automatically reverts to the cellular network when it loses a Wi-Fi connection, a person can quickly consume their monthly cellular data plan without realizing it. To guard against unwanted cellular data consumption, many high-bandwidth apps include an option to restrict their network traffic to Wi-Fi only. Consider setting this option if it’s available on frequently used apps. Here’s how to tell your iPhone not to use cellular data automatically: Data Roaming lets your iPhone connect to another network when it’s outside your cellular provider’s range. Turn this option off to avoid extra (roaming) charges from your carrier. If you have an Enable LTE option, you can set your network to use cellular for data, voice & data, or neither. Turning it off restricts both data and call activity.
