iPhone won't connect to WiFi

Sometimes other people can connect to WiFi but some iPhones will not connect and get error that they Can't Join. If another device can connect, the issue is with the phone that can't connect. If no one can connect then it's a WiFi issue.

Below are tips to help diagnose this.

Force Restart the iPhone

You'll see this screen after resetting your iPhone.

You'd be surprised how often restarting your iPhone solves the problems that ail it. It's not foolproof, of course, and won't fix deep configuration or hardware problems, but give it a shot.

Hold down the Home button and the Sleep/Wake button at the same time and continue to hold them until the screen goes blank and the Apple logo appears to force restart the device.

4Update to the Latest iOS

Tech devices and software are updated regularly, which can lead to compatibility issues. Apple regularly releases updates to iOS that are designed address incompatibilities. Check to see if an iOS update is available for your device. If there is, install it. That may solve your problem.

To check for iOS updates:

Tap Settings.
Tap General.
Tap Software Update.
If the screen indicates an update is available for your iPhone, plug the phone into a power outlet and tap Download and Install.

5Reset iPhone's Network Settings

Resetting your phone's network settings can solve Wi-Fi issues.

Your phone's Network Settings contain all kinds of information, including connection data and preferences for cellular and Wi-Fi networks. If one of the Wi-Fi settings is corrupted, it can prevent you from getting on the Wi-Fi network. In this case, the solution is to reset the network settings, although this deletes some preferences and stored data related to connectivity. You may have to ask the owner of the network for the connection data and enter it again:

Tap Settings.
Tap General.
Swipe to the bottom and tap Reset.
Tap Reset Network Settings.
If you're asked to confirm that you want to reset these settings, do so.

6Turn Off Location Services

Disabling this won't stop you from using Wi-Fi, and it may solve Wi-Fi problems.

Your iPhone does a lot of things designed to make it useful. One of these involves using the Wi-Fi networks near you to improve the accuracy of mapping and location services. This is a nice little bonus, but it can be the cause of your iPhone not being able to connect to a Wi-Fi network. If none of these solutions have helped so far, turn off this setting. Doing so doesn't stop you from using Wi-Fi, just from using it to improve location awareness.

Tap Settings.
Tap Privacy.
Tap Location Services.
Swipe to the bottom and tap System Services.
Move the Wi-Fi Networking slider to the Off position.

7Restore iPhone to Factory Settings

The last resort: restoring your iPhone to factory settings.

If none of these solutions have helped, you'll need to take a drastic measure: restoring your iPhone to its factory settings. This deletes everything from the iPhone and returns it to its out-of-the-box pristine condition. Before you do this, make a complete backup of all the data on your phone. Then, wipe your iPhone clean:

Tap Settings.
Tap General.
Swipe to the bottom and tap Reset.
Tap Erase All Content and Settings.
You'll be asked to confirm that you really want to do this. Confirm and proceed with the reset.

When the reset is complete, you'll have a fresh iPhone. You can then either set it up as a new iPhone or restore from your backup. Restoring is faster, but you may restore the bug that prevented you from accessing Wi-Fi in the first place.