What to Do When Your Cell Data Isn't Working on iPhone or Android

Get mobile data working again with these troubleshooting tips

Co-authored by James Bell and Travis Boylls

Last Updated: October 30, 2024 Fact Checked

Cellular data allows you to have internet access anywhere you go. Sometimes, your phone may not connect to cellular data when you need it. Luckily, there is usually an easy fix. This wikiHow article teaches you how to troubleshoot your cellular data not working, featuring expert advice from Phone Repair Specialist James Bell.

Cellular Data Not Working: Quick Fixes

Make sure you are in an area with cellular data coverage and confirm your cellular data plan. Restart your device, eject your SIM card, and reinsert it. Make sure cellular data is on, and Airplane mode is off. Check your cellular data settings.

1

Check your cellular data plan.

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If you have a data plan that has limited data, you may have run out of data. Contact your wireless carrier to see how much data is included in your specific plan and how much data you have used. If you are out of data, you can upgrade your data plan with your wireless carrier.

2

Make sure you are in an area that has coverage.

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Check how many bars you are getting at the top of your phone to see if you are getting good cellular reception. You may need to move to another area if you're not getting good reception. If you are in a busy area, the network may be congested, and you may need to wait until later to use cellular data.

3

Check if cellular data is enabled.

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Cellular data may be turned off. You can turn mobile data on or off using the Quick Access menu on Android or the Control Center on iPhone and iPad. Use one of the following steps to ensure mobile data is turned on.
- Android: Swipe down from the top of the screen twice to open the Quick Access menu., then tap the Mobile data icon to toggle it on or off. You may need to scroll to the second page of icons to find it.
- iPhone & iPad: Swipe down from the upper-right corner to open the Control Center, then tap the radio antenna icon to toggle cellular data on or off.^{[1]
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4

Resync your SIM card.

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Remove and reinsert your SIM card. According to Phone Repair Specialist James Bell, you can often fix network connection issues by resetting your SIM card. "You don't even have to take out the SIM card," he says, "just hit the eject button with the provided SIM ejector that came with it." Ejecting your SIM card and reinserting it forces your phone to synchronize with your phone. The SIM card tray is usually on the side, top, or bottom of your phone, and it generally has a pinhole in it. Insert a paperclip or the SIM removal tool that came with your device to eject the SIM card tray, inspect the SIM card to make sure it's not dirty or damaged, and then reinsert it.
- Bell finds that this quick trick fixes cellular data problems about 30% of the time.
- This won't work if you have an eSIM.
- If the SIM seems dirty, you can clean the SIM with a pencil eraser, cotton swab, or a lint-free cloth.
- If your SIM card is damaged, you will need to get a new one from your wireless carrier.

5

Turn your phone off and back on.

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There may be a minor glitch in your phone's software. "I know it's a simple one, but it helps a lot," Bell says. "A lot of people do not turn their phones off, and the phone never gets a chance to turn off and rest or debug." You can usually fix minor glitches by force restarting your phone.
- Android: Press and hold the Power button until your phone shuts off. It will then restart.
- Samsung Galaxy: Press and hold the Volume Down and Power button until your phone restarts.
- iPhone 8 and later: Press the Volume Up button and then press the Volume Down button. Then press and hold the Side/Sleep button until the Apple logo appears.^{[2]
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- iPhone 7: Press and hold the Volume Down and Side/Sleep button until you see the Apple logo appear.
- iPhone SE, 6, and below: Press and hold the Side/Sleep button and the Home button until the Apple logo appears.

6

Turn Airplane Mode on and off.

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You may have Airplane mode turned on or a bad connection. Airplane Mode disables all radio receivers on your device. If you accidentally turn Airplane Mode on, cellular data will not work. If Airplane Mode isn't turned on, you can reset your cellular connection by enabling it for 30 seconds and then disabling it.
- Swipe down from the top of the screen on Android or the upper-right corner on iPhone and iPad, then tap the airplane icon. If this turns Airplane Mode on, wait 30 seconds, then tap it again to turn it on or off.

7

Turn off Wi-Fi.

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Your phone may be trying to connect to Wi-Fi. Normally, when your phone is connected to Wi-Fi, it does not use cellular data. This can be a problem when your phone fails to switch over to cellular, such as when you are just barely in range of your Wi-Fi network and unable to get a strong signal. Turning off Wi-Fi ensures that your phone connects to cellular data instead of Wi-Fi.
- To turn off Wi-Fi, swipe down from the top of the screen on Android or the upper-right corner on iPhone and iPad, then tap the icon that resembles arching lines over a dot to toggle Wi-Fi on and off.

8

Update your phone.

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Your phone's operating system may be outdated. Keeping your phone up-to-date ensures that all the latest patches are installed and your device runs smoothly.
- Android: Swipe down from the top of the screen. Then tap the Gear/Settings icon. Tap Software Update (it may be under System). Tap Download and install if an update is available.
- iPhone & iPad: Open the Settings app. Tap General. Tap Software Update. Tap Install Now if an update is available.

9

Update your network settings.

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Outdated network settings can affect cellular data. Just like your phone's operating system needs to be updated, your carrier's network settings must also be updated occasionally. Usually, this happens automatically. However, if you don't have automatic updates enabled, or the update fails for whatever reason, you may need to do it manually.
- Android: Swipe down from the top of the menu and tap the Gear/Settings icon in the upper-right corner. Tap Connection (Samsung Galaxy) or Network & internet (stock Android). Tap Internet (stock Android) or More Connection Settings (Samsung Galaxy). Tap Carrier settings if available. Then tap Update Profile.^{[3]
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- iPhone & iPad: Open the Settings app and tap General followed by About. If an update is available, you will be prompted to tap Update.^{[4]
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10

Reset your network settings.

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There may be an error in your connection settings. Resetting your network settings will revert your network settings to their default. Your phone will reconnect to your cellular network automatically. However, be aware that this will also erase your Wi-Fi connection, Bluetooth pairings, and any saved Wi-Fi passwords. Use one of the following steps to reset your network settings:^{[5]
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- Android: Swipe down from the top of the menu and tap the Gear/Settings icon in the upper-right corner. Tap System (stock Android) or General Management (Samsung Galaxy). Tap Reset or Reset options. Tap Reset Wi-Fi, Mobile, & Bluetooth (Stock Android) or Reset mobile network settings (Samsung Galaxy).
- iPhone: Open the Settings app and tap General. Tap Transfer or reset iPhone and then tap Reset. Tap Reset Network Settings and follow the prompts.

11

Contact your wireless carrier.

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If there is a network outage, your mobile carrier should be able to tell you. It's also possible your network settings may need to be configured in a specific way. Your mobile carrier can walk you through the process of setting that up. Dial 611 to contact your mobile carrier.

12

Factory-reset your phone.

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There could be a major glitch in your phone's software. This is generally the last resort when it comes to phone problems. This will erase all data on your phone and restore it to its default factory settings. Make sure you back up all data on your phone you want to keep.
- Android: Swipe down from the top of the menu and tap the Gear/Settings icon in the upper-right corner. Tap System (stock Android) or General Management (Samsung Galaxy). Tap Reset or Reset options. Tap Erase all data (factory reset) or Factory data reset and follow the prompts.
- iPhone: Open the Settings app and tap General. Tap Transfer or reset iPhone and then tap Reset. Tap Reset all settings and follow the prompts.