Top 7 Ways to Fix Android Wi-Fi Not Turning On
It’s frustrating when your smartphone starts to behave badly when you need it most. And we have all been there. This time, I was trying to connect to the Internet, but the Wi-Fi on my Android phone just didn’t work. I mean, Wi-Fi is on, but turns off almost immediately. Interestingly (or unfortunately, rather), I discovered that many Android users are also struggling to turn on Wi-Fi on their phones.
A simple restart could solve the problem. But sometimes you will have to change your phone settings. Certain malicious applications could also be responsible for it. In this guide, we are going to highlight 7 ways to fix the problem of not activating Android Wi-Fi. Let’s go.
1. Deactivate airplane mode
The first thing to do when your Android device is not turning on Wi-Fi is to make sure that Airplane mode is not turned on. I know it sounds strange, but it happens to the best of us. Some Android devices will not turn on Wi-Fi if Airplane mode is on. Swipe down from the notification panel, and tap the airplane icon to turn off airplane mode. You can also go to Settings> Network & Internet> Advanced and switch to Airplane mode.
If Airplane mode is off, you can also turn it on and off again. You will be surprised at the number of times it works.
2. Disable Ultra Power Saving mode
Some models of Android smartphones have special / advanced battery saving capabilities which can disable connectivity features such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. This type of battery saver is commonly known as “ultra power saving mode” and is available on some Samsung devices and models from other Android phone manufacturers.
When activated, Ultra Power Saving mode only allows you to use certain basic features / applications on your phone (phone calls, messages, etc.). You may not be able to use Wi-Fi or cellular connectivity. If your Android phone has an Ultra Power Saving mode, deactivate it and check if you can now activate the Wi-Fi option.
You can find Ultra Power Saving mode in the Battery section of the Android settings menu (Settings> Battery> Ultra Power Saving mode).
3. Reset network settings
In case your smartphone does not have Ultra Power Saving mode and activating / deactivating Airplane mode (in method # 1) does not solve the problem of Android Wi-Fi under power, you must reset the settings network of your device.
Resetting network settings is a surefire way to resolve issues related to Wi-Fi / Bluetooth on your Android smartphone. It restores the network configurations to the state they were in when you bought the device. Follow the steps below to reset the network settings on your Android phone.
Step 1: Launch the Android Settings menu and select System.
2nd step: Then select Advanced.
Step 3: Tap Reset Options.
Step 4: Select ‘Reset Wi-Fi, mobile and Bluetooth’.
Step 5: Press the Reset Settings button located at the bottom of the next page.
You will be asked to enter the password, PIN code of your device or to use biometric authentication (fingerprint, Face ID, etc.) to confirm the action.
4. Restart the device
If Android Wi-Fi still won’t turn on after a network reset, try restarting your device. Doing so could help eliminate any running processes that may be causing the device’s Wi-Fi to malfunction.
5. Check for malware
Malicious applications can disrupt your device’s network configurations. If your Android device’s Wi-Fi doesn’t turn on, look for apps you recently installed that seem strange or unfamiliar to you. If you find any, uninstall them.
Go to Settings> Apps & notifications> Show all apps to see a list of all the apps installed on your device. Browse the list and block or delete any unknown apps / malware. In particular, you should look for apps that you barely use, apps that you don’t remember installing / did not install, or apps that you downloaded from unknown sources / websites.
6. Restore factory settings
Resetting your device to factory can also help resolve any issues that prevent Wi-Fi from turning on. However, this should be used as a last resort if all of the other troubleshooting fixes mentioned above have failed.
Resetting your device to factory will delete all of your settings and files from your phone’s internal memory. You need to know more about what happens to your device when you format it before proceeding with the steps below.
Step 1: Launch the Settings menu and select System.
2nd step: Tap the Advanced drop-down option and select Reset Options.
Step 3: Then select “Clear all data (factory reset)”.
Step 4: Press the “Delete all data” button and enter your device password or PIN to continue.
7. Visit a technician
If none of the troubleshooting tips mentioned above solve your Android’s Wi-Fi problem, you need to bring your device to an experienced smartphone repair center – the problem may be hardware related.
The problem may be due to a faulty or damaged Wi-Fi chip. An experienced smartphone technician is best placed to diagnose and repair hardware problems.
If the phone is new and less than a year old, it is most likely still covered by the warranty. If so, you must return the phone to the store where you purchased it. Either they will fix this for free or give you a replacement device.
Then:
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Last updated on May 11, 2020
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