Fix 5G Not Working on iPhone
Got an iPhone with 5G networking capabilities and find that 5G is not working? 5G offers ultrafast wireless networking, but that’s not too great if you can’t connect to it.
If you’re having issues with connecting to 5G networks on your iPhone, read along to troubleshoot and resolve the issue.
Make Sure your iPhone Supports 5G
All iPhone 12 models and newer support 5G networking, this includes all iPhone 12 models, iPhone 13 models, iPhone 14 models, and any variations of those including the Pro, Mini, Pro Max, Plus, etc.
Earlier iPhone models to not support 5G networking, so if you have an older model that does not connect to a 5G network, that is why it’s not working.
Make Sure Your Cellular Plan Supports 5G
You also need to make sure your particular cellular carrier and plan supports 5G networking, since not all carriers do.
You can confirm this through your cellular carrier directly, by checking your plan, and/or by using their coverage map options.
Make Sure 5G is Enabled on iPhone
Some users may find that 5G is not enabled on their iPhone, preventing them from joining a 5G network.
Some users may enable or disable 5G depending on battery as well, since the higher speeds typically drain the iPhone battery faster.
You can check that 5G is active on your iPhone by going to the following:
- Open the “Settings” app
- Go to “Cellular” and to “Cellular Data Options”
- Be sure 5G is enabled
Check for 5G Coverage in Your Area
Not every area has 5G network available, even if the cellular plan or cellular company provider offers 5G.
For example, if you’re in a rural area, you typically will not have 5G, but instead you’ll fall back to the 4G LTE networks, which are still pretty fast but not nearly as speedy as 5G.
You can confirm 5G coverage by looking at your carriers website, where they have coverage maps available.
Toggle AirPlane Mode On/Off
Toggling on and off AirPlane Mode is a common troubleshooting trick for iPhone networking issues and connectivity problems, so do this really quick.
You can toggle AirPlane Mode on through Settings, or by going to Control Center and toggling the airplane icon, waiting a few moments, then tapping it to be off again.
Seeing “Searching” or “No Service” Instead of 5G
Rarely, some users may see a “Searching…” or “No Service” indicator on their iPhone 12, with or without 5G. If this happens, you’ll first want to reboot the iPhone.
You can force restart iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Mini, and iPhone 12 Pro Max by pressing Volume Up, Volume Down, then holding the Power button until you see the Apple logo on the screen.
When iPhone 12 boots back up, give it a moment to make sure the cellular connectivity functions as expected.
Additional 5G Troubleshooting Steps
- Seeing “No Service” or “Searching” instead of 5G? This likely means your out of cellular range, or a cell tower is down. Wait until you’re back in range and this will correct itself
- You can try to reset network settings on iPhone which clears out all networking data, including saved wi-fi passwords and DNS customizations, but it may resolve any networking issues you have
- Sometimes forcibly rebooting iPhone can cause 5G to start working again. Do this on any 5G compatible iPhone by pressing Volume Up, Volume Down, then press and hold Power/Lock until you see the Apple logo on screen.
If you still experience issues with 5G, and you know you have a compatible iPhone, and a compatible network and are in a coverage area, you may try reaching out to your cellular provider tech support, or Apple Support, to resolve the issue.
