iPhone Wi-Fi won’t turn on or is greyed out? 7 fixes

There is a big difference between Wi-Fi that will not connect and Wi-Fi that will not turn on. In the second case, the switch in Settings is grey, it slides back to off, or it shows a spinning wheel forever. The iPhone is not failing to find a router. It cannot start its Wi-Fi radio at all. That narrows the cause to a short list, and the first few checks cost nothing.

How to fix an iPhone Wi-Fi switch that won’t turn on

Why is Wi-Fi greyed out on my iPhone?

The iPhone greys out the Wi-Fi switch when it cannot reach the chip that handles Wi-Fi. A software fault after an update can cause that, as can a setting such as Airplane Mode, or a restriction that blocks changes. Heat is another cause, since the iPhone shuts down radios to protect itself when it is too warm. A drop, water or a failing chip are the hardware causes. The pattern matters. If the Wi-Fi works some days and not others, or turns on after the phone cools down, think about heat or a loose connection. If it never works, think about the chip.

Check Airplane Mode and Control Center

Airplane Mode turns off Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and cellular together, and a plane icon in the status bar tells you it is on. Swipe down from the top right to open Control Center, tap the airplane icon off, and then tap Wi-Fi on. Sometimes the Wi-Fi icon is off while the settings switch is greyed out because of Airplane Mode. After you turn it off, wait a few seconds. If the Wi-Fi icon in Control Center will not turn blue, go to Settings › Wi-Fi and try the switch there.

Check Screen Time restrictions

If the iPhone is a work phone or a child’s phone, Screen Time or a device profile may block settings. Go to Settings › Screen Time › Content & Privacy Restrictions. If the restrictions are on, look at Allow Changes for cellular and data options. Enter the Screen Time passcode if you have one. A work phone may carry a management profile that locks the network, and then only your IT team can change it. Look in Settings › General › VPN & Device Management for a profile you do not recognize.

Is the iPhone too hot?

A warm iPhone may show a temperature warning and turn off some features. If the phone sat in a hot car, in the sun, or on a charger under a pillow, let it cool down in the shade for at least 15 minutes with the case off. Then restart it and try Wi-Fi again. If it works after cooling and fails again when warm, the phone may have a heat related fault. Read an iPhone that runs hot for the causes and fixes.

Reset network settings and update from a computer

Resetting network settings clears every saved Wi-Fi network, Bluetooth pairing and VPN profile. It does not delete photos or apps. Go to Settings › General › Transfer or Reset iPhone › Reset › Reset Network Settings. If the switch is still stuck, update iOS from a Mac or Windows PC, which can repair system files that an over-the-air update cannot. Connect with a cable, tap Trust, open Finder or the Apple Devices app, choose your iPhone and click Update. This keeps your data. Use Restore only after a backup, because it erases everything.

Does Bluetooth work?

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth share a wireless chip on many iPhones, so testing Bluetooth gives a hint. If Bluetooth is also greyed out or fails, the shared chip is the likely fault. If Bluetooth works fine and only Wi-Fi fails, the chip may still be at fault, but there is a better chance that a software reset helps. Check Bluetooth that fails as well for the steps.

Force restart and the Wi-Fi switch spinner

A normal restart sometimes leaves the radio stuck, and a force restart clears it. On an iPhone 8 or newer, press and release volume up, press and release volume down, then hold the side button until the Apple logo appears. On an iPhone 7, hold volume down and the side button together. On older models, hold the Home button and the top or side button. After it restarts, wait a minute before you open Settings. If the Wi-Fi switch spins forever and then slides back to off, that is the classic sign of a chip that cannot start. A force restart may bring it back for a while, but the problem tends to return.

Signs that point to the chip

• The Wi-Fi switch is grey and will not move, even after a restart and a reset.
• Bluetooth is also missing or greyed out, since many models share the chip.
• The problem began after a drop, a spill or exposure to water.
• The iPhone showed a warning that it was too hot before the switch stopped working.
• Wi-Fi works only when the phone is cold, or after you press on the back of the phone.

If you see two or more of these, stop resetting. Each reset and restore costs time, and your data is safe only if you have a backup. Save your photos and data to iCloud or a computer, then book a repair. Do not press on the back of the phone to keep it working. It may help for a day, but it can damage the board.

What to do when the chip has failed

If a computer restore did not bring the switch back, you need a repair. Check your coverage first by entering the serial number on Apple’s support page. A phone still in warranty or with AppleCare+ may be repaired or swapped for a small fee. Without coverage, ask Apple and an authorized shop for a quote. Wi-Fi chip faults can be a board level repair, and some local shops offer it for less, but the work is delicate, so choose a shop with good reviews and a warranty. Read whether AppleCare is worth it if you have no plan yet.

Repair, trade in or replace?

Compare the repair price with the phone’s value. If the iPhone is more than four or five years old and the quote is high, a trade-in credit toward a newer phone may be better value. Carriers and Apple offer credit even for damaged phones, and the amount depends on the model and the condition. While you decide, use cellular data, a hotspot or a USB Wi-Fi adapter on a computer to stay online. Back up the iPhone to iCloud or a computer before you hand it over.

If Wi-Fi turns on but will not connect, read about an iPhone that will not join a network. If it connects and then drops, try Wi-Fi that turns on but keeps dropping.