To reset network settings on an iPhone, open Settings, tap General, tap Transfer or Reset iPhone, tap Reset, and then tap Reset Network Settings. The reset clears every saved Wi-Fi network and password along with cellular, VPN and APN settings, so have your Wi-Fi password ready before you start.
Applies to: iPhone running a current version of iOS (Apple gives the same path for iPad). Checked against Apple Support on October 6, 2026.
What a network settings reset removes
Apple describes the result in one sentence: the reset clears all Wi-Fi networks and passwords, cellular settings, and VPN and APN settings. In practice that means the following.
| Item | What happens | What you do afterward |
|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi networks and passwords | Every saved network is forgotten, not only the one giving you trouble. | Rejoin each network and type its password again. |
| Cellular settings | Returned to their defaults. | Check that calls, texts and cellular data work. |
| VPN settings | Reset. | Set up the VPN again, using the details from your VPN provider or employer. |
| APN settings | Reset. APN stands for Access Point Name, the details an iPhone uses to reach a carrier’s cellular data network. | Most people never edit these. If your carrier gave you custom APN details, enter them again. |
The reset is limited to those network items. It is a different option from erasing the iPhone, and it is not meant to remove photos, messages or apps. It also cannot be reversed: there is no undo button, so anything that was cleared has to be entered again by hand.
Before you reset
- Find your Wi-Fi passwords. You will need the password for your home network, and for any work, school or family network you use, as soon as the reset finishes.
- Collect VPN and carrier details. If you set up a VPN yourself or your carrier gave you APN details, make sure you can get them again.
- Ask first on a work or school iPhone. Apple advises checking with your IT administrator before resetting network settings on a device that an organization manages, because the organization may supply the Wi-Fi and VPN configuration.
- Try the simpler fixes. Apple’s guidance is to reset network settings only if other solutions fail. The section on what to try first, below, lists them.
How to reset network settings on iPhone
- Open the Settings app from the Home Screen.
- Tap General. A list of system options opens.
- Scroll down and tap Transfer or Reset iPhone.
- Tap Reset. A short menu of reset choices appears.
- Tap Reset Network Settings. Read the choices carefully and pick this exact one, because the other entries in the menu reset different things.
- If the iPhone asks for your passcode, enter it, then confirm that you want to go ahead. Give the phone a minute to finish; it may restart on its own.
What to do after the reset
- Open Settings and tap Wi-Fi. Make sure Wi-Fi is turned on, tap your network’s name, and enter the password. Apple notes that a blue checkmark beside the network name means you are connected.
- Turn Wi-Fi off for a moment, or step away from the router, and load a web page to confirm that cellular data works.
- Set up your VPN again if you use one.
- Test anything else that relies on a connection, such as a Bluetooth accessory or sharing your connection with another device. If something that worked before no longer connects, set it up again.
Then try whatever was failing before the reset. If it works now, the cause was a saved setting and you are done.
What to try before a full network reset
A reset costs you every saved Wi-Fi password, so Apple places it near the end of its Wi-Fi troubleshooting steps. Work through these first.
- Check the basics. In Settings, tap Wi-Fi and confirm that Wi-Fi is on and that your network shows a blue checkmark. Also confirm that Airplane Mode is off.
- Restart the iPhone. Apple suggests a restart in particular when a setting appears dimmed and cannot be changed.
- Look at VPN and security apps. Apple’s advice is to remove VPN or security software, restart, and test the connection again. If that fixes it and you still need the app, contact its developer.
- Work out whether one network or every network fails. If only one network is affected, the router or that network’s settings are the more likely cause, and resetting the iPhone may not help.
- Check the router. See whether other devices can get online through it, move closer, and restart the router and modem by unplugging them and plugging them back in. Updating the router’s firmware can also help.
If the trouble is with cellular service instead of Wi-Fi, for example the status bar shows SOS, start with our guide to fixing SOS Only on an iPhone, which covers the carrier-side checks.
If the reset option is missing or the problem continues
- You cannot find the option. It is not on the first reset screen. After tapping Transfer or Reset iPhone you must tap Reset to open the menu that contains Reset Network Settings.
- The iPhone belongs to a company or school. Contact your IT administrator. Managed network settings may come back automatically, or the administrator may need to send them to the phone again.
- Wi-Fi still fails on one network only. Contact whoever runs that network. For a home connection that is your internet service provider.
- Wi-Fi fails on every network, even after the reset. The cause is probably not a saved setting. Apple recommends contacting Apple Support at that point.
- You no longer have a Wi-Fi password. Ask the person who manages the network, or contact the internet provider that supplied the router.
Apple’s full sequence, including the reset, is in If you can’t connect to Wi-Fi on your iPhone or iPad on Apple Support.
Frequently asked questions
Does resetting network settings delete photos, apps or messages?
No. Apple lists only Wi-Fi networks and passwords, cellular settings, and VPN and APN settings as the things this option resets. Erasing the iPhone is a separate choice.
Will I lose my Wi-Fi passwords?
Yes. Every Wi-Fi network saved on the iPhone is removed together with its password, so you have to rejoin each one.
Can I undo a network settings reset?
No. The only way back is to rejoin your Wi-Fi networks and set up any VPN or custom carrier settings again.
When should I reset network settings?
When Wi-Fi or cellular problems continue after you have restarted the iPhone, checked Airplane Mode, tested other networks and restarted the router. Apple treats the reset as a step for when other solutions have failed.
Is this the same as forgetting one Wi-Fi network?
No. Forgetting a network removes a single saved network. Resetting network settings removes all of them and also resets cellular, VPN and APN settings.
Should I reset network settings on a work iPhone?
Check with your IT administrator first. Apple gives that advice for any managed device.
Once the iPhone is back online, save your Wi-Fi password somewhere you can find it, so the next reset takes a minute instead of a search.
Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.
His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.