5G Not Working on iPhone or iPad - How to Fix (10 Steps)

5G Not Working on iPhone or iPad

5G not working on iPhone or iPad is reported by many as it's a new technology and here is a guide on what you can do.

Apple rarely releases new devices or technology that are saturated. Being a brand with a massive reputation, this seems unlikely. Moving on, Apple has released 5G on their latest devices but what's surprising is that 5G should be enabled by default.

If you got the new iPhone 12 and are excited to try out 5G, however, something isn't working right, and your iPhone is only connecting to 4G LTE. One thing you can expect from Apple is that big features work right out of the box. One of the biggest selling points for the iPhone 12 series is its 5G connection because it's all about speed. Yet you might sometimes have trouble getting 5G to work on your iPhone. Here are some things you can do.

It's important to remember that you can only use 5G if the connection is available in your area. 5G networks aren't available everywhere yet. Here are a few workarounds you can follow to solve iPhone 12 5G issues. For this article, we're assuming you're in a 5G supported area but Check with your Carrier to make sure.

5G Not Working on iPhone:

5G services in America are provided by AT&T, Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile, Sprint, US Cellular, Cricket Wireless, Boost Mobile, Spectrum Mobile, and other popular networks and MVNOs. First launched in 2019, it's still in the development phase, and only in major cities and towns, the 5G network coverage is available.

Restart your iPhone:

One of the simplest ways to try and get your iPhone back in working condition is to simply restart it. It's no different from the old tech-support war stories of technicians telling customers to turn it off and turn it back on.

Check your Carrier Plan:

5G network coverage is still pretty new and therefore, isn't widely available. Major carriers are working to expand 5G coverage nationwide. The first thing that you'll want to do if you notice that 5G is not working on iPhone 12 is to check with your carrier.

Making use of 5G networks requires a plan change with your carrier. Some carriers may charge an extra few bucks, while others may include 5G connectivity.

Check the 5G Coverage area where you live:

Unlike 4G or LTE networks, where carriers are practically overlapping in every corner, 5G is a bit different. So if you noticed that your iPhone 12 never switches over to 5G, it may be because of limited coverage in your area.

Check if 5G is enabled on your iPhone:

Whenever you received your iPhone, the 5G connectivity was enabled out of the box. However, for one reason or another, this could have been turned off accidentally or intentionally.

Here's how you can check to make sure 5G is turned on:

  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Tap Cellular.
  3. Select Cellular Data Options.
  4. Tap Voice and Data.
  5. Make sure that either 5G Auto or 5G On are selected.

5G Auto is a unique feature that uses Apple's Smart Data Mode. Due to this iPhone 12 can quickly switch between 5G or LTE, based on what provides faster network speeds.

Check if you are using Dual SIM Mode:

If you have two lines on your iPhone 12 with Dual SIM Mode and recognize that 5G isn't working on your device, it's due to some limitations in the Dual SIM model. Simply put, you cannot use 5G on your iPhone 12 together with the other SIM if two SIM Cards are used and one of them doesn't have 5G network support. In those cases, the two lines are switched to LTE automatically. To avoid these situations, either you should use a single 5G SIM or make sure that both of them support 5G connectivity if you want to use dual SIM's.

Check if you have turned on Data Roaming:

iPhone series model, including the maxed-out variant iPhone 12 Pro Max, can be used by 5G networks when ON data roaming has been switched on. This is because the network carrier around the world continues to work to deploy its 5G roaming assistance.

Fix iPhone Stuck on Boot

Reset your Network Settings:

From time to time, you need to perform a reset on your iPhone. This can help work out any potential bugs or kinks in the software. And the best thing about it is you don't necessarily need to completely reset the iPhone if your 5G isn't working. Instead, you can reset the Network Settings alone while you continue trying to troubleshoot why 5G isn't working.

  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Tap General.
  3. Scroll down and select Reset.
  4. Tap Reset Network Settings.
  5. Enter your passcode, if prompted.

Toggle Airplane Mode:

Airplane Mode is designed to remove all potential interference from phone calls, Bluetooth, or anything else on your iPhone. Toggling includes your Cellular Network and is one of the easiest ways to gain back network connectivity.

  1. Swipe down from the top right corner of your screen.
  2. From within the control center, tap the Airplane Mode icon to turn it on.
  3. Wait for a few moments.
  4. Tap the Airplane Mode toggle again to turn it off.
  5. Check your status bar after the signal bars return.

Check for a Software Update:

1. Open the Settings app.

2. Tap General.

3. Select Software Update.

4 . If an update is available, tap Download and Install.

5. Enter your passcode if necessary.

What if 5G still does not appear???

Sometimes you can exhaust all of the potential workarounds or fixes and your iPhone just continues to have issues. This likely has something to do with the Hardware itself, and can't be solved just by restarting or resetting your iPhone.

Verizon 5G Not Working:

Are you using an iPhone on Verizon and if there is a Verizon 5G data reception problem then make sure that you have followed the above-mentioned tricks correctly.

AT&T 5G Doesn't Work:

Just like Verizon Wireless, AT&T has started 5G services and it's on a roll. But still, it doesn't provide 5G in some areas and reception might be weak in your bedroom or kitchen. There are various reasons for that we have mentioned how to fix that above. Please scroll up and read the tips carefully.

Conclusion:

5G connectivity can be awesome if you find a good connection. If you happen to live in or come across, an area with a poor 5G connection, the results can be frustrating. This is a tell-tale sign that 5G may be the future, but it's not available just yet.

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So that's how you can fix 5G not working on Apple iPhone or Apple iPad with 5G.

This post was last modified on November 27, 2023 1:46 PM

Komal Ravani: Komal, a mother of two sweet little kids spares her afternoon relaxation time to contribute to this site.