Android Phone Won’t Connect to WiFi: 9 Simple Fixes That Work

Introduction: Why this guide matters and what to expect

Nothing is more frustrating than your Android phone won’t connect to WiFi right when you need it, whether that is during a video call or while trying to stream a show. Most problems are simple, not mysterious. Common causes include wrong WiFi password, router hiccups, software bugs after an update, IP address conflicts, and aggressive battery saver or VPN settings blocking connections.

This guide walks you through quick, practical fixes you can do right now. You will learn how to reboot both phone and router, forget and rejoin networks, reset network settings, check for firmware and OS updates, and identify tricky issues like MAC filtering or static DNS entries.

Follow the steps in order, test the connection after each one, and you will likely fix the issue in under 10 minutes.

Quick checklist to try first

If your android phone won’t connect to wifi, try these three fast fixes that solve most problems in seconds.

1. Toggle Wi‑Fi and Airplane mode. Turn Wi‑Fi off, wait five seconds, then turn it back on. If that fails, enable Airplane mode for 10 seconds, then disable it. This forces the radio to reset, and it often fixes flaky connections to home routers or public hotspots.

2. Restart the phone and the router. Reboot your Android by holding the power button and tapping Restart, then unplug the router for 30 seconds and plug it back in. Routers accumulate errors, and a full power cycle clears stale IP assignments that can block devices from getting online.

3. Forget the network and reconnect. Go to Settings, Wi‑Fi, tap the network name, choose Forget, then join again and type the password exactly, including capitals and special characters. If you see a login page instead of internet access, open a browser to trigger the captive portal and accept terms. This step fixes issues caused by corrupted network profiles or changed passwords.

Try these in order, they usually restore Wi‑Fi in under a minute, and they cover the majority of cases before you need deeper troubleshooting.

Restart your phone and router, the simple power cycle

If your android phone won’t connect to wifi, start with the simplest fix, a power cycle. Many connection problems come from temporary glitches, stuck radios, or a router that ran out of memory. Restarting clears those things and forces fresh IP assignment.

Steps to follow, fast and effective:

1. Turn off your Android, hold the power button and tap Restart or Power off.
2. Unplug the router and modem from power, wait 30 to 60 seconds, then plug them back in. Do not press the reset button.
3. Wait until the router’s lights are stable, usually 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Turn your phone back on, open Wi‑Fi, and reconnect to your network.

If it still fails, repeat once more before trying the router settings or network forget.

Toggle WiFi and forget the network, then reconnect

If your android phone won’t connect to wifi, start with the simplest fix: toggle Wi‑Fi off and back on. Swipe down from the top, tap the Wi‑Fi icon to turn it off, wait 10 seconds, then tap it again. This clears brief radio glitches.

If that fails, forget the network and reconnect with the correct password. Go to Settings, Network & internet, Wi‑Fi, then tap the network name and choose Forget. On some phones the path is Settings, Connections, Wi‑Fi, Saved networks. Now select the network, enter the password carefully, and tap Connect. Tip, if the router password has mixed case characters, use the show password option to confirm you typed it right.

If you still see an authentication error after rejoining, test the same Wi‑Fi on another device to rule out router issues, then restart your phone and try again. This combo fixes most authentication and saved network problems.

Check date, time, and Airplane mode

If your android phone won’t connect to wifi, the culprit can be something as simple as wrong date and time or Airplane mode. SSL certificates and some network authentication require a correct clock, so a phone set to the wrong year will refuse secure connections. Go to Settings > System > Date and time, enable automatic network time, and verify the timezone.

Next, pull down Quick Settings and check the Airplane mode icon. Toggle it on, wait five seconds, then turn it off to reset radios. If problems persist, reboot the phone and router, then try reconnecting to the WiFi network.

Update Android system and router firmware

Start by updating your phone, apps, and router, because many connection bugs come from outdated software. On Android go to Settings, About phone or System, then System update. Next open Google Play Store, tap your profile, choose Manage apps & device, and install pending updates for Google Play services and networking apps. For the router, log into the admin page at 192.168.1.1 or use the vendor app like Netgear Nighthawk or Linksys Smart WiFi, look for Firmware or Router Update, and apply the latest build. Reboot both devices after updates. If your Android phone won’t connect to WiFi after updating, try WPA2 or mixed WPA2 WPA3 mode temporarily.

Advanced settings: IP address, DNS, and proxy troubleshooting

If your android phone won’t connect to wifi, bad IP or DNS settings are often the culprit. Here is exactly what to try, with real values you can copy.

1. Switch between DHCP and static IP. Settings, Network & internet, WiFi, tap the network, Advanced, IP settings. Set to DHCP to let the router assign an address. If you must use Static, pick an unused IP in your router range, for example 192.168.1.45, gateway 192.168.1.1, prefix length 24. Wrong gateway or duplicate IP will keep you connected to the network but offline.

2. Change DNS to a public resolver. On the same Advanced screen enter DNS 1 as 8.8.8.8 and DNS 2 as 8.8.4.4, or use 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1. On Android 9 and up, use Private DNS and set dns.google or 1dot1dot1dot1.cloudflare dns.com for hostname based resolver.

3. Remove proxy settings. In the network Advanced section set Proxy to None. If Proxy is Manual, clear the host and port, then reconnect.

After each change, forget the network and reconnect to force the new settings.

Reset network settings and factory reset options

If your android phone won’t connect to wifi after trying the basics, reset network settings first. This clears saved WiFi networks, Bluetooth pairings, and mobile data settings without touching apps or files. How to do it: Settings, System or General management, Reset options, Reset network settings. Rejoin your network, enter the password, test connection.

Only use a factory reset as a last resort, when the problem persists across networks and other devices connect fine. Backup first: sync contacts and calendar to your Google account, upload photos to Google Photos, export SMS with a backup app if needed, and note app logins. Remove any lock screen accounts if you plan to use recovery mode, and make sure you know your Google account credentials to avoid activation lock.

Factory reset steps: Settings, System, Reset, Erase all data, confirm. If the phone is unresponsive, use recovery mode to wipe data. After reset, restore your backups, then test WiFi before reinstalling everything.

When it’s a hardware or provider issue and what to do next

First, isolate the problem. Try another device on your router, and try your phone on a mobile hotspot. If other devices connect but your android phone won’t connect to wifi or cannot even see networks, you are likely facing a phone hardware fault. If nothing connects, suspect the router or ISP, check outage maps, and power cycle the modem and router. Note router lights, error codes, and firmware version, and collect the router model and your phone MAC address before contacting support. When you call ISP or phone support, list the exact steps you tried and any error messages, and ask about modem replacement or firmware updates. For phone hardware issues, choose an authorized repair center if under warranty, and back up your data before service.

Conclusion and final troubleshooting checklist

If your android phone won’t connect to wifi, start with the fastest checks first. These fix most issues in under five minutes.

Priority checklist, do these in order:

1. Reboot phone and router, test with another device to rule out ISP problems.
2. Toggle Wi Fi off and on, then try connecting to the same network.
3. Forget the network, then reconnect using the exact password.
4. Try a mobile hotspot to confirm the phone can use Wi Fi networks.
5. Update Android system and the router firmware, then reboot both.
6. Reset network settings on the phone, this clears corrupted configs.
7. Boot into safe mode to see if an app is blocking Wi Fi.

If none of this works, back up your data, perform a factory reset, then test before restoring apps. Still stuck, contact your carrier or router manufacturer, note your phone model and Android version, and capture screenshots of error messages to speed up support.