Hi folks,
I have an iPhone 7, and I use it without a SIM card - WiFi only. However, whenever I leave the device idle for a bit, it disconnects from WiFi, and I don't receive any incoming messages. How do I configure the iPhone to stay connected to WiFi when idle?
Thanks!
-Paul
iPhone 7
Wifi is disabled when the screen goes to sleep.
If you want it to stay on, plug the phone in to power.
~Lyssa
Wifi is disabled when the screen goes to sleep.
If you want it to stay on, plug the phone in to power.
~Lyssa
I use an iPhone XR without Sim and connect only through WiFi and yet I’m not facing the issue that you mentioned. The WiFi doesn’t get disconnected even when my phone is idle.
Goto Settings > General > Reset > Reset network settings. Then try reconnecting to your network.
This might solve your issue.
Unfortunately, iOS 13 behaves the same. It has new settings that keep WiFi enabled when idle/asleep, but only if connected to a wifi hotspot running on another iPhone, which is completely useless to me. All apps I have tested stop receiving push notifications a few minutes after the device goes idle, which confirms what I've read in other threads on this and other forums. iOS simply won't stay connected to WiFi when idle and not connected to a power source. It's too bad - this single decision renders the device unusable in an otherwise completely supported scenario. It's contradictory and user hostile.
It's built into iOS and can't be overridden. Not sure if the reason is published/officially stated by Apple but it's meant to save power when on battery.
~Lyssa
While plugged in, set the phone to Never go to sleep.
For reference, Android keeps WiFi connected while the device is idle, regardless of whether or not mobile data is available.
Does anyone know why iOS behaves differently? It seems like a strange decision.
-Paul
Sigh, if only they would give us the choice of functionality over battery life.
I left the phone plugged in, but idle (screen off), and it still disconnects from WiFi, so I suspect something other than battery life is at play here. Is it intentionally crippled without a SIM to discourage us from using iPhones without a mobile plan? It sure seems that way! Disappointed :(
I do see that iOS 13 has a 'persistent personal hotspot' feature that keeps WiFi connected when the device is idle, but only when connected to a hotspot provided by another iOS device. Again, almost what I need, but still too restrictive. Maybe there will be a way to trick it into thinking that a normal WiFi access point is a 'personal hotspot'... Fingers crossed.
-Paul
Hey folks,
Thanks for the suggestions. I've actually already tried these (and many others), but to no avail. I'm starting to suspect that it depends on the app the messages/calls are being sent to. For example, sending my device an iMessage or SnapChat message works fine when the device has been idle for a while, but sending messages to some other apps doesn't work. I will test further and report back.
Is there a setting to keep wifi enabled when the device becomes idle (screen turns off)? I can't be tethered to a plug all day, so your suggestion won't help unfortunately.
-Paul
Stay connected to WiFi without SIM card
