Level 1

32 points

spinning wheel icon next to wi-fi indicating network activity

how do I stop the spinning wheel next to the WI-FI icon from constantly spinning? It's eating up data and reducing battery power. I've actually figured out what triggers this constant network activity. After I hard reset the I-Phone SE to stop the constant network activity, I can use every app with no problems until I use the microphone on the key pad to write/voice a text message or a note, then the wheel starts spinning non-stop until I restart the phone. Does anyone know how to correct this problem?????????

iPhone SE, iOS 14

Posted on Oct 24, 2020 4:21 PM

Top-ranking reply

Lawrence Finch

Community+ 2025

Level 10

228,792 points

Posted on Oct 24, 2020 5:11 PM

The spinning icon means that some app is using data. You need to troubleshoot that. If you are using dictation everything you dictate is sent to Apple’s speech recognition server to perform speech to text, and the result is then sent back to your phone. This is the same server that Siri uses. So while you are dictating it will use data continuously, and for a while after you stop as it tries to refine the recognition.

But to troubleshoot go to Settings/Cellular and tap Reset Statistics, and turn off Wi-Fi, so all data goes over cellular. As you use the phone note when it is using data. After a few hours go to Settings/Cellular and the apps that have used data will be listed at the top of the page. You can see which ones used the most.

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357 replies

machinist_5 Author

Level 1

32 points

Dec 2, 2020 7:58 AM in response to Podgirlfromtheblacklagoon

Your right, nothing is going to correct this problem!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I've tried everything except the kitchen sink. It is on Apples end.

Quick question for everyone experiencing this issue. Is this just happening on the Iphone SE 2020 or is this happening on other newer Apple devices as well???????? I have an Iphone 7 and it DOES NOT have this issue, and it is running the same software.

As much as we all spend on their products you think this would be resolved by now... If this is only happening on the Iphone SE 2020 I think they should do a recall on this device.

Dickniaz

Level 1

4 points

Dec 2, 2020 12:50 PM in response to Dickniaz

Maybe someone can make sense of this. The first app that I installed was whatsapp. The problem started immediately. So I deleted whatsapp thinking it was the trigger. Problem remained. I don’t know. Still waiting to hear back from Apple. Hope the little devil Spinny wheel stays away for you

Dec 8, 2020 8:10 AM in response to Lawrence Finch

I do not have Screen Time enabled, and my Apple ID and iPhone are both personal and not affiliated in any way with work, an organization or school account. I also do not have MDM.

Is it possible statistics are not tracked and saved due to me not using iCloud?

Thanks for trying to assist on this.

Dec 8, 2020 8:24 AM in response to Lawrence Finch

I do have an unlimited plan, and I noticed that the usage statistics that are currently displayed are for "This Billing Period". I was able to manually set specific periods on Android, but I do not see that option here, so I am assuming the period is set by my carrier (T-Mobile) and will automatically reset at the beginning of the next billing period.

With that in mind, I will try your suggestion of just taking a screenshot before and after disabling WiFi and strictly using cellular data.

Also, according to the below link, GBoard on iPhone still uses Google's servers for the dictation, so I'm going to try that first.

https://www.cultofmac.com/469485/google-gboard-improve-ios-dictation/

machinist_5 Author

Level 1

32 points

Dec 8, 2020 8:50 AM in response to Lawrence Finch

I have unlimited data. I don't use iCloud and the problem still remains. I have noticed that sometimes when you dictate a voice message to another Apple user the wheel doesn't even start to spin. But it will come back, then you have to shut the phone down to stop it from spinning. It is really annoying!!!!!! Hopefully this issue will get fixed on the next update. Hopefully "ha"

Dec 8, 2020 9:07 AM in response to Lawrence Finch

My understanding is the same as yours, and I fully expected to see the spinning indicator while dictating through GBoard, but the indicator never appeared. I dictated several messages to myself, including a rather lengthy one to see if I could get the spinning indicator to at least momentarily show up in the status bar. It never displayed, which I thought was very weird (based on the aforementioned understanding).

Dec 8, 2020 9:12 AM in response to machinist_5

To clarify, the questions and comments regarding unlimited date and iCloud were in regards to why I do not have the option to reset my cellular data statistics, which I want to do in order to make it easier to monitor what is using that data.

machinist_5 Author

Level 1

32 points

Dec 8, 2020 9:26 AM in response to Machine_Ruse

What I meant to say Lawrence Finch, is I have noticed that sometimes when I dictate a message (text message) to another Apple user the wheel doesn't even start to spin. So there might be something different when two apple devices are communicating with each other.

It sounds as though you or Machine_Ruse will resolve this before Apple does!!! Mahine_Ruse knows his tech

Dec 9, 2020 8:57 AM in response to Dickniaz

Thank you for checking Dickniaz! Your results prompted me to check again, but this time I went outside of my work building before doing so. I can also confirm that I get the same persistent spinning icon whether I am on WiFi or cellular data. I believe my experience yesterday was a result of being inside a concrete bunker with very poor cellular reception (which I should've been aware of).

Back to square one.

Dec 9, 2020 2:58 PM in response to machinist_5

I am getting the same exact situation when I speak into my phone via dictation I sincerely hope that Apple fixes this bug very fast it is aggravating and when I called Apple support they acted like they had no idea what I was talking about and I get on here and read all these other people with the exact same situation I am having

Dickniaz

Level 1

4 points

Dec 10, 2020 2:46 PM in response to Podgirlfromtheblacklagoon

I am not suggesting that this is a permanent fix. As I said is just less of an inconvenience than restarting your phone. Hopefully a permanent fix will come soon. I am not trying to tell anyone what to do. just trying to help

Dec 10, 2020 2:59 PM in response to Dickniaz

What I am saying is it doesn't work at all. The spinning wheel doesn't even stop for a second. It might be a remedy for another spinning wheel issue (which I have encountered before). But not in this case.

Dickniaz

Level 1

4 points

Dec 10, 2020 7:34 PM in response to Machine_Ruse

OK maybe one of you can make sense of this. Just checked my old iPhone 7 that had the problem before I purchased my SE. There is no data wheel problem with this phone now. So I can only conclude that it has something to do with removing the Sim card. 🤔

Dec 10, 2020 8:04 PM in response to Dickniaz

Just to clarify, your iPhone 7 currently has WiFi, but not cellular data? Now you can use Apple’s speech-to-text services without getting the persistent spinning network indicator?

If that’s the case, I’m still not sure what it means. Based on the prevalence of iPhone SE users reporting this problem, I think it’s definitely a problem that is model-specific. That doesn’t mean other iOS devices don’t also have problems with the same symptom, I just think there is something specific going on with the SE.

Halliday

Level 4

2,677 points

Dec 10, 2020 8:13 PM in response to Machine_Ruse

Is that exactly what it was called, Machine_Ruse: «DNA Services»?

As far as I know, the DNS service, within iOS, is not called «DNS Services».

If you perform a search, on the affected iPhone, for «DNS Services», what comes up?

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spinning wheel icon next to wi-fi indicating network activity