You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Cellular Issue Detected iPhone 13 Pro Max

My phone keeps saying there's "Cellular Issue Detected"

I've already done all of the following:


  1. I have updated my phone to the latest IOS
  2. I went to my carrier and requested for a new sim
  3. I've backed up my phone
  4. I've reset the network settings (multiple times I might add)
  5. I've hard reset my phone
  6. I've contacted 3 Apple support via chat in different dates
  7. I got to talk on the phone to the Apple support team from Singapore
  8. I went to the Apple service center in my area and told them they can run a diagnostic but if they find that theres a problem with the hardware, they cannot fix it. The only solution is to buy a new phone.
  9. I've already run a diagnostic test with Apple support and they found everything to be in good shape
  10. The cellular issue started happening only days AFTER my warranty expired, so this is a fairly new phone.


It's quite unfair to buy a new phone and potentially have the same problem again. What's the guarantee that IF I buy a new phone, I wont encounter problems like this anymore? It's like a guessing game and a game of change that when I buy a phone, I just hope and pray that the unit given to me wont have issues in the long run. I'm very much open to paying for services to fix the issue but the only option they gave me was to buy a new phone and for a phone that literally just turned 1 year old, I am not willing to spend crazy amount of money again. Does Apple really have NO WAY of fixing the hardware for cellular data issues??

iPhone 13 Pro Max, iOS 16

Posted on Aug 10, 2023 5:13 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Dec 11, 2023 8:04 PM

Hi did you ever get this figured out? I’m here because of this exact issue. I’ve tried everything you’ve listed along with them removing my sim and creating an ESIM. It still doesn’t work. I’ve switched my phone number back to my old phone for phone calls but kept my current phone for on WiFi. Top right hand corner it’s a triangle with a ! In it, and says no service. And then in my settings it says cellular issue detected. This has been going on a month and my phone is completely unusable without WiFi.

also 13 pro max.

I’m desperate for answers at this point. Apple is no help and neither is US cellular.

Similar questions

18 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Dec 11, 2023 8:04 PM in response to jannybravo

Hi did you ever get this figured out? I’m here because of this exact issue. I’ve tried everything you’ve listed along with them removing my sim and creating an ESIM. It still doesn’t work. I’ve switched my phone number back to my old phone for phone calls but kept my current phone for on WiFi. Top right hand corner it’s a triangle with a ! In it, and says no service. And then in my settings it says cellular issue detected. This has been going on a month and my phone is completely unusable without WiFi.

also 13 pro max.

I’m desperate for answers at this point. Apple is no help and neither is US cellular.

Jan 11, 2024 8:06 PM in response to victoriafromtomah

Same issue with 13 Pro Max after 17.2.1.. Google Fi is completely useless. my phone keeps draining battery with "No Cellular Coverage" and overheating.


SOS, one-bar, 5-bars, LTE, 5G. this loop keeps repeating itself.


I have reset network settings, i have done hard reset, and reconfigured. no dice.


I can' receive calls, or messages or use data.


Google Fi is clueless..

Apr 21, 2024 5:56 AM in response to jannybravo

iPhone 13 Pro max) I feel everyone’s pain and frustration, let’s cut to the chase, for me I tried all the little steps… volume up and down, the airplane mode thingy etc,etc, etc, just back up your phone if you can, I had a 2nd pc I was able to use the encryption option this way you can save pretty much everything, use the iTunes software, after backing up your phone the iTunes program will download a whole new update(just in case you got a bad one the first time) when you encrypt make a password and please don’t forget it because when you restore your phone iTunes will ask you for that password that you made to put your backup back on your phone you just wiped, remember use the encryption option it’s save pretty much your whole phone info. Hope this helps, this was my last resort but it worked

Jun 3, 2024 12:43 AM in response to jannybravo

I have had the same issue with my iPhone 13 Pro Max - 'Cellular Issue Detected'. After this phone had been working fine for me here in Italy with my Italian Sim card which I have used for several years here, all cell service suddenly failed. I contacted Apple Support on my laptop and was told to do an update on my phone. Then I did a second consult with Apple Support (using an older iPhone which luckily I had here with me and used my Italian Sim card to receive the callback). That agent ran a diagnostic test on my 13 ProMax and quickly discovered a hardware issue. Because I have AppleCare+, he is arranging to send me a new phone as a replacement. So, in the end it appears that it was a hardware issue and not a software issue. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the replacement phone will be the answer.

Aug 10, 2023 9:03 AM in response to jannybravo

It sounds like you've already taken several important steps to address the cellular issue on your iPhone. Since you've worked with Apple support, updated your iOS, and obtained a new SIM card from your carrier, it's great to hear that your device's hardware and software seem to be in good shape.


My suggestion is to test the cellular issue in a different coverage area may help you identify the issue. Here's why this step can be beneficial and how to go about it:


Why Test in a Different Coverage Area:

  1. Network Variability: Cellular signal strength can vary significantly depending on your location. By testing your iPhone in a different coverage area, you can determine if the issue is specific to your current location or if it persists across different areas.
  2. Tower and Network Performance: Different areas might have different cell towers and network configurations. Testing in a different area can help you evaluate whether the issue is related to a particular tower or network infrastructure.


How to Test in a Different Coverage Area:

  1. Choose a Different Location: Pick a location that is known to have good cellular coverage. This could be a different part of your city or a completely different city if possible.
  2. Observe Call Reception: Once you're in the new location, monitor your iPhone for incoming calls. Pay attention to whether the issue persists or if you're able to receive calls consistently.
  3. Compare Performance: If you notice that your iPhone receives calls without any issues in the new location, it could indicate that the problem is related to the cellular coverage in your original area.


Testing in a different coverage area can provide valuable insights into whether the issue is tied to your specific location or if it's a broader problem. If the problem does seem to be related to the coverage in your original area, your carrier might need to address network issues in that location.


Remember to make a note of your observations during this testing process, as it can be helpful information to share with your carrier or Apple support if further assistance is required.


Aug 10, 2023 5:34 PM in response to SravanKrA

Thank you for this.


  1. Network Availability - The city I live in is fairly small and prior to having Cellular Issue Detected problems, I’ve been to areas here that I normally go to either on a weekly basis or on a daily basis. I’ve never had problems in those areas before until around 2 weeks ago. I also experience cellular issues when I’m at home which again, I never had issues with before.
  2. Towers and Network Performance - I’m not entirely sure how to test this as my cellular issue happens in random times of the day even when I’m just in the same location the entire day. I would restart my phone and the cellular issue would be gone, and a few minutes to maybe a few hours later, the problem would persist again. At home, I believe there’s a cellular tower nearby but the problem would happen at home as well
  3. Choose a different location - I’ve been to the business district and IT center area in our city which is the busiest area and the problem would also happen there.
  4. Observe Call Reception - When in the new location, often times I dont have problems with the cellular issue. The cellular issue, before, used to happen on random times of the day (even if I’m in the same location the whole day i.e. I’m at work) but now, the problem would occur only at night when I’m either on the way home or just arrived at home.


I would also just like to add that with the conversation we had with Apple Support from Singapore, they found that when the phone did not have the sim and upon trying to set up the sim, it showed this: he mentioned the problem is with the carrier. Although I would also like to add that prior to this call, I’ve already requested for a sim replacement.

Cellular Issue Detected iPhone 13 Pro Max

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.