Cellular signal

Why does my cellular signal always say 2 bars of service? I’ll use multiple strategies to reset signal. Some will work for a matter of minutes some not at all. It also does not matter if I’m downtown right next to a tower, still 2 bars.

iPhone 13 Pro Max

Posted on Aug 27, 2023 10:38 PM

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Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Aug 27, 2023 10:41 PM

You may try some of these steps, please check after each step...


  1. Check your signal strength. Make sure that you are in an area with good cellular reception. You can check your signal strength by looking at the signal bars in the status bar at the top of your screen.
  2. If you are using a cellular data plan with limited data, you may be experiencing slow speeds or dropped connections because you have reached your data limit.
  3. If you are using a VPN, this could be interfering with your cellular data connection. Try disabling your VPN and see if that fixes the problem.
  4. Update your carrier settings. Your carrier may have released new carrier settings that can fix cellular data issues. To update your carrier settings, go to Settings > General > About. If there is an update available, it will be listed under "Carrier settings." Manually update your carrier settings on your iPhone or iPad
  5. Turning on Airplane Mode for a few seconds and then turning it off can refresh your cellular connection. You can enable Airplane Mode by swiping down from the top right corner of the screen to access the Control Center or by going to Settings > Airplane Mode.
  6. Sometimes, a simple restart can resolve temporary software glitches. Turn off your iPhone, wait for a few seconds, and then turn it back on.
    1. Restart the device. That's it.
    2. Still not solved --> Force restart iPhone - Apple Support
  7. If the issue persists, you can try resetting all settings on your iPhone. This will not erase your data but will reset all personalized settings to their default values. Go to Settings > General > Transfer & Reset > Reset > Reset All Settings and confirm the action. Note that you will need to reconfigure your settings afterward. All settings—including network settings, the keyboard dictionary, the Home screen layout, location settings, privacy settings, and Apple Pay cards—are removed or reset to their defaults. No data or media are deleted.
    1. Reset All Settings: Return iPhone settings to their defaults - Apple Support:- Return iPhone settings to their defaults
    2. You can return settings to their defaults without erasing your content.
    3. If you want to save your settings, back up your iPhone before returning them to their defaults. For example, if you’re trying to solve a problem but returning settings to their defaults doesn’t help, you might want to restore your previous settings from a backup.
  8. Make sure you have the latest updates installed.
    1. Update Over-the-Air (OTA) —> Update your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support (IN)
    2. Update using iTunes/Finder —> Update your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support (IN)


If none of the above steps resolve the issue, it is recommended to reach out to Apple Support or visit an authorized service center for further assistance. They can provide specific guidance based on your device model and iOS version.



4 replies
Question marked as Best reply

Aug 27, 2023 10:41 PM in response to BigSwingR

You may try some of these steps, please check after each step...


  1. Check your signal strength. Make sure that you are in an area with good cellular reception. You can check your signal strength by looking at the signal bars in the status bar at the top of your screen.
  2. If you are using a cellular data plan with limited data, you may be experiencing slow speeds or dropped connections because you have reached your data limit.
  3. If you are using a VPN, this could be interfering with your cellular data connection. Try disabling your VPN and see if that fixes the problem.
  4. Update your carrier settings. Your carrier may have released new carrier settings that can fix cellular data issues. To update your carrier settings, go to Settings > General > About. If there is an update available, it will be listed under "Carrier settings." Manually update your carrier settings on your iPhone or iPad
  5. Turning on Airplane Mode for a few seconds and then turning it off can refresh your cellular connection. You can enable Airplane Mode by swiping down from the top right corner of the screen to access the Control Center or by going to Settings > Airplane Mode.
  6. Sometimes, a simple restart can resolve temporary software glitches. Turn off your iPhone, wait for a few seconds, and then turn it back on.
    1. Restart the device. That's it.
    2. Still not solved --> Force restart iPhone - Apple Support
  7. If the issue persists, you can try resetting all settings on your iPhone. This will not erase your data but will reset all personalized settings to their default values. Go to Settings > General > Transfer & Reset > Reset > Reset All Settings and confirm the action. Note that you will need to reconfigure your settings afterward. All settings—including network settings, the keyboard dictionary, the Home screen layout, location settings, privacy settings, and Apple Pay cards—are removed or reset to their defaults. No data or media are deleted.
    1. Reset All Settings: Return iPhone settings to their defaults - Apple Support:- Return iPhone settings to their defaults
    2. You can return settings to their defaults without erasing your content.
    3. If you want to save your settings, back up your iPhone before returning them to their defaults. For example, if you’re trying to solve a problem but returning settings to their defaults doesn’t help, you might want to restore your previous settings from a backup.
  8. Make sure you have the latest updates installed.
    1. Update Over-the-Air (OTA) —> Update your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support (IN)
    2. Update using iTunes/Finder —> Update your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support (IN)


If none of the above steps resolve the issue, it is recommended to reach out to Apple Support or visit an authorized service center for further assistance. They can provide specific guidance based on your device model and iOS version.



Aug 27, 2023 10:42 PM in response to BigSwingR

I'm sorry to hear that you're experiencing signal problems with your iPhone. Here are some troubleshooting steps you can try to improve the signal reception:


  1. Confirm that your iPhone is in an area with good network coverage. Even if the coverage is advertised as 100 percent, there might still be spots with weaker signals due to obstacles or interference. Also, check if there are any outages --> Down Detector - outages
  2. Turn on Airplane Mode for about 30 seconds and then turn it off. This action can help reset the network connections.
  3. Remove your SIM card, clean it gently with a dry cloth, and reinsert it securely into your iPhone.
  4. Inspect your iPhone for any physical damage that might be affecting the signal reception, such as a bent frame or damaged antenna.
  5. In some cases, switching between 3G, 4G, or 5G (if available) can improve signal stability. You can find this option in Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options.
  6. If the problem persists, contact your cellular carrier to inquire about potential network issues in your area or any specific problems with your account.
  7. If possible, test your iPhone's signal in various locations to see if the issue is localized to a specific area.
  8. Sometimes, a simple restart can resolve temporary software glitches. Turn off your iPhone, wait for a few seconds, and then turn it back on.
    1. Restart the device. That's it.
    2. Still not solved --> Force restart iPhone - Apple Support
  9. If the issue persists, you can try resetting all settings on your iPhone. This will not erase your data but will reset all personalized settings to their default values. Go to Settings > General > Transfer & Reset > Reset > Reset All Settings and confirm the action. Note that you will need to reconfigure your settings afterward. All settings—including network settings, the keyboard dictionary, the Home screen layout, location settings, privacy settings, and Apple Pay cards—are removed or reset to their defaults. No data or media are deleted.
    1. Reset All Settings: Return iPhone settings to their defaults - Apple Support:- Return iPhone settings to their defaults
    2. You can return settings to their defaults without erasing your content.
    3. If you want to save your settings, back up your iPhone before returning them to their defaults. For example, if you’re trying to solve a problem but returning settings to their defaults doesn’t help, you might want to restore your previous settings from a backup.
  10. Make sure you have the latest updates installed.
    1. Update Over-the-Air (OTA) —> Update your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support (IN)
    2. Update using iTunes/Finder —> Update your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support (IN)


If none of the above steps resolve the issue, it is recommended to reach out to Apple Support or visit an authorized service center for further assistance. They can provide specific guidance based on your device model and iOS version.



Aug 27, 2023 10:42 PM in response to BigSwingR

RSRP is short for Reference Signal Received Power, used when measuring 4G LTE networks. A cellular phone or another LTE-equipped device would display signal strength in RSRP, measured 0dBm (best signal) to -110dBm (weakest/no signal). An RSRP of -95dBm would be a strong signal whereas -115dBm would be very weak.


The pic below is self-explanatory

Cellular signal

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