iOS 17 bug: Wi-Fi not connecting after restart iPhone and iPad.

After iOS 17 update when I close the device, and then open it again, does not connect automatically with my Wi-Fi. I have to get in the settings and then close and open the Wi-Fi so it connects.


This is happening to all our family devices. iPhone 13, iPhone 14 plus, iPad mini, iPad Pro M2.

iPhone 14 Plus, iOS 17

Posted on Sep 23, 2023 1:37 AM

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Question marked as Best answer

I’m surprised that this is not affecting many people. I have 3 devices at home (2 iPhones and an iPad Pro) and are all affected by this issue. After a restart I have to toggle WiFi off/on for it to connect.

Posted on Oct 6, 2023 1:16 PM

30 replies

Sep 23, 2023 1:40 AM in response to PetridisP

This issue is not related to any of the iOS updates. If it were, millions of other iPhones would have been affected as well.



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



Reset Network Settings: Only network settings are removed.

  • When you reset network settings, previously used networks and VPN settings that weren’t installed by a configuration profile or mobile device management (MDM) are removed. Wi-Fi is turned off and then back on, disconnecting you from any network you’re on. The Wi-Fi and Ask to Join Networks settings remain turned on.
  • To remove VPN settings installed by a configuration profile, go to Settings > General > Profiles & Device Management, select the configuration profile, then tap Remove Profile. This also removes other settings and accounts provided by the profile. See Install or remove configuration profiles on iPhone in this guide.
  • To remove network settings installed by MDM, go to Settings > General > Profiles & Device Management, select the management, then tap Remove Management. This also removes other settings and certificates provided by MDM. See “Mobile device management (MDM)” in the iOS Deployment Reference.
  • Reset your Network Settings. Tap Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings. This also resets Wi-Fi networks and passwords, cellular settings, and VPN and APN settings that you've used before.


If the above fails...



Reset All Settings: 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.



If nothing above works probably it could be your iPhone may have a WiFi radio or antenna problem. In that case, take your device to an Apple Retail Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider, or contact Apple Support and get the hardware tested and if needed repaired/replaced.


Find Locations - Location Selector - Apple

Contact Apple for support and service - Apple Support 

Get a Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple

Contact Genius Bar. Manage Reservations - My Reservations - Apple



Sep 23, 2023 1:54 AM in response to SravanKrA

Don't you think it's not relevant that this problem started right after we upgraded all our devices to iOS 17? I have already restarted the router as well as all our devices. I have also Deleted (ignore) the WiFi from all our devices and reconnected it from the beginning but the problem remains. I think people haven't noticed because they don't turn off their devices often. But we do it every day so it was easy to understand.

Oct 10, 2023 3:14 AM in response to PetridisP

Can confirm this happens on multiple devices, both an iPhone and an iPad upgraded to iOS 17. On restart, WiFi simply fails to connect until it is manually disabled and re-enabled. It's specific to iOS 17, because an iPhone which still has iOS 16 does connect automatically to the same WiFi network on restart. And on the iOS 17 devices, this behavior only began after the devices were upgraded from iOS 16.


In fact, the Control Center will show the name of the network that the iPhone or iPad is trying to connect to, reading as though it's connected, but without a signal strength indicator where the WiFi signal strength should normally be, until WiFi is manually toggled off and on again. This is especially annoying for an iPhone that restarts overnight on its own, fails to connect to WiFi, and chews into cellular data allotment during the night.

Oct 21, 2023 10:46 PM in response to SravanKrA

I assure you, it’s not a problem with the WiFi. I updated one iPad and my iPhone 12 to IOS17. They no longer connect to the internet… immediately after the update completed. My other iPhone SE and IPad that I did not upgrade connect to the Internet perfectly… as before. It’s an IOS17 glitch. And I further assure you that this IS most certainly affecting many, many iPhone and iPad users.

Oct 24, 2023 4:16 PM in response to SravanKrA

In one particular way, it certainly IS related to the IOS update. When connecting to a (private) network where you must manually configure the IP address, IOS 17 behaves differently than IOS 16. In IOS 16, you need not configure the "Router" IP address in order to connect, whereas in IOS 17, you must. I have two iPads: one still running IOS 16 and the other running IOS 17. The former still connects wonderfully (without the Router IP address configured) but the latter, with the exact same network configuration, stopped connecting immediately after the update from 16 -> 17. After pulling on what hair I have left, searching the forums far and wide, and uttering discouraging words, I finally tried entering the access point IP address in the Router field of the network configuration and Voila!

Oct 29, 2023 4:54 PM in response to PetridisP

Every since I updated my phone to 17.1, the phone won't connect to our WiFi router. I have tried all of the troubleshooting steps including disabling and then reenbling WiFi on the iPhone, power cycling the phone, power cyling the WiFi router, trying different encryption (WPA2 and WPA3), and moving to 2.4 GHz radio, then back to 5 GHz radio band, and some other changes on our WiFi router, but nothing works.


Also, ever since I upgraded our iPad to iOS 16.7.1, the iPad has also not been able to connect to our WiFi router.


Finally, a family member updated their iPhone to the most recent iOS, and now their iPhone can't connect to WiFi.


Apple, please fix this bug ASAP.

Oct 29, 2023 5:49 PM in response to SravanKrA

It is related to the iOS 17.1 update.


Once I updated my phone to 17.1, the phone won't connect to our WiFi router. I have tried all of the troubleshooting steps including disabling and then reenbling WiFi on the iPhone, power cycling the phone, power cyling the WiFi router, trying different encryption (WPA2 and WPA3), and moving to 2.4 GHz radio, then back to 5 GHz radio band, and some other changes on our WiFi router, but nothing works.


Also, ever since I upgraded our iPad to iOS 16.7.1, the iPad has also not been able to connect to our WiFi router.


Finally, a family member updated their iPhone to the most recent iOS, and now their iPhone can't connect to WiFi.


Apple, please fix this bug ASAP.

Oct 30, 2023 9:39 AM in response to PetridisP

I came across this thread while looking for answers to a similar but different behavior since upgrading my iPhone 14 Pro to iOS 17.1 this week. (I waited until 17.1 to move from iOS 16.)


My iPhone continues to connect automatically to my home WiFi network but it stops actually working, usually overnight. All network activity then fails and times out while WiFi continues to work fine on all other devices. It takes some sequence of disabling/re-enabling WiFi on my phone (with/without airplane mode) to get it working again. A reboot also fixes it for a while. I had no trouble like this until iOS 17.


Just offering this as an FYI. Now I’ll continue looking to see if others are encountering this…

iOS 17 bug: Wi-Fi not connecting after restart iPhone and iPad.

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