Reset network settings on iPhone deleted all my saved wifi networks also my Mac!

I had to perform a "reset network settings" on my iPhone 6 (iOS 8, latest version) to solve a sync problem with Photo. That helped, but not only I lost all the list of saved wifi networks on my phone (the price to pay...), but also on my MacBook Pro (OS X Yosemite, latest version)!


Since "reset network settings" seems to be often an issue-solver on iOS and it's very annoying having lost all my wifi settings also on my Mac, is there any way to avoiding sync between the network settings of the two devices?


I mean, it's a nice plus when I go to a hotel and I connect my Mac to the wifi and also my iPhone goes on it... but on the other hand I would definitely do without it if when I have to perform a "rest network settings" on my iPhone that deletes all the saved networks on my Mac (which did need to get its network setting reset...)


Thanks!


Vittorio

iPhone 6, iOS 8.4.1

Posted on Sep 8, 2015 9:07 AM

Reply
13 replies

Jul 15, 2016 10:25 PM in response to e-vitto

This just happened to me today. MacBook Pro 15 Retina with latest El Capitan and iPhone 6s with latest iOS. My iPhone wasn't joining familiar WiFi networks, staying on LTE instead. I should have just rebooted the iPhone. But instead, I foolishly reset my network settings.


THEN MY MACBOOK LOST ALL NETWORK PASSWORDS!


This is not acceptable! There was no warning about repercussions related to KeyChain on iCloud! Maybe I can re-enter every password (including all of my clients, my home, my university, my friends, my tech incubators, my favorite bars & restaurants...), one-by-one, by going back to Keychain Access every time on my Mac. But this deal *****!


I am former Apple Employee #4866. I used to be an Engineering Project Manager on the Mac OS. I lived and worked in Cupertino for a bunch of years. That was long ago, but listen to me, my children! This ain't no "feature"!!!!

Aug 1, 2016 12:24 AM in response to Guinea50

There was no warning that I would lose WiFi passwords on all of my other devices using iCloud. Your advice about temporarily disabling iCloud sync might work, but who is going to do that without already suffering this problem. I say again: THIS IS A BUG, NOT A FEATURE!!!!


Now I'm thinking of pulling out one of my older MacBooks and temporarily signing back into iCloud just to get all of those lost passwords back. I have multiple clients (not to mention family and friends) who depend on me to remember their passwords and fix their networks.


Are you listening in Cupertino? Don't make me come back up in there! Because I will make you buy my beer and listen to my stories!

Nov 13, 2016 6:56 PM in response to e-vitto

Wow. Just happened here as well. I really resent that Apple's services are so opaque that you never know what to expect. No warning their default activity is going to be to overwrite a blank slate on all devices -- how can this possibly be understood to be the user desire / expectation? (at least confirm this in the pop-up if so)


iPhone exhibiting shoddy WiFi connectivity (Apple issue), so I follow directions as they advise to get the iPhone working again, and now probably 200+ wifi networks are deleted on my Mac and iPad as well. ***. And of course, in the brilliantly designed service, there is no easy roll-back unless I want to fire up my TimeMachine back-up and go through that whole process. No simple back-up or restore like I enjoy with LastPass. This is why I depend on Apply only for tech of convenience, and not for any critical / single point of failure stuff.

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Reset network settings on iPhone deleted all my saved wifi networks also my Mac!

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