Poor cell signal on new iPhone xs max

You may want to return it for a replacement. The cellular service should not be significantly different than on previous models. I have the iPhone Xs and cell service is fine. If you purchased directly from Apple Store or Apple Store online, there is a 14 day return policy. If you purchased through a carrier or elsewhere, check with them. Returns & Refunds - Shopping Help - Apple

Then talk to Apple support.

I have an XS Max myself and do not have the issues you describe.

Be sure to check for a carrier settings update; that has helped greatly for many.

Update your carrier settings on your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support

Elijahwood wrote:

I got my new phone and was so excited

And soon discovered my cell service is horrible now I have only one bars of service in places where i had 4 bar and speed a lot slower

I sure hope they can fix this soon ugh

What did your phone carrier say when you reported the issue to them?

Same here... very poor mobile/cell signal on new iPhone XS Max... no signal or at best 1 bar, dropped and inaudible calls, on UK Vodafone network, whereas previously (on iPhone X) had good signal at home, never 'no signal' and usually 3-4 bars. Hope Apple can corroborate these issues and fix with an update. Have tried the usual troubleshooting methods, did carrier update, re-started phone, reset network settings etc.

Same issue here. Upgraded from the X to the Xs Max. Since I started using the Max last Friday, from several apps. I've received a message saying that they could not connect to the internet. Whenever I've seen those messages I noticed that the bar at the top showed 3G instead of LTE. Never had this issue with the X.

Also reception where the X was not so good before is even worse with the Max.

Both my X and the Max were purchased sim-free from an Apple store. Used / using them on T-Mobile in the USA.

Same here on iphone xs on sprint. Max download speed is 2mbps , wifi is strong only near router, goes very bad with little distance from it. On iphone 7 speed is 170 vs 50 on that one.

Also i now lose service completely in bathroom and many stores, never had this with iphone 7.

Same here. I had a factory unlocked iPhone 7 Plus when I put my sim in I get 26up and 4down on T-Mobile, but when I put my sim into my xs max factory unlock I get 4up and 2down. I hope apple can fix this soon. I’ve done everything suggested to the OP to no avail. I’m really considering returning the device and just keeping my iPhone 7 Plus for another year.

Me too.. so far I absolutely hate my iPhone Xs max!! I have little to no service. I went back to my service provider they did a check on my phone said it was all updated. They recommend I take it to the apple store. My iPhone 7plus was a better phone then this. I’m almost ready to get rid of apple!!! So over it!!!

I’m experiencing the same thing, and I’m on AT&T. I’ll see 3 bars and no data works. I’ll try to load a site and it just spins. If i turn on airport and then turn it off it works for a little bit and then stops working again. Also going 4G, no problems.

I have tried all on my iphone xs , actually second one now.... i hvave managed to make it work good on wifi... and cellular...

I did install the 12.1 beta, no help, then i did downgrade to 12.0 , restore from iphone 7 again , no help...

after i just erased the iphone , did a restore as a new iphone from itunes also , and set it up as new iphone with out restore from older back up.... then things god better a lot... really

After i made a restore from old iphone, and imideatly **** went bad with wifi.

I have done the 2 erases back again, it works fine now, i guess the restore does bad on my phone... started all over again but it works now it does work , would even outperform iphone 7 ... well its for today ... will see what will it be like tomor

So last week I posted in this thread about my issue with reception. A few days after that post, Apple support contacted me, asking for more details. The agent had me install a support profile with instructions to activate "Analytics" through assistive touch next time I experienced the issue.

I did so, but during the time I had this support profile installed I did not experience this issue. They called me back this past Sunday asking for any updates. I told them that I hadn't experienced the issue again since the last time (before they first contacted me). The agent then proceeded to go ahead and close the ticket they had opened for me.

So I go back to work today and during my lunch break while next to the window on the 4th floor (full LTE signal / reception AND full wifi reception from a nearby AC access point) I suddenly get the no connection message again while using the News app.. I had to turn airplane mode on, swipe News up to close the app. then turn airplane mode off and reopen the News app. to get it working again.

After work I went to one of the Apple stores in my city, returned the phone for refund onto a gift card and purchased a new one (same model - 512GB white iPhone Xs Max). Somewhere on the way home I lost my SIM card though so now I have to wait until tomorrow morning to drop by a T-Mobile store for a new one.

same here bought iphone xs mas switch cell providers hardly get signal with verizon at home have no service but my husband iphone 7 plus gets service and bars took the xs max back for exchange but still have same issue n verizon has done pretty much everything to try fix it only way can make calls at home is by enabling wifi calling i think its a bug within the xs max hope they fix this cause being home no cell service ***** when i need it

Hi Elijah,

I am terribly sorry to hear about the issues with your brand new iPhone Xs Max!

There is a few things you can try. We can take in a few factors: Has the cell service always been this spotty even with other phones? Is there any cell towers down or maintenance? and last not least, is there a case on the phone, and if there is what kind of case would it be?

If the answer to the cell service and towers is no, and there is no case try one just in case and if there isn't try removing it. If it works better without a case I would find a new case, it would be a phone issue with the case, more of a case material issue.

if none of those work try reseting the network settings.

- Go to 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.

- Go to the carriers store or call them to make sure your account is active and the service speeds aren't being throttled, check that everything is okay with whatever plan you have.

Last options would be is you remove the SIM card and put it back in, put in a new one who contact the store you bought it from, and if it was from an Apple Store return and exchange it and if it wasn't bought from the store I would try backing up the iPhone and restoring it and if that did no good either, take it to your nearest Apple Store or Authorized Apple Service Provider (AASP) and they should be able to help further than what I offered!

Hope this helps anyone else. Chris.

(I forgot to mention, iOS 12.1 will be coming out soon and is planned to have a fix to a lot of issues with it. Thanks!)

I tried all of these and did a restore to factory setup using iTunes per a call to support. None work, I still experience the issue. Data just stops working. Websites don’t load, the safari progress bar just sits there like it’s clogged or stuck. Can’t stream anything obviously, and on an iPhone 7 with the same carrier and same location no problems. I would gladly install anything to help expedite fixing this. It’s super annoying to buy a new iPhone and it doesn’t work.

I don't know what to do.

I am also having the same issues on my Max as have been posted here.

My window to return within the 14 days expires next Friday.

I don't want to get stuck with a $1200 phone that doesn't work as expected, but I also don't want to be without a cell phone. It's the only one I have.

What is the general consensus here?

Wait for a software fix in hopes that it's not hardware, or return?

I am so sad because I really love the phone.😟