Enterprise Wi-Fi (WPA2) won't reconnect on watchOS 5

To help everyone submit feedback to Apple about this problem with as little effort as possible, would someone be willing to share the description of the problem that they used when submitting their feedback? Then the rest of us can copy and paste and be on our way. Thanks.

The link to the feedback site, again, is Feedback - Apple Watch - Apple

I used this text, feel free to use it. You can add the "not getting to accept the certificate" option if it's applicable in your case:

I have an issue when trying to connect to our office's WPA2 Enterprise encrypted WiFi, using Apple Watch series 3. I have even tried with new watchOS 5.1 beta 4, but the issue persists.

First connection with the network works fine, I get to accept/trust the certificate, and watch connects to WiFi in seconds. When I go out of WiFi range, or switch the building floors, works also fine for the first couple of hours. Within approximately one day, watch randomly stops reconnecting automatically, giving only the "spinning wheel" in the settings. I have to forget the network in the WiFi settings, restart watch and connect again to it, then it works fine again, until the issue repeats.

I have tried every troubleshooting step suggested by Apple support, even tried with 3 different iPhones, took watch to the store where they could not reproduce the error. Remote diagnostics with apple shows no (hardware) issues. A colleague has Series 2 watch with watchOS 5.0.1 and it works perfectly for him.

According to Apple user community, this is a common issue: Re: Enterprise Wi-Fi (WPA2) won't reconnect on watchOS 5

Can I ask you how you managed to connect the watch to eduroam, because I cannot even manage to install the profile on the watch...

I go on the cat webpage on the iPhone, I download the certificate for iOS, when prompted I choose to install it on Apple Watch, it then switches to the watch app, I put the iPhone code, I click install...and then it fails all the time.

I also have this exact issue!

I specifically waited to buy the Apple Watch until it could handle WPA2 Enterprise and now when I have the Series 4 it won't connect to my Universitys WiFI (Eduroam).

The first time I connected my watch to it I entered my credentials, the watch asked if I wanted to accept the certificate and I was connected. Each time thereafter the watch won't connect to the network. It either just get stuck trying to connect (circle keep spinning without anything happening) or it wants med to input my credentials again but then I just get a messaged of "Incorrect password" even though I know it was correct.

So currently the watch cannot connect to the WPA2 Enterprise network at all and it cripples the watch very much.

I should add that connecting to my home wifi network is without a problem, works reliable every time.

I have the same problem. Actually, I did get the "Trust the Certificate" screen to come up once and that allowed me to join my school's wifi network successfully. I have no idea why I got the "trust the certificate" screen that one time. But I then gave that Watch to my wife after I bought a new 4th edition Watch w/cellular. Now I'm trying to connect my new Watch to my school's wifi network. No luck. Can't get the "Trust the Certificate" prompt and so when I enter my username and password the spinning icon just goes round and round and finally gives up. Sad. 😢

I just had an interesting experience and wonder if someone else would try it out to see if it is repeatable.

Step 1: Flick up on the Watch screen to expose Control Center and tap on the cellular icon to turn cellular OFF.

Step 2: Go to Settings --> Wifi and NOW TRY entering your username and password for your enterprise network.

Did you get a trust certificate screen this time? I did and am now connected to my school's enterprise wifi network.

Blink luck? Or does disconnecting your Watch from cellular somehow "FORCE" it to connect to the enterprise network?

I have the exact same issue when trying to connect to our office's WPA2 Enterprise encrypted WiFi, with the difference that I'm using Apple Watch series 3, so apparently it's not Series 4 specific problem. I have even tried with new watchOS 5.1 beta 3, but the issue persists.

First connection with the network works fine, I get to accept the certificate, and watch connects to WiFi in seconds. When I go out of WiFi range, or siwtch the floors, works also fine for the first couple of hours. Within one day, watch stops reconnecting automatically, giving only the "spinning wheel" in the settings. I have to forget the newtork, restart watch and connect again to it, then it works fine again, for the next couple of hours.

I have tried every troubleshooting step that you guys described here, even tried with 3 different iPhones, took watch to the store where they could not reproduce the error. Remote diagnostics with apple shows no (hardware) issues. A colleague has Series 2 watch with watchOS 5.0.1 and it works perfectly for him.

I have concatcted the local IT if maybe my watch's MAC address gets blacklisted after some time, but they have never experienced this issue. Looking at your problems at different networks, we can pinpoint the issue down to software issue on Watch Series 3 and 4.

Do we have any information if Apple is investigating this issue?

Hi 22607277, Well, that's disappointing. In my case, the problem had been I did NOT get a "Trust Certificate" screen. So entering my username and password only produced that rotating icon. So being be able to get the "Trust Certificate" screen represented progress for me. NOW, I did not go to other buildings on the campus where I teach. So I don't know if my Watch will connect to WiFi then. I'll give that experiment a try today and report back. If nothing else, that will move me asking to my 10,000 so goal (and beyond!)

P.S. This could potentially be a tough but to crack because:

1) I don't think many Watch owners are trying to implement this functionality. At least, it appears to me that is the case. So Apple is probably not aware of the degree of the problem.

2) I don't think your "average" tech department is too interested in this issue so getting help from the people who run these enterprise networks is probably minimal. In my case, I did ask tech. Their response was no one in their department had an Apple Watch so they could not test out the issue. I think they meant was "None if us own an Apple Watch so we don't personally care. Plus, you're the only one that's concerned about this as no one else who owns a Watch is even aware this new functionality exists." Frustrating.

The problem appears to be solved...at least for me...at least for now!

To review, I did this:

Step 1: Flick up on the Watch screen to expose Control Center and tap on the cellular icon to turn cellular OFF.

Step 2: Go to Settings --> Wifi and enter your username and password for your enterprise network.

You should now get the trust certificate screen. Trust it. You should now be able to connect to your network...give it a few seconds. Perhaps removing the Watch from cellular somehow "FORCES" it to connect to the enterprise network.

A day later I returned to my campus and took a walk to a totally different building. At first, the Watch did not connect to our Enterprise Wifi. So the Watch connected to the internet via cellular. But, after a few stops and starts (couple seconds) the Watch DID connect to our Enterprise Wifi (I saw the name of our network appear on the Watch). I walked into the deeper recesses of the building and the Watch disconnected from Wifi and reconnected via cellular. I turned off cellular and this forced the wifi connection. After that, it appears the Watch "learned" the wifi better and stayed connected to wifi with confidence. I repeated the experiment later and this time the connection to wifi was quicker and with no disconnects back to cellular. I'll try it again tomorrow and see if the Watch is "remembering" what it is supposed to do. :-)

Hi Nonoid79, Sorry it didn't help. Maybe the deeper truth here is that the user needs to block ALL paths to the internet on the Watch as a way to force the Watch to ask for the Trust Certificate. Maybe, if the Watch can get on to the internet any other way, it will choose that way in favor of the "effort" of seeking a Trust Certificate. So, for example, if your iPhone is near your Watch it will hop on the internet via your iPhone. Or, if your Watch has previously connected to your wifi because it "learned how" from your iPhone, it won't ask for the Trust Certificate. Maybe you need to turn off your iPhone AND have your Watch forget any previously learned wifi networks to force the Trust Certificate to appear.

Update to my post copied below:

It is now Day 3 since successfully setting things up. I am still able to connect to our enterprise network. This morning, after first turning off my iPhone so that my Watch could not use it to connect to the internet, I went to a lab across campus. The Watch immediately connected to the school's enterprise wifi. Fingers remain crossed. I will not post again unless my Watch stops connecting successfully.

Step 1: Flick up on the Watch screen to expose Control Center and tap on the cellular icon to turn cellular OFF.

Step 2: Go to Settings --> Wifi and enter your username and password for your enterprise network.

You should now get the trust certificate screen. Trust it. You should now be able to connect to your network...give it a few seconds. Perhaps removing the Watch from cellular somehow "FORCES" it to connect to the enterprise network.

A day later I returned to my campus and took a walk to a totally different building. At first, the Watch did not connect to our Enterprise Wifi. So the Watch connected to the internet via cellular. But, after a few stops and starts (couple seconds) the Watch DID connect to our Enterprise Wifi (I saw the name of our network appear on the Watch). I walked into the deeper recesses of the building and the Watch disconnected from Wifi and reconnected via cellular. I turned off cellular and this forced the wifi connection. After that, it appears the Watch "learned" the wifi better and stayed connected to wifi with confidence. I repeated the experiment later and this time the connection to wifi was quicker and with no disconnects back to cellular. I'll try it again tomorrow and see if the Watch is "remembering" what it is supposed to do. :-)

Update to my Update: Abandon Ship! This enterprise wifi functionality is a horror show. As I said below, I immediately connected to wifi at a lab at school far away from my building. Wonderful. But, when I returned to MY lab my Watch refused to connect to wifi. So, I'm running on cellular right now since I not only can't connect to our enterprise wifi, I can't sign back in as no Trust Certificate is being issued. For some reason, this situation reminds me of the Jack Handy quote, "If you lose your keys in a river of molten lava, let em' go, because man...they're gone."

Mr. Luigi, over and out.

Update to my post copied below:

It is now Day 3 since successfully setting things up. I am still able to connect to our enterprise network. This morning, after first turning off my iPhone so that my Watch could not use it to connect to the internet, I went to a lab across campus. The Watch immediately connected to the school's enterprise wifi. Fingers remain crossed. I will not post again unless my Watch stops connecting successfully.

Original Post:

Step 1: Flick up on the Watch screen to expose Control Center and tap on the cellular icon to turn cellular OFF.

Step 2: Go to Settings --> Wifi and enter your username and password for your enterprise network.

You should now get the trust certificate screen. Trust it. You should now be able to connect to your network...give it a few seconds. Perhaps removing the Watch from cellular somehow "FORCES" it to connect to the enterprise network.

A day later I returned to my campus and took a walk to a totally different building. At first, the Watch did not connect to our Enterprise Wifi. So the Watch connected to the internet via cellular. But, after a few stops and starts (couple seconds) the Watch DID connect to our Enterprise Wifi (I saw the name of our network appear on the Watch). I walked into the deeper recesses of the building and the Watch disconnected from Wifi and reconnected via cellular. I turned off cellular and this forced the wifi connection. After that, it appears the Watch "learned" the wifi better and stayed connected to wifi with confidence. I repeated the experiment later and this time the connection to wifi was quicker and with no disconnects back to cellular. I'll try it again tomorrow and see if the Watch is "remembering" what it is supposed to do. :-)