How to Fix iPhone WiFi Keeps Disconnecting in iOS 16.5?

WiFi issues on iOS 16 are widespread and very annoying. This is a software issue that Apple will hopefully address in future updates. Some people have reported that the problem is severe since the internet disconnects as frequently as once in ten seconds, an intense hurdle in daily use and can adversely affect productivity.

There’s no consistent fix since different methods seem to work for other users. It is also unclear how widespread it is, but the reports are plenty, so a fix for this is needed as soon as possible.

Update June 2: Recently, Apple rolled out the iOS 16.5 update with some important bug fixes and security updates. It has some new wallpapers for the Pride Month celebration and some upgrades to Apple News. There is no mention of any other bugs being fixed. On our iPhone 13 unit, we observed some bugs with Wi-Fi.

The Wi-Fi bug crops up frequently and is a hassle with daily use, especially if you frequently use public Wi-Fi. Public Wi-Fi requires you to authenticate; this frequent reconnection greatly affects the end-user experience.

If you turn off the Wi-Fi toggle from the Control Panel on iOS, it should disconnect your iPhone from the Wi-Fi network it is connected to. It does not turn Wi-Fi off completely since that is still necessary for ecosystem features to function. However, turning it off on iOS 16.5 causes an endless loop.

Instead of disconnecting your phone from the network, it keeps reconnecting to the Wi-Fi network the second you exit the control center. To fix it, restart the device or completely turn off Wi-Fi from the Settings app.

Instantly reconnecting to the network disrupts the experience if you want to sign in to public Wi-Fi or if you want to use mobile data. In some regions, mobile data is faster than Wi-Fi; you might want to disconnect.

Update April 2023: The WiFi stability issues persist with the latest version, iOS 16.4.1. One user wrote on Reddit that he updated his iPhone 13 Pro to 16.4.1 and could not connect to anything when on WiFi. He tried forgetting the network and then rejoining; he also restarted the phone but did not fix it.

Update December 27: Several iPhone users running iOS 16.2 are reporting Wifi issues. One user wrote on Twitter that Apple’s latest iOS 16.2 Update has really screwed up the wifi connection. It’s pretty bad. A lagging signal drops wifi connection and slows it down. Another user wrote iOS 16.2 is still TERRIBLE in wifi connectivity. My iPad keeps disconnecting from my iPhone hotspot all the time.

iOS 16 WiFi Issue

The wifi issue was reported on Reddit forums, Apple’s support pages and Twitter. Frequent disconnection forces users to switch to cellular data for a reliable connection. There also seems to be no obvious trigger to this problem. The issue occurs as people regularly browse their phones, use apps, and watch videos. No pinpoint activity triggers the bug.

The WiFi signal bar appears for a brief while and randomly disappears, pausing whatever background activity requires WiFi, especially during calls over the internet or video calls; the issue can be highly frustrating. WiFi problems are a massive disaster for competitive gamers who rely on WiFi to play real-time games requiring extreme accuracy and concentration.

We have also faced the WiFi Keeps Disconnecting issue on iPhone 13. You can see the video below.

Apple Support has responded to these problems, stating that they would like a closer look into what was causing the issues. They also linked an Apple Support page that has a few basic fixes.

Apart from WiFi problems, users have also been facing issues with disappearing wallpapers, subpar battery life and higher standby drain. UI Lags & app crashes have also been reported. Unfortunately, iOS 16.1.1 did not address most of these problems, including the WiFi bug, which is unfortunately still present.

It gets worse since we also see reports of hardware damage like green tint issues and screen flickering. These problems are inconvenient. Phones are nearly useless bricks if they don’t have internet access. From iOS 16 to 16.1.1, we have seen many people complain about the bothersome WiFi issue.

If your phone is left connected to WiFi for a few hours and left on standby for a couple of hours, the phone automatically and randomly gets disconnected from WiFi. People have also reported trouble connecting to WiFi since internet access randomly gets cut off.

WiFi disconnection is not always precisely periodic; it can be erratic too. If you have running backups or downloads in the background, loss of internet access is a severe hindrance. You might even miss important calls, texts and emails from Whatsapp, Telegram, etc., if WiFi does not work. So, here are the best ways to fix the problem.

8 Ways to Fix “iPhone Disconnects From WiFi” Problem

1: Use UltFone iOS System Repair [Recommend & Easy]

UltFone iOS System Repair is a quick and safe tool to fix the “iPhone Disconnects From WiFi” problem. It easily repairs system glitches without data loss, ensuring a stable WiFi connection. Moreover, it supports all iOS versions and iPhone models, including the latest iPhone 14 series and iOS 17 Beta/iPadOS 17 Beta.

Here is how to use it:

1. Download and install UltFone iOS System Repair from the official website.
2. Connect your iOS device to the computer using a USB cable and select “Deep Repair.”
3. Follow the on-screen instructions to download the firmware package and start the repair within a few minutes.

2: Turn off the Networking and Wireless option in the system services

• Open the Settings app and tap on Privacy and Security.
• If Location Services are turned off, turn it on.
• Now, scroll down and locate System Services.
• You will see an option called Networking and Wireless.
• Turn this option off by unchecking the indicator.

This has solved the WiFi woes on iOS 16 for many people.

3: Forget all known networks

• Open the settings app and tap on the WiFi Menu. There, you will see a list of networks that the phone remembers (since you have previously entered their passwords).
• Tap on the blue “i”; this will take you into WiFi settings for a particular connection.
• Now, hit Forget this Network. 
• Turn the WiFi off and turn it back on.
• Re-connect your device to WiFi by entering the password again.

4: Reset Network Settings

• In the settings app, navigate to the General menu.
• Scroll to the bottom until you see Transfer and Reset iPhone.
• You will see an option to Reset Network Settings in the Reset submenu.
• You will be prompted to enter your passcode. You won’t lose any apps, and data will not be lost.
• The phone will now restart.
• Once the network settings are reset, connect to your WiFi again.

5: Temporarily disable your VPN Service

Using VPN regularly on your phone might cause WiFi disconnection problems since it interferes with incoming and outgoing network traffic. If you use a VPN app such as Surfshark, Nord VPN, etc., then you can turn it off within the app. If not, you can also do it in the settings app.

• In the settings app, find the “VPN” menu.
• Disconnect from VPN if the device is already connected.
• Tap on the blue “i” and Delete all the VPN configurations in your settings app.
• Once all VPN configurations are removed, re-connect to WiFi and check if the problem is fixed.
• If it does not randomly disconnect, you can safely re-connect to VPN. The VPN app is the culprit if issues persist after connecting to VPN.

6: Flush your DNS Cache

There are several simple ways to do this. You can restart your phone by pressing the power and volume up buttons and then powering it off. Once it turns back on, the DNS Cache will be flushed. Alternatively, you can go into the General menu in settings and shut down the phone.

You can also toggle Airplane Mode and then turn it off from the control centre or right from the settings app. Resetting network settings will flush DNS Cache as well.

7: Try a few basic fixes

• Contact their customer support to check if your ISP has a problem.
• Make sure that WiFi is turned on, that your router is on, and that it’s in range of your device.
• Check your cables, ensure everything is connected correctly, and that there’s no faulty equipment or wiring.
• Update your router to the latest firmware.
• Check if your device connects to other WiFi routers.
• If it does not connect anywhere, then you must contact Apple support or visit a nearby authorised service centre.

8: Perform a Power Cycle on your WiFi Router

• Turn off the WiFi router after disconnecting your phone from WiFi.
• Unplug the source adaptor for the router.
• Wait a few seconds and plug the cord back in.
• Turn the router on and re-connect your phone to WiFi once internet access is back.

9: Turn off WiFi Assist

• Open the settings app on your iPhone and go to the Mobile Data menu.
• Scroll down to the bottom of the page and tap on WiFi Assist.
• Toggle the switch and turn it off. If the issue is fixed, leave it temporarily until the next iOS update.

Wrapping Up

We hope the above-mentioned temporary workarounds have solved the problem for you. Apple should look into the issue and address it as soon as possible since it’s affecting many users. The WiFi disconnection bug is serious, not just a minor UI/UX error or animation glitch.

If you’re on an older version of iOS, such as 15.7 or 16.0, and you do not have the problem, then it is highly recommended to stay on that version until a fix is announced.

iOS 16.6 will announce soon, and that will hopefully arrive with some bug fixes, but until then, we are stuck with these temporary solutions.

Disclosure: This Post is Sponsored by Ultfone.