iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 have introduced many new features for Apple Users. However, whenever a major update to an operating system drops, there are bound to be issues and bugs. One of the common issues which many will likely encounter is related to WiFi. Either the network won’t work or just fail to find it—no need to panic, though. We have highlighted some common workarounds and fixes to address networking and connectivity issues on iPadOS 14 – iPadOS 14.7.1.
iPadOS 14 comes with 100+ new features and improvements. It shares a lot of functions with iOS 14. The update also includes many iPad-specific features such as scribble anywhere, redesigned sidebars, and many UI tweaks to take advantage of a bigger screen. The WiFi issues ultimately spoil the experience of using a shiny new iPadOS 14 on the iPad.
In this guide, we will provide tips on how to fix WiFi issues that users are facing on their iPad, iPad Pro, and iPad Air running iPadOS 14 – iPadOS 14.7.1, such as WiFi not working, not being able to connect to a WiFi network, WiFi connection keeps dropping out intermittently, or WiFi speed is plodding. These tips have helped our readers in the past to fix WiFi issues on the iPad.
How to Fix WiFi Issues in iPadOS 14 – iPadOS 14.7.1 on iPad and iPad Pro
Before we look at troubleshooting the iPad issue, let us do some basic fixtures at the router level, as it has helped resolve the issue for several readers.
1. Restart Router
The router is like a mini-computer with a CPU, memory, and local storage in the plastic box, all running in an operating system. So like a computer or phone, restarting your router can resolve the problem. It is also recommended to wait for 10 seconds after you have turned off your router before restarting it to ensure that every capacitor is fully drained, and thus every bit of memory is cleared. This ensures that all the settings on the router that may be causing the issue are reset.
Restart your router and try connecting your iPad again to see if it resolves the issue.
2. Update Router Firmware
Update your Router’s firmware to ensure that the known bugs have been fixed. Some readers have reported that upgrading the Router firmware had helped in resolving the WiFi issues on the iPad.
3. Auto Connect Problem
If you have connected your iPad to a Wi-Fi network then it should ideally connect to that network automatically when you are in its range. After a major system update on your iPad, the device might not automatically connect to the Wi-Fi network.
In that case, you need to connect to the Wi-Fi network manually, then you might want to check if the Auto-Join setting is enabled by launching the Settings app and navigating to Wi-Fi > <Name of the WiFi Network with which you are facing the problem> and check if Auto-Join toggle is enabled. If it is already enabled, then you can try the solutions mentioned below.
4. Hard Reset or Force Restart
Like all tech problems, there is no harm in starting off by force restart your iPad to see it helps. To force restart your iPad, iPad Pro or iPad Pro, follow these steps:
- iPad models with Face ID: Press and quickly release the Volume Up button. Press and quickly release the Volume Down button. Then press and hold the Power button until the device restarts.
- iPad with Home button: Press and hold both the Home and the Top (or Side) buttons until you see the Apple logo.
5. Disable VPN
One of the most common reasons that seem to cause WiFi issues has been VPN. If you have enabled it via the Settings app or a VPN app, try to disable VPN to see if it resolves the issue. You can disable VPN via the Settings app and navigate to the VPN settings to disable the Status toggle from Connected to Not Connected.
If you cannot disable it, then launch the VPN app to disable VPN temporarily to figure out if it resolves the WiFi problem on your iPad.
6. Forget Wi-Fi Network and Rejoin
If you’re not able to connect to a Wi-Fi Network and being prompted that the password you’ve entered is incorrect despite entering the correct password, then try to forget the Wi-Fi network and join the network again.
To forget the Wi-Fi network, tap on the Wi-Fi network from the list under Settings > Wi-Fi. Then tap on Forget This Network. You will be prompted with a popup message asking you if you want to forget Wi-Fi Network. Tap Forget to forget the network.
Now go back to Settings > Wi-Fi, select the network again, enter the password, and Join the network again to see if it helps.
7. Use the Airplane Mode Trick
Many users who have dealt with various types of wireless internet problems could solve the issue by carrying out the Airplane mode tweak. It’s aimed at giving a simultaneous restart on the wireless radios of your device.
Open the Settings app on the iPad and go to the Airplane Mode menu. Tap the Airplane mode switch to turn it on. Doing so will disable your iPad’s wireless radios as well as its Wi-Fi features. After 30 seconds, turn on the Airplane mode and see it has fixed the WiFi issue or not.
8. Reset Network Settings
Most networking related issues I’ve experienced have been fixed after resetting network settings. Resetting these settings flushes caches and clears DHCP settings and other networking-related info. To reset network settings, open the Settings app and navigate to Settings > General > Reset and tap on Reset Network Settings.
9. Disable Wi-Fi Networking Services
Many users have reported that they’ve solved their issues by disabling the Networking and Wireless option under Settings > Privacy > Location Services > System Services. This only relates to your location being used for Wi-Fi Networking, so it doesn’t disable Wi-Fi entirely.
10. Set Custom DNS
If you find your WiFi connection is slow on your iPad, then your ISPs DNS servers may be having problems, you can switch to Google DNS, Cloudflare, or OpenDNS to see if it fixes the problem. You can follow the instructions in our post linked below to change your DNS settings to Google or Cloudflare DNS.
11. Ask To Join Network
This is not an ideal solution, but if none of the solutions mentioned above work, then you can try enabling “Ask to Join Networks” by going to Settings > Wi-Fi. This solution seems to have helped some readers in fixing their WiFi problems.
12. Wi-Fi Assist
iPadOS includes a feature called Wi-Fi Assist, which provides more reliable Internet connections when your WiFi network becomes spotty. However, some readers have reported that turning it off and turning it back on seemed to help resolve the WiFi problems. To turn off Wi-Fi Assist, launch the Settings app and navigate to Settings > Cellular (Mobile in some regions) and scroll down to the bottom where you will see Wi-Fi Assist. Tap on the toggle to turn it off.
13. Restore and Setup as new iPad
If none of these tips fix your issues, then you need to restore your iPad via iTunes and set it up as a new device. This way, you start afresh and get rid of possibly problematic customizations and settings on your device. Follow the instructions in the post linked below to do a clean restore to the latest version of iPadOS via iTunes.
➤ How to restore your iPad with iTunes
14. Download Latest iPadOS Update
I know you have recently updated the iPad to the latest iPadOS 14. The WiFi issues on your iPad might be due to a buggy build released by Apple. After all, Apple isn’t having good times releasing quality updates. The assuring news is, the company is quick to release bug fixes via a firmware update. Go to the Settings menu and open General > Software Update and see if there is a new firmware update available or not.
Apple has fixed several bugs with the latest iPadOS releases, with iPadOS 14.7.1 bringing a number of new features to the table as well.
Let us know in the comments if you faced any Wi-Fi issues after upgrading to iPadOS 14 – iPadOS 14.7.1, and if so, which trick helped you to resolve the issue.
This article was last updated on August 2, 2021.
