How to Fix iPhone Keeps Forgetting Wi-Fi Password

Getting annoyed with your iPhone since it keeps forgetting your Wi-Fi password?

The conventional way of WiFi connection is to enter the password once, and you will be automatically connected after. However, it becomes a hassle if your WiFi requires you to connect every time.

Sadly, many users have to go through this daily since their iPhones keep forgetting their Wi-Fi passwords

iphone keeps forgetting wi-fi password

There are various reasons why this happens. It can be due to faulty network routers, system errors, or improper configurations. 

In this guide, we’ll show you how to get your iPhone to remember Wi-Fi passwords. 

Let’s dive right in!

1. Restart Your iPhone. 

Before performing advanced solutions, try restarting your iPhone first. 

A temporary bug or glitch may have occurred on your device that caused it to keep forgetting Wi-Fi passwords. 

Restarting your iPhone should reload resources and clear corrupted data from the memory. 

If you are using an iPhone X, 11, 12, 13, 14, or later, here’s what you need to do: 

  1. Hold the Volume Down and Side buttons until the ‘Slide to Power Off’ prompt appears. 
  2. Now, drag the slider to the right and wait for 30 seconds. 
  3. Press the Side button afterward to turn on your device. 
Restart iPhone

For older models, follow the steps below: 

  1. Locate the Power button on your device. 
  2. Hold the button until the ‘Slide to Power Off’ prompt appears.
  3. Drag the slider to the right and wait 30 seconds before turning on your device. 
Home Button Restart

Observe if your iPhone will still forget your Wi-Fi password. 

Related: How to Fix iPhone Not Connecting to Known Wi-Fi Network


2. Restart Your Router. 

Most of us leave our routers on even when leaving the house. Due to this, routers usually stay on for months or even years. 

Sometimes, errors can occur on your router and can cause problems for your devices. If your iPhone keeps forgetting your Wi-Fi password, try restarting your router. 

This should allow your router to refresh its firmware and assign fresh IP addresses to your devices. 

Here’s what you need to do: 

  1. Unplug your router from the outlet. 
  2. Wait 5 to 10 seconds to ensure your router is fully turned off. 
  3. Plug back in the power cable and wait for your device to initialize. 
Restart Router

Reconnect your iPhone afterward to check if the problem is solved. 

3. Enable Auto-Join. 

Your iPhone may disconnect from your Wi-Fi if the signal is weak. However, it should automatically reconnect once it gets better reception. 

If your iPhone doesn’t do this, you must check your Wi-Fi settings and enable the ‘auto-join’ feature. 

  1. Launch the Settings app on your iPhone. 
  2. Go to Wi-Fi and tap the (i) icon next to your network. 
  3. Look for the Auto-Join option and enable it. 
iphone keeps forgetting wi-fi password

Go out of your house and back in to see if your iPhone will automatically connect to your network. 

4. Forget Your Wi-Fi Network. 

Instead of entering your Wi-Fi password every time, try forgetting your home network completely and joining as if it’s new. 

This should clear previous connections between your iPhone and router, ensuring everything is in order. 

Follow the guide below to forget your Wi-Fi network: 

  1. Go to Settings on your iPhone. 
  2. Now, tap on Wi-Fi
  3. Tap the (i) icon beside your wireless network. 
  4. Next, choose the Forget This Network option. 
iphone keeps forgetting wi-fi password
  1. Confirm your action by tapping Forget

Join your Wi-Fi network afterward and check if the problem is solved. 

5. Manually Renew Wi-Fi Lease. 

Routers assign unique IP addresses to devices that connect. However, this address is temporary and set to renew after some time. 

Your iPhone’s current IP lease may have expired, and your router did not assign a new one. 

In this case, you can manually renew the Wi-Fi lease. 

  1. Open Settings on your iPhone. 
  2. Now, go to Wi-Fi
  3. Tap the (i) icon next to your home network. 
  4. Scroll down and tap Renew Lease
iphone keeps forgetting wi-fi password

Observe if your iPhone will still forget your Wi-Fi password. 

6. Update Your iPhone. 

The version of iOS you’re using might have an underlying problem that causes your iPhone to forget Wi-Fi passwords. 

Check if your device has available updates to patch possible bugs and errors. 

Follow the steps below to update your iPhone: 

  1. Open Settings on your iPhone. 
  2. Navigate to General > Software Update
  3. If there’s a new iOS version available, tap Download and Install
Update iPhone
  1. Once the new software is ready, follow the prompts to install the update. 

Note

  • Your device can restart several times while installing the update. 
  • Ensure your iPhone has at least 50% battery before installing updates. It’s best to keep your device plugged into the wall charger to avoid interruptions. 
  • Allow at least 15 minutes for the update to install, especially if it’s a major update (iOS 14 to iOS 15).

Return to settings, connect to your Wi-Fi, and check if the problem is solved. 

Related: How to Fix iPhone 14 Won’t Connect to Wi-Fi


7. Reset Your Network Settings. 

If your iPhone still keeps forgetting your Wi-Fi password, we suggest resetting your network settings. 

This should restore your iPhone’s network configurations to default, ensuring no conflicts with your settings. 

Here’s what you need to do: 

  1. On your iPhone, go to the main menu and open Settings
  2. Now, tap on General
  3. Look for Transfer or Reset iPhone and tap on it. 
  4. Tap the Reset option and select Reset Network Settings
  5. Follow the prompts to continue. 
iphone keeps forgetting wi-fi password

Note

  • Your iPhone will immediately restart upon resetting your network configurations. 
  • It may appear to be stuck in the Apple logo. Wait for the process to complete, which usually takes 5 to 10 minutes. 

Reconnect to your Wi-Fi afterward and see if your iPhone will still forget your password. 

8. Contact Apple.

If none of the solutions above worked, we suggest you seek help from the experts. 

Visit Apple’s support page and look up the problem you’re experiencing. Their site should suggest solutions that you can try on your end. 

iphone keeps forgetting wi-fi password

You can get in touch with a representative through phone or chat if the issue persists or need to schedule a store visit. 

That sums up our guide for fixing your iPhone if it keeps forgetting your Wi-Fi password. If you have questions, drop a comment below, and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible. 

If this guide helped you, please share it.

Author

  • John is a staff writer at Saint and comes from a SAP ABAP development background. He has a Bachelors in IT and has been writing since 2018, with over 500 posts published. He loves to build PCs and has a deep curiosity in understanding how different components and configurations work. John spends hundreds of hours at a time, researching and testing the software and apps, before he proceeds to write about it. LinkedIn X (Twitter) Website

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