How to Improve Your Cell Signal Anywhere in the World
Let’s face it: having little or nothing cell phone Signals can cause panic. If you can’t call anyone, you have no lifeline. If you don’t have a lifeline, you can’t take care of yourself in an emergency. When your signal is completely gone, if your mind starts to wander, it’s about understanding: What would you do if something terrible happened to you? You don’t need to stress, that’s for sure. Because there are ways to prevent this from happening to you.
In fact, whether you’re doing phone maintenance or in an emergency, there are some simple ways you can improve the signal on your iPhone or Android phone. It might even come down to something as simple as switching airplane mode.
Here’s what you need to know to go from dropped to full.
Read more: iPhone 16 vs. iPhone 13: What Apple has changed in three years
notes: Although the software differs across iPhone The models are relatively the same. samsung galaxy, google pixel and others Android phone There may be different software versions, so some settings and their location may vary from device to device.
For more information, check out How to use Google Maps offline and How to fix your internet when it goes down.
To improve your cell phone service, try these steps first
Settings on your phone can help you get better cell service, but there are other tricks that can improve your reception without even touching your phone’s software.
- Move your body to make sure there are no obstacles between your phone and any cell towers outside. This may require staying away from metal objects or concrete walls, which can affect signal reception. Instead, go to a window or outside if possible.
- Take off the phone case. It never hurts to remove any protective case you have on your phone, especially if it’s thick, so that the phone’s antenna isn’t blocked by anything and you can get a better signal.
- Make sure your phone is charged. Searching for and connecting to stronger signals uses up battery, so if your phone’s battery is already low, you may struggle to get good service.
Some phone cases cause more signal interference than others.
Always start by turning airplane mode on and off
Turning your phone connection off and back on is the quickest and easiest way to try to resolve signal issues. If you move from one location to another, switching airplane mode restarts your Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and cellular modems, which forces them to look for the best signal in the area.
Android: Swipe down from the top of the screen to access the Quick Settings panel, then tap the Airplane Mode icon. Wait for your phone to completely disconnect from Wi-Fi and cellular networks. It won’t happen immediately, so wait 15 seconds before tapping the airplane mode icon.
iPhone: On iPhone, you can access Airplane Mode from Control Center, but this depends on the iPhone model you have. On iPhone X and later, swipe down from the top right corner to access Control Center. On older iPhone models, swipe up from the bottom of the screen. Then tap on the Airplane Mode icon, which will turn orange when enabled. Again, wait 15 seconds before turning it off.
Left: Airplane mode on iPhone. Right: Airplane mode on Android.
If airplane mode doesn’t work, restart your phone
Our phones are microcomputers, just like computers, and sometimes just restarting your phone can fix issues like network connectivity.
Android: Press and hold the power button, or the power button and volume down key (depending on your Android phone), until the on-screen menu appears, then tap Restart. If your phone does not offer a restart option, you can simply tap power off Turn off your device and restart using the power button.
iPhone: On iPhone X and earlier models, press and hold the Sleep/Wake button and either volume button, then slide the power slider to the right to turn off the device. Wait until it turns off completely, then press the Sleep/Wake button to turn it back on.
Alternatively, you can force a reset on your iPhone: press the volume up button, then the volume down button, then hold the side button. Once your phone’s screen goes black, continue to hold it until you see the Apple logo reappear.
If your iPhone has a Home button, press and hold the Sleep/Wake button until the Power slider appears, then drag the slider to the right. After the device turns off, press and hold the Sleep/Wake button until you see the Apple logo.
Left: Restarting the Android phone. Right: Power off the iPhone.
Remove the SIM card from the phone
Another troubleshooting step that may help is to remove the SIM card (if your phone has one) and put it back in while the phone is on. If the SIM card is dirty, clean it. If it has any physical defects, you may need to replace it.
You’ll need a SIM card tool (usually included in the phone box) or an unfolded paper clip or sewing needle to remove the SIM card tray from the phone.
All mobile phones: Remove the SIM card, check whether it is damaged and whether it is placed correctly in the SIM card tray, then put it back into the phone.
For example: For phones with eSIM – that is, Embedded electronic SIM card On your phone – there is nothing for you to delete. The best thing you can do is restart your phone.
It only takes a few seconds to remove the SIM card and put it back into the phone.
Check your carrier settings (and update your software)
Mobile carriers often send carrier settings updates to help improve connectivity for calls, data, and messages on their networks. While this feature is available on all iPhone models, it’s not universal on Android, so if you don’t have a supported phone, you might not be able to find the carrier settings.
iPhone: Carrier updates should appear and you can update from the pop-up message that appears. To force your iPhone to check for carrier settings updates, go to set up > General > about on your phone. If an update is available, you will be prompted to install it.
Android: As mentioned before, not all Android phones have carrier settings, so you’ll have to open the Settings app and enter “Carrier Settings” to find any possible updates. On a supported Pixel, go to set up > Network and Internet > internetclick the gear next to your carrier name, then click Carrier settings version.
Left: iOS carrier settings. Right: Android carrier settings.
Reset your phone’s network settings
Sometimes, all you need is a clean slate to resolve annoying connection issues. Refreshing your phone’s network settings is one way to do this. But be forewarned, resetting network settings will also reset all saved Wi-Fi passwords, VPN connections, and your carrier’s custom APN settings that require additional setup.
Android: In the Settings app, search for “reset” or more specifically “reset network settings” and tap that setting. On Pixel, the setting is called Reset Wi-Fi, Mobile and Bluetooth. After resetting network settings, remember to reconnect your phone to your home and work Wi-Fi networks.
iPhone: Go to set up > Transfer or reset iPhone > reset > Reset network settings. The next page will warn you that resetting network settings will reset your Wi-Fi, mobile data, and Bluetooth settings. tap Reset network settings Your phone will restart.
Resetting network settings should be one of the last troubleshooting steps you try.
Contact your phone carrier
Sometimes unexpected signal problems can be traced to problems with your wireless carrier. Cell phone towers could collapse, or the tower’s fiber optic cables could be cut, causing power outages.
If you have ongoing problems connecting to or staying connected to a cellular or data network, it’s possible that your carrier’s coverage doesn’t extend well into your community.
Sometimes, newly discovered signal problems can be caused by a defective phone or a damaged SIM card. After trying these fixes, contacting your carrier to start troubleshooting is the next best step in resolving signal instability issues.
Sometimes contacting your carrier is the only way to resolve signal issues.
If all else fails, try using a signal booster to improve cell phone reception
If after completing all of our troubleshooting steps (including discussing your options with your carrier), you’re still having trouble maintaining a good signal – try a booster. A signal booster takes the same cellular signal used by your carrier and amplifies it enough to cover an entire room or house.
The biggest drawback here is cost. Wilson offers three different home boosters, priced from Single room coverage is $349, entire home coverage is $999. To be clear, we have not specifically tested these models. If there are any issues with your product, Wilson offers a 30-day money-back guarantee and a two-year warranty.
If you’re looking for iPhone-specific tips and tricks, Check out our guide to iOS 17 hidden features. For Android fans, Stay up to date on what’s new in Android 15.
