Turning on WIFI manually every time you need to use it can be a hassle, especially if you’re in and out of WIFI range often. The good news is that you can turn on automatic WIFI on your Android phone so that it will automatically connect to saved networks when they’re in range and available.
How to turn on WIFI automatically when you are someplace where you have used a WIFI network before? The added convenience of having your WIFI connected when you need it is an extra bonus.
Based on your location, your Android phone or tablet will use your network preferences to automatically turn on the WIFI service and connect you to a saved WIFI network allowing a connection to the internet. This is a feature built-into your Android phone and tablet. This feature is dependent on your location being turned on. Before you proceed, make sure your location is enabled on your phone or tablet. (How to Turn on Location…)
Here the steps for how to set your phone or tablet to turn on automatic WIFI on Android:
- Open Settings on your Android phone or tablet
- then Touch on Connections
- Touch WIFI to open the WIFI settings
- Touch on the 3-dot menu in the upper right corner
- Touch on Advanced to open the advanced settings
- Touch on the slider under Turn on WIFI automatically to enable it. If this is greyed out and will not allow you to enable it, then your Location settings are not turned on. Turn on your Location and this will be available. (How to Turn on Location…)
Your Android phone or tablet will now use your location to determine if WIFI should be turn on. For example, if you have used a WIFI network before at work, based on your location, when you arrive at work, your phone or tablet will automatically turn on the WIFI and connect. The same is true if you used a WIFI network at a coffee shop, or at home.
If you don’t want your phone to turn on WIFI automatically at a specific location, Touch on the Turn on WIFI automatically feature to open all the WIFI settings stored on your phone or tablet. You can delete any WIFI location you do not want to automatically connect with.
Once you’ve enabled automatic WIFI, your phone will automatically connect to saved WIFI networks when they’re available. You can also choose to have your phone automatically connect to new WIFI networks that it detects. To do this, follow these steps:
- Go to the WIFI settings page as described above.
- Touch on the three dots in the top right corner.
- Touch on Preferences.
- Toggle on the switch next to Connect to public networks.
It is important to note that connecting to public WIFI networks can be risky, as they may not be secure. It is recommended that you only connect to public WIFI networks when necessary and that you use a VPN when doing so.
Here are some additional helpful tips to turn on automatic WIFI on Android:
- You can add saved WIFI networks to your phone’s priority list. This will ensure that your phone connects to those networks first when they’re available. To add a network to your priority list,
- go to the WIFI settings page
- touch on the network name
- and then touch on Set priority.
- You can also choose to have your phone automatically disconnect from WIFI networks when they’re not in use. This can help to conserve battery life. To enable this feature,
- go to the WIFI settings page
- touch on the three dots in the top right corner,
- and then touch on Preferences
- Toggle on the switch next to Keep WIFI on when asleep.
- If you’re having problems with automatic WIFI, you can try restarting your phone or resetting your WIFI settings. To reset your WIFI settings,
- go to the WIFI settings page
- touch on the three dots in the top right corn
- and then touch on Reset.
- Make sure that your phone’s date and time are set correctly.
- Disable Battery Saver mode.
- Enable precise location services for WIFI.
- Allow apps to scan for WIFI networks in the background.
- Avoid using VPNs when connecting to WIFI networks.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ) and answers to turn on WIFI automatically on Android:
Q: What is automatic WIFI?
Automatic WIFI is a feature on Android devices that allows your device to automatically connect to saved WIFI networks when they are in range. This can be convenient, as you don’t have to manually select the WIFI network you want to connect to.
Q: How do I enable automatic WIFI on my Android device?
To enable automatic WIFI on your Android device, follow these steps:
- Open the Settings app.
- Touch on Network & internet.
- Touch on WIFI.
- Touch on the three dots in the top right corner of the screen.
- Touch on Advanced.
- Toggle on the switch next to “Turn on WIFI automatically.”
Q: How do I use automatic WIFI on my Android device?
Once automatic WIFI is enabled, your device will automatically connect to saved WIFI networks when they are in range. You don’t need to do anything else.
Q: What are some of the benefits of using automatic WIFI?
Some of the benefits of using automatic WIFI include:
- Convenience: You don’t have to manually select the WIFI network you want to connect to.
- Battery life: Automatic WIFI can help to improve battery life by automatically connecting your device to WIFI networks when they are in range.
- Data usage: Automatic WIFI can help to reduce data usage by connecting your device to WIFI networks when they are in range.
Q: What are some of the drawbacks of using automatic WIFI?
Some of the drawbacks of using automatic WIFI include:
- Security: If you are not careful, automatic WIFI can connect your device to unsecured WIFI networks. This could put your device at risk of malware or hacking.
- Privacy: If you connect to public WIFI networks, your data may be vulnerable to interception.
Q: How can I use automatic WIFI safely?
To use automatic WIFI safely, follow these tips:
- Only connect to WIFI networks that you trust.
- Avoid connecting to unsecured WIFI networks.
- Use a VPN when connecting to public WIFI networks.
Q: How can I troubleshoot automatic WIFI problems?
If you are having problems with automatic WIFI, try the following:
- Restart your device.
- Restart your router.
- Forget the saved WIFI networks that you are having problems with and then reconnect to them.
- Update your device’s software to the latest version.
- Reset your device’s network settings.
Common problems and solutions to turn on WIFI automatically:
Problem: Automatic WIFI is not turned on.
Solution: Go to Settings > WIFI and make sure that the toggle for “Turn on WIFI automatically” is turned on.
Problem: Automatic WIFI is not connecting to saved networks.
Solution: Make sure that your phone is within range of a saved WIFI network and that the network is turned on. You can also try restarting your phone.
Problem: Automatic WIFI is connecting to the wrong network.
Solution: Make sure that the network you want to connect to is the strongest signal. You can also try forgetting the wrong network and re-adding it.
Problem: Automatic WIFI is disconnecting from networks frequently.
Solution: Try restarting your phone and router. You can also try changing your WIFI security settings or updating your router’s firmware.
Problem: Automatic WIFI is not working at all.
Solution: Try resetting your network settings. Go to Settings > System > Advanced > Reset options > Reset WIFI, mobile & Bluetooth.
