Turning on Wi-Fi manually every time you need to use it can be a hassle, especially if you’re in and out of Wi-Fi range often. The good news is that you can turn on automatic Wi-Fi on your Android phone so that it will automatically connect to saved networks when they’re in range and available.
How to turn on Wi-Fi automatically when you are someplace where you have used a Wi-Fi network before? The added convenience of having your Wi-Fi 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 Wi-Fi service and connect you to a saved Wi-Fi 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 Wi-Fi on Android:
- Open Settings on your Android phone or tablet
- then Touch on Connections
- Touch Wi-Fi to open the Wi-Fi 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 Wi-Fi 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 Wi-Fi should be turn on. For example, if you have used a Wi-Fi network before at work, based on your location, when you arrive at work, your phone or tablet will automatically turn on the Wi-Fi and connect. The same is true if you used a Wi-Fi network at a coffee shop, or at home.
If you don’t want your phone to turn on Wi-Fi automatically at a specific location, Touch on the Turn on Wi-Fi automatically feature to open all the Wi-Fi settings stored on your phone or tablet. You can delete any Wi-Fi location you do not want to automatically connect with.
Once you’ve enabled automatic Wi-Fi, your phone will automatically connect to saved Wi-Fi networks when they’re available. You can also choose to have your phone automatically connect to new Wi-Fi networks that it detects. To do this, follow these steps:
- Go to the Wi-Fi 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 Wi-Fi networks can be risky, as they may not be secure. It is recommended that you only connect to public Wi-Fi networks when necessary and that you use a VPN when doing so.
Here are some additional helpful tips to turn on automatic Wi-Fi on Android:
- You can add saved Wi-Fi 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 Wi-Fi settings page
- touch on the network name
- and then touch on Set priority.
- You can also choose to have your phone automatically disconnect from Wi-Fi networks when they’re not in use. This can help to conserve battery life. To enable this feature,
- go to the Wi-Fi settings page
- touch on the three dots in the top right corner,
- and then touch on Preferences
- Toggle on the switch next to Keep Wi-Fi on when asleep.
- If you’re having problems with automatic Wi-Fi, you can try restarting your phone or resetting your Wi-Fi settings. To reset your Wi-Fi settings,
- go to the Wi-Fi 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 Wi-Fi.
- Allow apps to scan for Wi-Fi networks in the background.
- Avoid using VPNs when connecting to Wi-Fi networks.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ) and answers to turn on Wi-Fi automatically on Android:
Q: What is automatic Wi-Fi?
Automatic Wi-Fi is a feature on Android devices that allows your device to automatically connect to saved Wi-Fi networks when they are in range. This can be convenient, as you don’t have to manually select the Wi-Fi network you want to connect to.
Q: How do I enable automatic Wi-Fi on my Android device?
To enable automatic Wi-Fi on your Android device, follow these steps:
- Open the Settings app.
- Touch on Network & internet.
- Touch on Wi-Fi.
- Touch on the three dots in the top right corner of the screen.
- Touch on Advanced.
- Toggle on the switch next to “Turn on Wi-Fi automatically.”
Q: How do I use automatic Wi-Fi on my Android device?
Once automatic Wi-Fi is enabled, your device will automatically connect to saved Wi-Fi networks when they are in range. You don’t need to do anything else.
Q: What are some of the benefits of using automatic Wi-Fi?
Some of the benefits of using automatic Wi-Fi include:
- Convenience: You don’t have to manually select the Wi-Fi network you want to connect to.
- Battery life: Automatic Wi-Fi can help to improve battery life by automatically connecting your device to Wi-Fi networks when they are in range.
- Data usage: Automatic Wi-Fi can help to reduce data usage by connecting your device to Wi-Fi networks when they are in range.
Q: What are some of the drawbacks of using automatic Wi-Fi?
Some of the drawbacks of using automatic Wi-Fi include:
- Security: If you are not careful, automatic Wi-Fi can connect your device to unsecured Wi-Fi networks. This could put your device at risk of malware or hacking.
- Privacy: If you connect to public Wi-Fi networks, your data may be vulnerable to interception.
Q: How can I use automatic Wi-Fi safely?
To use automatic Wi-Fi safely, follow these tips:
- Only connect to Wi-Fi networks that you trust.
- Avoid connecting to unsecured Wi-Fi networks.
- Use a VPN when connecting to public Wi-Fi networks.
Q: How can I troubleshoot automatic Wi-Fi problems?
If you are having problems with automatic Wi-Fi, try the following:
- Restart your device.
- Restart your router.
- Forget the saved Wi-Fi 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 Wi-Fi automatically:
Problem: Automatic Wi-Fi is not turned on.
Solution: Go to Settings > Wi-Fi and make sure that the toggle for “Turn on Wi-Fi automatically” is turned on.
Problem: Automatic Wi-Fi is not connecting to saved networks.
Solution: Make sure that your phone is within range of a saved Wi-Fi network and that the network is turned on. You can also try restarting your phone.
Problem: Automatic Wi-Fi 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 Wi-Fi is disconnecting from networks frequently.
Solution: Try restarting your phone and router. You can also try changing your Wi-Fi security settings or updating your router’s firmware.
Problem: Automatic Wi-Fi is not working at all.
Solution: Try resetting your network settings. Go to Settings > System > Advanced > Reset options > Reset Wi-Fi, mobile & Bluetooth.
