Skip to main content

iPhone & iPad: How to cycle your Cellular radio

One of the most frustrating things is having No Service or being stuck on a cellular tower that may be malfunctioning. Luckily, there’s a way to force your phone to refresh its radios to potentially connect to a better tower.

While this isn’t a 100% workaround, it will resolve most issues, especially if your iPhone or iPad is stuck saying No Service.

iPhone & iPad: How to cycle your Cellular radio

  1. Swipe up (or down from the right corner if you have an iPhone X) for Control Center.
  2. Tap on the Airplane Mode icon, wait at least 5 seconds for the radios to completely power off.
  3. Now tap AirPlane Mode again, and your iPhone or iPad will now be searching for cellular service again.

Note that this won’t work if you are in an area with no coverage from your carrier. It may also help if you have low coverage as it could potentially ping a different tower that may be less congested and have better reception.

For more help getting the most out of your Apple devices, check out our how to guide as well as the following articles:


Check out 9to5Mac on YouTube for more Apple news:

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Manage push notifications

notification icon
We would like to show you notifications for the latest news and updates.
notification icon
You are subscribed to notifications
notification icon
We would like to show you notifications for the latest news and updates.
notification icon
You are subscribed to notifications