How to Get Better Cellular Signal When Reception is Poor on iPhone and Android

You’re in the middle of nowhere and your car is broken. Time to call for help. But your cell phone reception is almost non-existent. What now? There’s no doubt that a good cell phone signal is essential Save your life. If you’re stuck without a decent phone signal, there are quick and easy ways to get better reception on both iPhone and Android, like toggling Airplane Mode or resetting your network settings. Check out these tried-and-true approaches below – so you never find yourself in this frustrating situation again.

Here’s what you need to know.

Remark: While the software is pretty much the same across different iPhone models, Samsung Galaxy, Google Pixel, and other Android phones may have different software versions. As a result, certain settings and their location may differ from device to device.

For more information, see how to use Google Maps when you’re offline and how to fix your internet connection if it drops.

To improve your cell phone service, try these steps first

Your phone’s settings can help you get a better cellular connection, but there are other tricks to improve reception without having to modify your phone’s software.

• Move yourself so that there are no obstacles between your phone and any outside cell towers. This may mean moving away from metal objects or concrete walls, both of which disrupt reception. Instead, move to a window or go outside if possible.
• Remove your phone caseIt wouldn’t hurt to remove your phone’s case, especially if it’s thick, so that nothing blocks the phone’s antenna and you can get a better signal.
• Make sure your phone is chargedWhen you search for a stronger signal and try to connect to it, you use energy. If your phone is running low on battery, it can be difficult to get a good connection.

Always start by toggling Airplane Mode on and off

The quickest and easiest way to fix your signal issues is to power cycle your phone. When you travel from one location to another, turning on airplane mode will reboot your Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and cellular modems. This forces them to find the best signal in the area.

Android: Swipe down from the top of your screen — to open the Quick Settings panel — then tap the Airplane Mode icon. Wait for your phone to completely disconnect from its Wi-Fi and cellular connections. This won’t happen right away, so give it a good 15 seconds before tapping the Airplane Mode icon again.

iPhone: On iPhone, you can access Airplane Mode from the Control Center, but the process varies by iPhone model. On iPhone X and later, swipe down from the top-right corner to open the Control Center. On older iPhone models, swipe up from the bottom of the screen. Then tap the Airplane Mode icon, which will turn orange when it’s enabled. Wait another 15 seconds before turning it off.

If Airplane Mode doesn’t work, restart your phone

Our phones are little computers. And just like computers, sometimes you can solve problems with things like network connectivity by restarting them.

Android: Press and hold the Power button or the Power button and the Volume down key (depending on your Android phone) until the menu appears on the screen, then tap Restart. If your phone doesn’t offer a restart option, you can simply tap Switch off to turn off your device and then restart it using the power button.

iPhone: On iPhone X and older, press and hold the Sleep/Wake button and either volume button, then swipe right on the power slider to turn off the device. Wait until the device powers off completely, then press the Sleep/Wake button to turn it back on.

You can also perform a force reset on your iPhone: press the volume up button, followed by the volume down button, and then press and hold the side button. Keep holding it after your phone’s screen goes black and 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. Once the device is turned off, continue holding the Sleep/Wake button until you see the Apple logo.

Remove your SIM card from your phone

Another troubleshooting step that might help is to remove your SIM card, if your phone has one, and then reinsert it while the phone is on. If the SIM card is dirty, clean it. If there are any physical defects, you may need to replace it.

To remove the SIM card tray from your phone, you will need a SIM card removal tool (usually included with your phone), an unfolded paperclip, or a needle.

All phones: Remove the SIM card, check if it is damaged and if it is properly placed in the SIM card holder, and then reinsert the card into your phone.

e-SIM card: For phones with an eSIM, that is, a built-in electronic SIM in your phone — there is nothing you can delete. The best thing you can do is restart your phone.

Check your provider settings (and update your software)

Mobile carriers periodically send out carrier settings updates to improve connectivity for calls, data, and messaging on their networks. While this feature is available on all iPhone models, it’s not universal on Android, so you may not find the carrier settings if you don’t have a supported phone.

iPhone: Carrier updates should appear as normal and you can update through the pop-up message that appears. To force your iPhone to check for a carrier settings update, go to Institutions > General > About on your phone. If an update is available, you will be prompted to install it.

Android: As mentioned, not all Android phones have carrier settings, so you’ll need to open the Settings app and type “carrier settings” to find potential updates. On supported Pixels, go to Institutions > Network & Internet > InternetTap the gear next to your carrier’s name, then tap Carrier settings versions.

Reset your phone’s network settings

Sometimes all you need is a clean slate to fix a pesky connectivity issue. Refreshing your phone’s network settings is one way to do that. Be warned though, resetting your network settings will also reset any saved Wi-Fi passwords, VPN connections, and custom APN settings for those on carriers that require additional setup.

Android: In the Settings app, search for “reset” or more specifically “reset network settings” and tap the setting. On the Pixel, the setting is called Reset Wi-Fi, Cellular and BluetoothDon’t forget to reconnect your phone to your home and work Wi-Fi networks after resetting your network settings.

iPhone: Go to Institutions > Transfer or reset iPhone > Reset > Reset network settings. The next page warns you that resetting your network settings will reset your Wi-Fi, mobile data, and Bluetooth settings. Tap Reset network settings and your phone will reboot.

Contact your telephone provider

Sometimes unexpected signal problems can be traced to issues with your mobile provider. A cell tower may be down, or the fiber optic cable from the cell tower may have been cut, causing an outage.

If you are experiencing persistent issues connecting or staying connected to a mobile or data network, it may be because your carrier’s coverage does not extend far into your area.

Other times, a new signal issue could be due to a defect in your phone or a broken SIM card. Contacting your carrier to begin troubleshooting after trying these solutions is the next best step to fixing your spotty signal.

If all else fails, try a signal booster to improve cell reception

If after going through 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 that your carrier is using and then amplifies it just enough to provide coverage in a room or your entire home.

The big downside here is the price. Wilson has designed three different boosters for home use, ranging in price from $349 for single room coverage to $999 for entire home coverage. To be clear, we have not tested these models specifically. Wilson offers a 30-day money-back guarantee and a two-year warranty if you experience any problems with its products.

If you’re looking for iPhone-specific tips and tricks, check out our guide to hidden features in iOS 17. Android fans can stay up to date on the new features coming to Android 15.