Why Is My Mobile Data Not Working? 12 Quick Fixes to Try

If your mobile internet connection works fine on WiFi but stops as soon as you go outside, there is likely something wrong with your mobile data settings. There can be several reasons leading you to the question, why is my mobile data not working? Some are more obvious than others, but determining which one is affecting your data connectivity is not an easy task if you don’t know how to rule out the possible issues.

This blog is all about helping you pinpoint what could be wrong with your mobile’s data connectivity. So, let’s start with:

Reasons for Mobile Data Not Working

Data connection failure can result from a major software failure, damaged hardware, or even a system-wide outage that makes the entire mobile network inaccessible. Here are some proven solutions for restoring your mobile phone data whether you’re using an Android device or an iOS one.

What to Do When Mobile Data is Not Working?

We’ve compiled a list of what you can do when your mobile data is not working. Some simple but effective options include:

Reboot Your Mobile Phone

As usual, the most obvious solution is the first to resort to because it works well in this type of problem. When a data connectivity problem surfaces in your device, restarting the phone is the first solution. In many cases, this problem is solved, leaving you with a stable Internet connection on the phone once again.

Make Sure You Don’t Reach Your Mobile Data Limit

Whether it’s because you’ve gone overboard watching the latest Netflix releases or because an application in the background has devoured all your data, before continuing, you should check if you have exceeded the monthly limit of your data plan.

You can do it directly from your network operator’s app, or in the device’s system settings, within the “Data usage” section, which shows the apps that have used the most data throughout the last billing cycle and the exact number of megabytes.

In fact, many people fail to manage their data usage, ultimately facing the same dilemma, why is my mobile data not working? If you’re also one of them, these 8 tips to reduce data usage can make your life easier whether you’re on Android or iOS.

Another way you can ensure you never face mobile data not working (iPhone and Android users, both) problem is to resort to unlimited data plans that don’t cost you an arm and a leg.

Is Your Data Connectivity Active?

We would go through all the options by the difficulty level so that you do not waste time configuring APN if the solution was as easy as activating the data on the mobile. Therefore, you should first check if the data is activated on your mobile device.

It is obvious, but we can also sometimes forget to review it, especially if we are used to having it always on, and it’s been deactivated by mistake (for example, while the mobile was in the pocket).

The quickest way to check if data is turned on is to pull down the notification bar and check if mobile data is turned on. If it’s off, simply turn it on and stop cringing about why is my mobile data not working.

Do You Have Coverage?

Another essential for data connectivity is the network’s coverage. If your mobile is not receiving good coverage, the Internet connection could be very slow or not available at all. It can happen for several reasons. For instance, you are in a remote area, a place with poor coverage (a parking lot or surrounded by mountains), or your mobile has a problem with its antenna or connectivity.

You can check it by looking at the coverage “bars” in the status bar. Tapping on SIM Status tells you the signal strength.

Check If You Are in Airplane Mode

While it sounds silly, it’s normal and human to forget certain things. If you have traveled by plane, you may have forgotten to turn off the “airplane mode”. Another possibility is that you turned it on accidentally and didn’t realize it.

If you notice the “airplane mode” activated, deactivate it by going to the settings of your mobile. Turn it off, wait for your network to establish the connection, and check if your mobile data is working again.

Disable WiFi & Bluetooth

It shouldn’t happen, but sometimes it happens, especially on older mobile models. WiFi internet sometimes disrupts mobile network connections, so turning it off can help you recover mobile data.

One of the biggest reasons it works in some situations is that you don’t have a strong enough WiFi connection, but you are still connected. So you can be in your backyard or almost out of range of the router, but not far enough away to end the connection and start the cellular connection.

You cannot connect online via WiFi or mobile phone in this in-between area. Turn WiFi back on when you’re back within your router’s range. You don’t want to reach your monthly data limit.

Similarly, Bluetooth activation is also known to affect cellular connectivity on Android and iPhone smartphones.

If your Bluetooth continues to conflict with your phone’s mobile data connection, try turning it off permanently and connecting the Bluetooth device to your tablet or laptop instead.

Reinsert the SIM Card

Another way to get yourself out of “mobile data not working” (Android and iPhone users, both) can be as simple as reinserting the SIM card in your device.

Restarting or re-establishing communication between your phone and SIM card is enough to fix many mobile data issues. You must turn off the device before removing the SIM card.

Once removed, wait 30 seconds, reinsert the SIM card, turn on the mobile again, wait for the network’s connection, and check if your mobile data problem has been solved.

You may have a different problem if your mobile device fails to recognize the SIM.

Problem With Any Application

It is essential to check if this problem occurs on the phone in general or is it that some application has this problem of not connecting to the Internet. If it affects only one application, it is an application problem.

You may think of examples like Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, which can go down at some point. Then check if this is the case or not to rule out at least one possible cause.

If this problem started after installing an application, it could be that the cause is the application in question. There are times when installing a specific application causes issues on a device. If this has happened, try uninstalling this application in question from the phone to see if everything works again fine enough.

Reset the APN

Mobile carriers communicate with their network of devices using access points or APNs, including essential settings like your IP address and gateway settings needed to connect to the Internet.

If your mobile data is not working, please reset the APN. Access the section where you can change your network settings, for example, “Mobile networks”.

Once you are there, tap “Access Point Names” to see the list of APNs saved on your device. You will need to go to the menu icon and choose “Reset to defaults” when you do.

If the automatic APN reset does not work, you may need to change the APN protocol manually. Unfortunately, not all devices offer this option in the APN settings section.

However, numerous models allow you to change the APN protocol and leave it blank. Change the field to IPv4 / IPv6 if your device offers this option.

Manually Enter Your APN

Unfortunately, not all mobile device models are perfect. Sometimes a system or software update can introduce issues and bugs that cause mobile data not to work correctly.

And one of those common issues is APN settings. If auto-resetting your APN doesn’t work, you may need to fix it manually. Don’t worry, though, as entering your APN address is relatively easy to do.

Start by going to the APN settings. Choose the add option by tapping on the “+” or the menu icon. Then select “New APN” and enter all the APN data according to your provider.

Now save this setting and select it from your list. Finally, check the internet connection and confirm if your mobile data is working.

Update Your Android or iOS Version

Suppose you verify that the problem is due to an error in the operating system itself. In that case, it is best to update it to the latest version available, regardless of whether it is an Android device or an iPhone. Since, in a certain way, by carrying out this update, you will ensure that the system does not present vulnerabilities and exhibits excellent performance in all aspects.

On Android

To update your Android, you need to enter the device Settings menu, click on “About the phone”, and click “Check for updates”. Proceed by clicking “Install now” and wait until the said process ends. However, you will only have to look for the “Software update” section in Settings and execute it in some versions.

On iOS

To update iOS on an iPhone, connect the mobile to the Internet via WiFi, go to the Settings menu, and click on “General”. Next, go to “Software update”, click on “Download and install”, and tap on “Continue”. Also, to proceed to update now, click “Install”, and if it asks for your access code, you must enter it.

Factory Reset

As a final solution, if nothing has worked so far, you can always try to factory reset the phone. In this way, it returns to its original state, and everything will likely work as before, enabling you to use mobile data again. However, this is an option to resort to only when nothing has worked and no other options are available.

Conclusion

If you try all the tips and tricks from this blog, you should be able to reconnect your mobile network to the internet and help anyone else who’s wondering why is my mobile data not working. If all else fails, contact your network service provider for assistance.