If your iPhone keeps jumping back onto a slow public Wi-Fi hotspot even when cellular data is clearly faster, you’re not imagining it. iOS is designed to prefer known Wi-Fi networks whenever possible, and sometimes it holds onto them longer than it should. The result is pages that barely load, apps timing out, and a connection that feels broken even though your signal bars look fine.
The quickest fix is usually simple: stop your iPhone from automatically joining that hotspot again. After that, a few small settings adjustments usually prevent the problem from coming back.
Why this happens
Once you connect to a public hotspot — at a café, airport, hotel, or store — your iPhone remembers it. If Auto-Join is enabled, the phone will reconnect whenever it detects the network, even if the signal is weak or unstable. iOS assumes Wi-Fi is preferable to cellular to save mobile data usage.
Public networks often have inconsistent coverage. You may technically still be within range, but the connection quality drops enough to make it unusable. The phone stays connected anyway.
Stop the hotspot from reconnecting automatically
- Open Settings.
- Tap Wi-Fi.
- Find the public hotspot in the list.
- Tap the ⓘ icon next to its name.
- Turn off Auto-Join.
If you never want to use that network again, tap Forget This Network instead. This removes it completely, which is often the cleanest solution.
Enable Wi-Fi Assist
Wi-Fi Assist allows your iPhone to quietly switch to cellular data when Wi-Fi performance becomes poor.
- Go to Settings → Cellular.
- Scroll down and enable Wi-Fi Assist.
With this on, the phone stops stubbornly clinging to weak connections and uses cellular data when needed.
Check Low Data Mode on Wi-Fi
Some public hotspots enable restrictions that interfere with switching behavior. If Low Data Mode is active for that network, performance decisions may become inconsistent.
- Open Settings → Wi-Fi.
- Tap the ⓘ next to the network.
- Make sure Low Data Mode is turned off.
Reset network selection behavior (if it keeps happening)
If your iPhone still reconnects unexpectedly, clearing saved network configurations can help.
- Go to Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone.
- Tap Reset.
- Select Reset Network Settings.
This removes saved Wi-Fi networks and reconnect rules, so you’ll need to re-enter passwords afterward.
One practical tip
When leaving places with public Wi-Fi, briefly turning Wi-Fi off from Settings (not Control Center) forces the phone to rely fully on cellular until you manually enable Wi-Fi again. That alone prevents most repeat connections.
After disabling Auto-Join or forgetting the hotspot, your iPhone should stay on cellular data whenever the public network becomes weak, and the connection behavior returns to normal.