Why Your Phone Says No Service: 13 Issues and Solutions

You’re just about to make a call, text a friend, or surf the web when the words “no service” pop up in the top corner of your phone. Grr! But don't worry—whether you have an iPhone, Android, or Samsung, the fix is usually as easy as restarting your phone, changing locations, charging your battery, or quickly activating and then deactivating airplane mode. We’ve outlined a few common “no service” issues, along with some easy fixes, based on the guidance of multiple professional phone experts and tech specialists. Give a few of these solutions a whirl to see if they solve the problem.

Why does my phone say No Service?

While being in an area with poor reception is one of the most common causes, sometimes this error stems from an issue with your account or your phone's settings. It could also be a sign of problems on your carrier's end. A few of the most common reasons for "No Service" include:

Buggy software that requires a restart
Bad cell service
Phone settings (like airplane mode)
Poor signal connection
Carrier issues
Poor weather or environmental blockages

1

Your phone needs to be restarted.

Download Article

Press the proper button combination to reboot your phone. Phone repair specialist James Bell explains that turning your phone off and on again helps clear away a lot of pesky connectivity issues.^{[1]
X
Expert Source

James Bell
Phone Repair Specialist

Expert Interview}
- On Android phones, open up a quick settings menu by pressing and holding the power or volume down/up buttons (the exact button combination depends on your phone model). From there, tap the “Restart” option and let your phone reboot. If your Android phone doesn’t have a “Restart” button, shut down your phone using the Settings app instead.^{[2]
  X
  Research source}
- If your iPhone has Touch ID, press the power button until the power slider shows up on your screen. Move the slider to power down your phone, then press the power button for a few more seconds until the Apple logo pops up on the screen.
- If your iPhone has Face ID, you can shut down your device by holding down the volume up or volume down button along with the power button. Then, turn on your phone by pressing and holding the power button.^{[3]
  X
  Research source}
Meet the wikiHow Experts

James Bell is a phone repair specialist with over 7 years of experience working on electronics.

Linh Le is a certified mobile repair specialist with over a decade of experience working on smartphones.

Luigi Oppido is a computer and tech specialist with over 25 years of experience. He owns and operates a computer and tech repair shop.

2

You’re in a place with bad cell service.

Download Article

Try moving to a different spot to see if that helps. Computer & tech specialist Luigi Oppido says that if you're in an enclosed space with no windows, brick walls, or in a basement, you may need to move to a spot that gets better cell service. Try going outside or moving to a room with more windows, as well as holding your phone higher in the air.^{[4]
X
Expert Source

Luigi Oppido
Computer & Tech Specialist

Expert Interview}
- You can also try turning on “Wi-Fi calling” in your phone’s settings, but you need to be connected to Wi-Fi to use this feature.^{[5]
  X
  Research source}
  - On an iPhone, simply tap on the Settings app and hit Cellular and Wi-Fi Calling. If you have an Android phone, open up your Settings app and hit Networks and Internet or Connections, along with Mobile Network, Advanced, and Wi-Fi Calling.^{[6]
    X
    Research source}
- Rural spaces and crowded areas can both lead to poor service.

3

There’s a problem with your phone account.

Download Article

Overdue payments and other issues may cause your carrier to cancel or suspend your service. To be on the safe side, call your cell carrier to clear up any discrepancies.^{[7]
X
Research source}

4

Your phone isn’t connecting to the best signal.

Download Article

Switch your phone into Airplane mode for 10 seconds. Pull down your iPhone’s “Control Center” or your Android phone’s Quick Settings panel. From this menu, tap the airplane symbol, which will completely shut off your phone’s network connectivity. Wait at least 10 seconds, and then toggle the airplane button off again. This may help your finicky phone get cell service again!
- Why does this work? Certified mobile repair specialist Linh Le explains that “If you’re in an area that has bad cell phone signals, and you don't have Wi Fi, your phone works harder to kind of push through the data.”^{[8]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Linh Le
  Certified Mobile Repair Specialist
  
  Expert Interview} By turning your signal on and off, your phone may discover a more “open” signal.

5

You’re blocking your phone’s antenna.

Download Article

Grip the sides of your phone with 2 fingers instead of using your entire hand. In rare cases, your hand might be blocking your phone’s antenna bands (back in the day, this was a notorious problem with the iPhone 4). Try to hold your phone along the sides and see if your signal strength changes.^{[9]
X
Research source}
- Antenna band issues probably aren’t the source of your troubles, but this trick could still be worth a try!

6

Your network settings are not correct.

Download Article

Reset these settings directly on your phone. To reset your iPhone’s network settings, tap the following buttons in your Settings app: General, Reset, and Reset Network Settings. Unfortunately, Android phones don’t have a universal way to reset your network settings; on some phones, you may have to tap Settings, Reset options, Reset Wi-Fi, Mobile, and Bluetooth. On other phones, you may only need to hit Settings, General management, Reset, and Reset network settings.
- Keep in mind that resetting your network settings will erase any Wi-Fi passwords and remove all paired Bluetooth devices. Be sure to jot down any important passwords before you hit the reset button, and remember to pair your Bluetooth devices afterward.

7

Your iPhone’s carrier settings aren’t up-to-date.

Download Article

Look for an update in your “Settings” app. Carrier updates help optimize your phone’s network connectivity and may solve your cell signal issues. In your Settings app, hit the General option, along with About. Then, tap the Carrier button to see if there’s an available update.^{[10]
X
Research source}
- Carrier setting updates only apply to iPhones.^{[11]
  X
  Research source}

8

The network you’re on is weak where you’re at.

Download Article

Switch to a lower “G” if your 5G service is weak. Some phone carriers will automatically connect to 5G, even if this means hooking your phone up to a distant, weaker signal. Instead, switch your phone to LTE or 4G and see if you notice a change in signal strength. You can even switch to 3G if your phone offers it—LTE, 4G, and 3G may provide a stronger signal than the 5G default.^{[12]
X
Research source}
- If you have an iPhone, pop over to your Settings app and tap on Cellular. Select Cellular Data Options near the top of the screen, then tap Voice & Data. "5G Auto" means your phone will only connect to 5G as needed for performance, whereas "5G On" means your phone will always try to connect to 5G even if it lowers performance. Try LTE or 5G Auto if 5G isn't working well for you.^{[13]
  X
  Research source}
- On Android, open your Settings app and tap on either Connections or Wi-Fi and Internet. Then, hit Mobile Network or SIM and Network to get a list of different “G” choices.^{[14]
  X
  Research source}
- It may also help to switch on the Data roaming setting.

9

Your phone is connecting to a weaker cell tower.

Download Article

Moving far enough to enter another tower’s coverage may help. Large “dead areas” of coverage are often the result of being too far from the nearest cell tower, or having your closest cell tower just be an older, weaker tower. In either case, you may need to move a larger distance to pick up a new tower, since there isn’t any reliable way to manually change which tower your phone connects to.^{[15]
X
Research source}
- You can try restarting your phone or putting it on/off airplane mode to see if your phone can find a better tower, but it’s not likely to help if there isn’t any coverage overlap with a second tower.
- You can look up where the cell towers are near you using the Cell Mapper website. Once you find a different tower, you can travel in that direction if you need a signal.

10

Your SIM card is grimy, damaged, or worn out.

Download Article

Remove your SIM card and clean it off. Bell explains that SIM cards can get pretty icky and worn down over time, which can interfere with your phone’s connectivity.^{[16]
X
Expert Source

James Bell
Phone Repair Specialist

Expert Interview} Start by removing your iPhone or Android phone’s SIM card. Then, wipe down the metallic surface with a disinfectant wipe or a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol. Slip the SIM card back into its proper compartment, and see if your cell service returns.
- Confirm SIM card issues with an easy trick: Grab a friend who has the same type of phone as you and swap your SIM cards out. If your friend’s phone suddenly can’t connect to a network and your phone magically works now, you’ve got a bad SIM card.
- An older, pre-5G SIM card might not connect to 5G networks. If you’ve just upgraded your cell service and are running into service issues, call your provider and ask them if you need a new card.
- Why does the SIM card matter? Le says that heat can degrade the circuits and SIM card, which can interfere with the phone’s ability to communicate with the network it’s on.^{[17]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Linh Le
  Certified Mobile Repair Specialist
  
  Expert Interview}

11

The environment is messing with the signal.

Download Article

Concrete, bad weather, and mountains can all mess with a signal. A cell phone signal depends on two conditions: your distance from the cell tower and the number of obstacles between you and the cell tower. Certain materials, like concrete, glass, and fiberglass, are especially good at blocking out signals. Bad weather can also screw things up, and geological features like mountains, valleys, or hills can also cause interference.^{[18]
X
Research source}
- For weather-related issues, you’re just going to have to wait for things to improve. If you’re in a location where the signal is bad because of material interference, you can try moving to see if the signal improves.

12

Your phone battery is running low.

Download Article

Plug your phone in to get it juiced up. Your phone battery helps keep your phone running in top form, including your phone signal. If your phone’s battery drops below 25%, your phone might have some trouble picking up a good signal. If you’re able to, plug in your phone until it’s over 25% charged. Then, check your signal again to see if anything improves.
- Keep a portable charger on hand if you won’t be near a wall outlet for a while.

13

Your phone is in airplane mode.

Download Article

Check your settings menu to make sure that airplane mode is switched off. The process is the same for both Androids and iPhones—just slide your finger down from the top of the screen to pull up your quick-access settings menu. Then, see if the button with the airplane icon is toggled or not. If it is, tap the button once to turn it off.^{[19]
X
Research source}
- Airplane mode switches off your phone’s wireless capabilities, so you won’t get any signal when it’s toggled on.^{[20]
  X
  Research source}