FAQ: How to Deactivate Wi-Fi Assist on iPhones

All iPhones with at least iOS 9 or later have this nifty feature called “Wi-Fi Assist” which basically helps fix the issue of Wi-Fi signals being a little spotty at times. However, for prepaid iPhone users, it’s causing a problem: data overages. And the worst part is that the setting is turned on automatically. The way Wi-Fi assist works is that when a user’s Wifi signal starts to become erratic or drops, the phone will automatically switch to cellular data without notifying the user in order to provide the most seamless experience. Since prepaid users often use Wifi in order to curb data usage with low-data plans, having a device switch to cellular network randomly means there’s a higher chance of overages. I know I, at the least, don’t tend to pay much attention to how much data I’m using when I’m connected to Wifi. So, if you’ve got an iPhone with iOS 9 or later, here’s how to turn Wi-Fi assist off:

1. Open Settings
2. Tap Cellular
3. Scroll down to the bottom of the menu
4. Tap the toggle labeled “Wi-Fi Assist” so it grays out

Unless you have unlimited data on your phone plan (which is becoming increasingly common even in prepaid) turning this off is probably the best choice just to be sure that you’re not going to have data overages or waste all your data on accident.]]>