September 15, 2026

Stop a weak Wi-Fi network from switching you to cellular

Wi-Fi Assist is under Cellular, or Mobile Service. Turn it off when a bad network keeps spending your data.

• Wi-Fi & Home tech
• Easy · 1 min
• iPhone on iOS 18 and iOS 26
• Fix: turn off Wi-Fi Assist on iPhone
• Cheat sheet

How to do it

1. 01

   Open Settings > Cellular. If your phone says Mobile Service or Mobile Data, open that instead.

2. 02

   Scroll to the bottom and turn Wi-Fi Assist off.

3. 03

   Turn it back on later if you would rather the phone abandon a dead network than sit on it.

With Assist off, a weak network stays weak. Pages load slowly instead of jumping to cellular. That is the trade.