Why is my iPhone cellular data not working?

Lost connection on your iPhone and not sure why your mobile data isn’t working? There are several reasons why your eSIM’s mobile data might not be functioning properly on an iPhone. In this guide, we’ll walk you through what to check and how to fix it.

Common reasons why isn’t my data working on my iPhone?

These are the most common reasons why your Free Roaming eSIM might not be working on an iPhone. Check each one to identify and resolve any issues:

• Your phone could be locked by your operator.
• Your eSIM might be deactivated or expired.
• You haven’t yet reached your destination.
• Your eSIM may not be activated correctly.
• You might have purchased an eSIM for the wrong destination.
• Network settings may be incorrectly configured.
• The eSIM APN may be misconfigured.
• A weak cellular signal could be disrupting your connection.
• There could be temporary issues with your provider’s network.
• Hardware or software glitches could be affecting your device.

How to fix Free Roaming data connection issues on iPhone?

Even if your device is unlocked, set to the correct destination, and running the latest software, data issues can still occur. Don’t stress, just follow these steps to get reconnected.

1. Check if your eSIM is activated on your Phone

When you lose internet on your phone, one of the first things to check is whether your eSIM is properly activated. If you’re not sure, here’s how to verify it step by step.

To activate your Free Roaming eSIM On iPhone (iOS):

• Go to Settings → Cellular → Tap your personal SIMs or eSIMs → Turn off your personal SIMs or eSIMs by switching off the “Turn On This Line” option → Go back to Cellular or Mobile Data
• Tap on the Free Roaming eSIM (it may appear as Travel, Business, Secondary, or the name you assigned during setup) →  Make sure that “Turn On This Line” is enabled for the Free Roaming eSIM → Activate Data Roaming → Go back to Cellular or Mobile Data → Tap on Cellular Data and select the Free Roaming eSIM as the mobile data line.
• Finally, make sure “Allow Cellular Data Switching” is turned off, so your phone doesn’t automatically switch between data lines based on signal strength.

2. Switch On/ Off Airplane mode

A quick switch to Airplane Mode might be the fix. Sometimes, simply turning Airplane Mode on and off can resolve the issue. This step resets your device’s network connections and can clear temporary glitches. Follow these steps:

• Enable Airplane Mode for 30 seconds → Then turn it off → After that, check that your Free Roaming eSIM and data roaming are active → Test your connection.

3. Manually select a network operator

Your phone may not automatically connect to the optimal network, which can interfere with your eSIM. To fix this, manually select a network and check if the connection improves.

To manually select a network for your Free Roaming eSIM on iPhone:

• Go to Settings → Tap on Cellular or Mobile Data → Select Free Roaming Line → Then Network Selection → Disable automatic network selection and wait for available operators to load → Then try one by one all the operators listed (each time you select one wait 30 seconds while it connects to the network)  → Select the operator that generates the best signal for you → Test your network.

4. Switch to 4G or LTE

In certain regions, 5G coverage may be unreliable. For a more stable connection with your eSIM, we recommend manually selecting 4G or LTE.

To manually switch to 4G or LTE on iPhone:

• Go to Settings → Tap on Cellular or Mobile Data → Select Free Roaming Line → Tap Voice & Data → Select 4G or LTE → Choose the one that generates the best signal for you.

5. Reset network settings

If your mobile data still isn’t working after trying the previous solutions, we recommend resetting your network settings. This can fix internal errors that may be affecting your eSIM’s connectivity.

To reset network settings on iPhone:

• Go to Settings → General → Scroll down → Transfer or Reset iPhone → Reset → Reset Network Settings and confirm your selection with the Reset Network Settings option.