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Phones & tablets

Connect your phone to home Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi connects your phone to a nearby network, which still needs working internet service. Start with your own network or one confirmed by its owner.

2 min read·iPhone or Android· 5 steps
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Before you start

  • A phone with Wi-Fi
  • The correct network name
  • The network’s Wi-Fi password
  • Permission to use that network

Step 1 of 5: Open the Wi-Fi controls

iPhone: open Settings and Wi-Fi. Android: open Settings and look for Internet, Network & internet or Connections, then Wi-Fi. Switch Wi-Fi on. Menu wording depends on the Android phone maker.

Step 2 of 5: Choose the right network

Compare the listed name with your router label or the details given by the network owner. Similar names can be misleading. Tap the exact network you intend to use; a lock symbol means a password is required.

Step 3 of 5: Enter the network password

Type it carefully, including capital letters and symbols, then choose Join or Connect. This is the Wi-Fi password, not necessarily the router administration password or your email password. Use Show password briefly if needed and private.

Step 4 of 5: Confirm the connection

Look for Connected or a check mark beside the network. Then open a new page in your browser. A Wi-Fi symbol alone does not prove that the network has internet access; an already-open page may be stored locally.

Step 5 of 5: Make one check if it fails

Recheck the name and password and move closer to the router. Test another device on the same network. If all devices fail, investigate the router or provider before changing lots of settings on the phone.

Try it for yourself

Your small practice task.

Connect to your own network, then open a website you were not already viewing.

Completing the guide records your progress here; it does not check your device settings.

Cover of How to Use an Android Phone: Samsung Edition
Using a Samsung Galaxy phone?

Prefer a guide beside your phone?

Explore Danielle Murphy’s picture-led paperback: 100 lessons across 10 sections, with large screenshots and highlighted controls.

Explore the Samsung book

A common question.

Will I need to enter the password every time?

The phone usually remembers a saved network. A changed password, forgotten network or some public networks may require another sign-in.

Official help, if you need it.

These links provide the product’s own instructions or relevant public guidance. Settings can differ by model and software version.