Top 6 Ways to Stop Wi-Fi From Turning On Automatically on Android
Does your Android phone keep connecting to random Wi-Fi networks on its own? There could be several reasons behind it, ranging from misconfigured Wi-Fi preferences to a rouge third-party app. Fortunately, it’s possible to stop Wi-Fi from turning on automatically on your Android. In this post, we’ll share some tips to help you with the same. So, let’s get right to it.
Table of Contents
1. Modify Wi-Fi Preferences
When your Android phone comes within range of a saved Wi-Fi network, it might connect to it without prompting. It does this by default. However, if you don’t want that to happen, you may tweak the Wi-Fi preferences on your phone by following the steps below.
1.Open theSettingsapp on your phone and navigate toConnections. Then, tap onWi-Fi.
2.Tap thekebab menu(three-dot icon) in the top right corner and selectIntelligent Wi-Fi.
3.Toggle off the switch next toTurn Wi-Fi on/off automatically.
Alternatively, if your phone is running Android 11 or higher, you’re able to prevent it fromconnecting to specific Wi-Fi networksautomatically. To do that, tapTurn Wi-Fi on/off automaticallyand use the toggles to set your preferences.
2. Disable Adaptive Connectivity (For Pixel Phones)
EnablingAdaptive Connectivity on your Pixel phoneallows it to switch between mobile data and Wi-Fi based on what you’re doing. While this doesimprove your phone’s battery life, you may find it annoying. Thankfully, it’s easy to disable it.
1.Open theSettingsapp on your phone.
2.Go toNetwork & internet>Adaptive connectivity. Then, turn off the switch next toAdaptive connectivity.
3. Disable Wi-Fi Calling
Wi-Fi calling is a useful feature that allows you to make calls and receive texts even when your phone is unable to receive a cell signal. If you’ve enabled this feature on your phone, it could be the reason behind Wi-Fi turning on automatically.
To turn off Wi-Fi calling on your Android, open theSettingsapp and tap onConnections. Then, toggle off the switch next toWi-Fi Calling.
4. Disable Wi-Fi Scanning to Improve Location Accuracy
Aside from GPS, your Android phone uses nearby Wi-Fi networks and Bluetooth devices to determine your current location with pinpoint accuracy. This can also cause apps and services to enable Wi-Fi on your phone. Here’s how you can stop that.
1.Open theSettingsapp on your phone and scroll down to tap onLocation.
2.TapLocation servicesand toggle off the switch next toWi-Fi scanning.
5. Prevent Apps From Controlling Wi-Fi
Apps that are permitted to override your phone’s system settings can enable or disable services such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, location, and others without notifying you. It’s possible that one of these apps is causing your phone’s Wi-Fi to turn on automatically at times. If you don’t want that, here’s how you can stop apps from controlling Wi-Fi settings on your Android.
1.Launch theSettingsapp on your phone and go toApps.
2.Tap on thekebab menu(three-dot icon) in the top right corner and selectSpecial access.
3.Go toWi-Fi Controlto view a list of apps that can control Wi-Fi on your phone. Toggle off the switch next to an app to prevent it from turning the Wi-Fi on or off.
6. Reset Network Settings
Finally, if none of the above solutions work and you can’t figure out what’s causing the Wi-Fi to turn on automatically, resetting your phone’s network settings may be your only option. This will restore all network configurations on your phone to their default settings and fix the issue for good.
To reset network settings on your Android:
1.Open up theSettingsapp and go toGeneral management.
2.Scroll down to tap onReset. Then, selectReset network settings.
3.Hit theReset settingsbutton and follow the on-screen instructions to finish the process.
Once you complete the above steps, your phone should no longer connect to Wi-Fi networks on its own.
Your Device, Your Rules
It can be inconvenient when you’re trying to stay offline and your phone connects to a Wi-Fi network on its own. If you don’t mind enabling your phone’s Wi-Fi manually, employ the above tips to stop it from turning on automatically on Android.
Similarly, if you find that yourAndroid turns on Bluetooth without your permission, there are a few ways to stop that from happening.
Pankil Shah
Pankil is a Civil Engineer by profession who started his journey as a writer back in 2016. He joined TechWiser in March 2021 as a freelance writer to cover buying guides, explainers, and tips & tricks for Android, iOS, Windows, and Web.
