How to Forget a Wi-Fi Network on iPhone and Android

Forgetting a Wi-Fi network removes its saved password and settings from your phone, so it won’t auto-connect again. This is useful when a network is unreliable, you no longer trust it, or you want to force a fresh connection with a new password. The process differs between iPhone and Android, but both take less than a minute.

What You’ll Need

• Your iPhone or Android phone unlocked.
• Access to the Settings app (preinstalled on all devices).
• For Android, the exact menu names may vary slightly by manufacturer (Samsung, Google Pixel, OnePlus, etc.), but the general path is similar.

Step-by-Step

For iPhone (iOS 16 and later)

1. Open the Settings app (the gray gear icon).
2. Tap Wi-Fi near the top of the screen.
3. Wait for the network list to load. Find the network you want to forget.
4. Tap the blue “iâ€� (info) icon to the right of that network’s name.
5. Tap “Forget This Network� at the top of the next screen.
6. Confirm by tapping “Forget� in the pop-up. The network will disappear from your list of saved networks.

For Android (Stock Android / Pixel)

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap Network & internet (or Connections on Samsung devices).
3. Tap Wi-Fi.
4. Make sure Wi-Fi is turned on (the toggle at the top). You’ll see a list of available networks.
5. Find the network you want to forget. It may be under “Available networks� or “Saved networks.�
6. Tap and hold the network name until a menu pops up.
7. Tap “Forget� (or “Forget network�). Confirm if asked.

For Samsung Galaxy (One UI)

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Connections.
3. Tap Wi-Fi.
4. Tap the three-dot menu (â‹®) in the top right corner.
5. Select “Advanced settings�.
6. Tap “Manage saved networks�.
7. Find the network in the list, tap it, then tap “Forget�.

Common Mistakes

• Turning off Wi-Fi instead of forgetting: Toggling Wi-Fi off just disconnects temporarily; the phone will still auto-join later. You must use the “Forgetâ€� option.
• Forgetting the wrong network: If you have multiple networks with similar names (e.g., “Home_5Gâ€� vs “Homeâ€�), double-check the exact name before tapping Forget.
• Not confirming the pop-up: On iPhone, you must tap “Forgetâ€� in the confirmation dialog. If you tap outside it, the network remains saved.
• On Android, tapping the network instead of long-pressing: Tapping a network usually opens a connection dialog or shows details, not the forget option. Long-press is the standard gesture.
• Assuming forgetting also removes VPN or proxy settings: Forgetting only removes the Wi-Fi profile. Any VPN or proxy configurations tied to that network may remain, though they won’t be used unless you rejoin.

Tips

• Use “Forgetâ€� before reconnecting with a new password: If a network changed its password, forgetting it forces your phone to ask for the new password the next time you join.
• On iPhone, you can also forget via the Wi-Fi settings in the Control Center: Long-press the Wi-Fi icon, tap the network name, then tap “Forget.â€� This is a faster shortcut on iOS 13 and later.
• On Android, check for a “Saved networksâ€� section: Some phones list saved networks separately from available ones, making it easier to manage them without being near the network.
• If you’re having connectivity issues, forget and rejoin: This clears any corrupted cached settings and often fixes slow or unstable connections.
• For public networks you don’t want to auto-join: Forget them after you’re done. This also prevents your phone from broadcasting that you’ve been there.

Troubleshooting

The “Forget� option is grayed out or not appearing.

On iPhone, this can happen if the network is currently connected. Try turning Wi-Fi off and on again, or disconnect first by tapping the network and selecting “Disconnect.â€� On Android, if long-press doesn’t work, try going to the network’s details page (tap the gear icon next to it) and look for “Forgetâ€� there.

I forgot the network, but it still auto-connects.

This usually means you forgot a different network with a similar name. Check your saved networks list again. On iPhone, go to Settings > Wi-Fi and look for the network under “My Networks.â€� On Android, go to the “Saved networksâ€� section. If it’s still there, repeat the forget process.

After forgetting, I can’t reconnect even with the correct password.

Make sure you’re entering the password exactly, including any uppercase/lowercase letters. If the network uses enterprise security (like WPA2-Enterprise), you may need to enter a username and domain as well. If it still fails, restart your phone and try again.

The network doesn’t appear in the list to forget.

On iPhone, if the network isn’t in range, it might not show in the main Wi-Fi list. Tap “Editâ€� in the top right corner of the Wi-Fi screen to see all saved networks. On Android, use the “Manage saved networksâ€� option (Samsung) or look under “Saved networksâ€� in the Wi-Fi settings.

I forgot a network, but my phone still shows it as available and connects automatically.

This can happen if the network is broadcast by multiple access points with the same SSID (name). Forgetting it should remove all profiles, but if it doesn’t, try forgetting it again after disconnecting. If the issue persists, restart your phone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will forgetting a Wi-Fi network delete any other data?

No. It only removes the saved password and connection settings for that specific network. Your contacts, photos, and apps are unaffected.

Can I forget a network that I’m currently connected to?

Yes. On both iPhone and Android, you can forget the current network. Your phone will disconnect immediately and won’t auto-rejoin.

Does forgetting a network work differently for hidden networks?

Hidden networks (that don’t broadcast their SSID) still appear in your saved networks list once you’ve connected to them. You can forget them the same way.

Will I need to re-enter the password if I rejoin the network later?

Yes. Forgetting removes the saved password, so you’ll need to enter it again the next time you want to connect.

Does forgetting a network on my iPhone also remove it from my iCloud Keychain?

It removes it from the device. If you have iCloud Keychain enabled, it may also remove it from your other Apple devices, depending on your settings. On Android, it only affects that device unless you use a backup service.

Can I forget multiple networks at once?

No, both iOS and Android only allow forgetting one network at a time. You’ll need to repeat the process for each network.

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