Are you unable to make or receive calls after updating to iOS 18? Is your iPhone showing alerts like “No Service” or “Searching”? Your iPhone may have software or hardware problems preventing it from connecting with your carrier.
Here are some quick fixes to help you out when your iPhone has no service.
Why does my iPhone say ‘No Service’?
It could be a case of a carrier settings update gone wrong or a hardware issue with your iPhone. Your carrier might also be facing some operational issues, causing your iPhone to have no service.
Other common issues include:
- You’re out of the network area
- Cellular plan expired or not enabled by the carrier
- Incorrect network settings
- System glitches after iOS 18 update
- Damaged SIM card
How to fix No Service on iPhone after iOS 18 update
There are quite a few fixes for getting rid of the ‘No Service’ error message on your iPhone. Let’s go through each one.
1. Check your coverage area
If you live in a rural area away from any nearby cell towers, you probably won’t have the best cellular reception. Search the web for “your carrier cell coverage map.” Here are the cell coverage maps for AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon.
Also, a few areas don’t have good 5G networks. So, try switching to 4G for better cellular reception. For that, go to Settings → Cellular → Cellular Data Options → Voice & Data → Select LTE.
Are you out of your carrier’s coverage zone? In that case, consider getting a cellular data signal booster for your home.
Alternatively, if you have a Wi-Fi, check its network condition using a Wi-Fi analyzer app. If the connection is strong and reliable, enable and use Wi-Fi calling to contact anyone.
2. Turn on/off Airplane mode
First, ensure you don’t have Airplane Mode turned on. Now, turn Airplane Mode on and then back off. It will refresh the network, eliminating the “No Service” glitch on the iPhone.
To do so, go to Settings → Toggle on Airplane Mode → Wait for a few seconds and toggle it off. Now, toggle Cellular Data and check the network status bar.
This simple solution may fix the No Service error, but you can check out the fixes mentioned below if your iPhone still has no service.
3. Restart your iPhone
Restarting your iPhone might help you fix the error, so don’t hesitate to try it.
If your iPhone model is iPhone X or later, Press and hold either of the Volume buttons, and the Side button until you get the power off slider. Then, swipe the power off slider to shut down the device. Wait for about 30 seconds, then press and hold the Side button again to turn it back on.
If you’ve updated your iPhone to iOS 18, you can shut off your iPhone using the Control Center only. Just bring down the Control Center and tap the power icon at the top right corner. This will shut down your phone, and you can restart your iPhone after some time.
4. Reinsert SIM card
You can skip this solution if your iPhone uses eSIM rather than a physical card.
Sometimes, the problem isn’t too advanced; this could be the case with your iPhone. If you inserted the physical SIM card incorrectly, or it shook out of place during use, that may be why your iPhone has no service.
Try reinserting the SIM card properly and restarting your iPhone. If the problem persists, proceed to the next step.
5. Toggle Cellular data off and on again
This one is obvious, but sometimes small mistakes trip you up.
Go to Settings → Cellular → Toggle off Cellular Data → Toggle on Cellular Data after a few seconds.
6. Enable Data Roaming
Sometimes your carrier doesn’t connect you to the network if you’re out of your home network zone, which may be why your iPhone says ‘no service.’ So, make sure data roaming is enabled on your device.
To do so, open Settings → Cellular → Cellular Data Options → Toggle on Data Roaming.
You may also enable automatic network selection to avoid connecting to the wrong network. From the Cellular Data Options menu, select Network Selection → Toggle on Automatic.
7. Reset Network Settings
On a rare occasion, your network settings may be corrupted, causing your iPhone to display the “No Service” error message. Resetting the network to factory default could help you fix that issue.
To do so, open Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone → Reset → Reset Network Settings. Now, enter your passcode and tap Reset Network Settings.
Note: Resetting network settings to default will reset Wi-Fi networks and passwords, cellular settings, VPN, and APN settings. It will NOT delete any photos, videos, or files stored on your device.
8. Check Date and Time settings
Sometimes, the wrong Date and Time settings are the culprit behind the No Service message.
To modify the date and time:
- Open Settings → General → Date and Time.
- Toggle on Set Automatically → Select the appropriate Time Zone.
9. Update carrier settings
You could have installed the wrong carrier settings, or there may be a bug in the latest carrier settings update, resulting in the No Service error message on your iPhone. In such a case, see if an update is available for your carrier settings.
Note: Make sure you’re connected to a Wi-Fi network.
- Open Settings.
- Tap General → About.
You will get a notification if your carrier has released an update. - Next, tap Update.
Now reboot your iPhone and check if it still has no service.
10. Update iOS
Apple regularly releases iOS updates to fix bugs, introduce new features, and improve security settings.
If you frequently encounter the “No Service” issue after updating to iOS 18, install the next iOS update as soon as Apple makes it available.
- Open Settings.
- Tap General → Software Update.
- If the update is available, tap download and install.
11. Contact your service provider
If none of the fixes worked out for you, there might be an issue on your mobile carrier’s end. It’s best to contact your service provider for help fixing the issue.
12. Other fixes worth trying
- Switch from AT&T 3G: If you’re still on AT&T’s 3G network, this is likely the cause of your No Service woes. AT&T is discontinuing its 3G coverage, meaning you’ll need a new iPhone if you’re using an iPhone 5 or earlier.
We hope one of the solutions mentioned above solves your issue. If you’re still getting the No Service error, I suggest contacting Apple Support and chatting with the troubleshooting team online or scheduling an in-person appointment. It could be a hardware issue specific to your iPhone.
Have any other related questions? Share them in the comments below.
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