Slow Internet Connection on iOS 18.1.1? Here’s What to Do

Have you noticed that the internet connection speed on your iPhone has slowed down after installing iOS 18.1.1? If the answer is yes, keep reading this article, as we might have a solution for you.

Wi-Fi Connection and Cellular Data Slowed Down After iOS 18.1.1 Update

Users complain on the forums that they’re facing issues with slow internet speeds after installing iOS 18.1.1. What’s interesting is that, for many users, both Wi-Fi and cellular connections seem to have slowed down since installing the update. This makes it harder to track the actual culprit of the problem since we can’t focus on a single source of the issue.

So, we prepared solutions that involve both types of connections on your iPhone. Go through them one by one, and hopefully, you’ll manage to improve the internet connection speed on your iPhone running iOS 18.1.1.

1. Disable/Delete VPN

VPNs are useful for private browsing and enhancing your online security. However, they can also cause various connection problems, especially on newly updated devices where compatibility issues may arise.

So, if you’re currently using a VPN service, try disabling it and check if the connection is still slow. If disabling VPN improves the internet connection speed on your iPhone, you may have to stop using it temporarily. At least until the next app update. Or maybe try another VPN service.

But if the issue still persists, you can also try deleting the VPN profile. This will remove any configurations associated with the service, potentially resolving the conflict. Here’s how to delete the VPN profile:

2. Reboot Your Router

Sometimes, slow internet speeds aren’t due to your iPhone but rather your router. A common issue occurs when the router’s DHCP process (responsible for assigning IP addresses) fails. If that happens, your iPhone might assign itself a random IP address, which can cause connection issues.

Rebooting the router restarts this process, which means your iPhone will receive a proper IP address. To reboot your router, do the following (may vary depending on the router model and manufacturer):

1. Unplug your router from the power source, wait for about 30 seconds, and plug it back in.
2. Allow the router to restart completely and reconnect your iPhone to Wi-Fi.

3. Turn off RCS Messaging

Apple finally introduced RCS messaging to iPhones with iOS 18. And while it’s a welcome addition that makes communicating with non-Apple devices easier, it may also cause some problems. Specifically, the RCS messaging feature was slowing down the internet connection in some earlier beta versions of iOS 18.1.1.

Of course, you’d expect that problem to be fixed and not carried over to the public version of iOS 18.1.1, but we’re not sure if that’s the case. So, try temporarily disabling RCS messages and check if that improves the internet speed on your iPhone.

Here’s how to turn off RCS messaging on iPhone:

1. Go to Settings.
2. Head over to Apps > Messages.
3. Tap RCS Messaging.
4. Toggle the RCS Messaging option off.

4. Update Carrier Settings

Carrier settings updates often include improvements for cellular network performance. If your cellular data has slowed down after the update, make sure your carrier settings are up to date.
Here’s how to check and update them:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Go to General > About.
3. If there’s a carrier update available, you’ll see a prompt to install it. Follow the instructions to complete the update.

5. Reset Network Settings

If none of the previous solutions resolved the problem with a slow internet connection on iOS 18.1.1, let’s try and reset the network settings altogether. However, keep in mind that doing so will delete all your saved Wi-Fi passwords, cellular plans, and other network-related settings. So, you’ll have to set up everything from scratch.

Here’s how to reset the network settings on your iPhone:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap General > Transfer & Reset iPhone.
3. Tap Reset.
4. Choose Reset Network Settings.
5. Follow further on-screen instructions.

6. Factory Reset

And if even resetting network settings didn’t resolve the problem with a slow internet connection on iOS 18.1.1, we’ll go one step further and factory reset your iPhone. As a matter of fact, some people on the forums confirmed that they were able to fix the issue only after factory resetting their devices. So, it may be worth a try.

But before resetting your iPhone, please make sure you’ve backed up your data, so you don’t lose anything in the process.

Here’s how to factory reset your iPhone:

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings.
3. Tap Continue (you may need to enter your passcode).
4. Confirm by tapping Erase iPhone.
5. Your iPhone will restart and begin the reset process.

All these solutions are specifically related to iOS 18.1.1, and if you’re still unable to improve the internet connection speed on your iPhone, check out our more general guides on how to resolve issues with Wi-Fi and cellular networks on iOS.