Having good cell coverage is important. Sure, Wi-Fi is mostly free, but you can’t always count you’ll find it every time you need it. That’s why a solid data plan will save you most of the time. But what if there’s no service on your iPhone? That could be a problem, especially if you’re outside and need to access maps or contact someone.
Problems like this are especially annoying on a new phone. I assume you recently purchased the iPhone 13, and the last thing you want is for something to go wrong. That’s why we’ll try to help you with the mobile data problem in this article.
Table of contents:
- Move a few steps
- Check your SIM card
- Update your iPhone
- Check for network outages
- Install Carrier configuration files
- Reset Network Settings
How to fix signal issues on your iPhone 13
If there’s no service on your iPhone 13, try changing your location, check your SIM card, or check for network outages. These three solutions are usually the most helpful ones for signal troubles on the iPhone. But if that doesn’t help, there are a few more workarounds you can try. Detailed explanations are below.
1. Move a few steps
If you’re in a big city, you should be covered with a more or less strong signal everywhere you go. However, nature and more rural areas are a different story. You should be fine there, as well, but there’s still a chance you’re out of the range of the nearest cell tower.
So, the first thing you should do is move a little bit. If possible, try taking a few steps in various directions and you may catch the signal. But if you notice that you’re within the cell site’s reach (for example, if people around you don’t have any signal issues), proceed to other solutions listed below.
2. Check your SIM card
There’s a chance you didn’t place the SIM card in your iPhone 13 adequately. If that’s the case, your iPhone can’t recognize it properly and would act as if there’s no SIM card inside at all. So, pop open the SIM tray and make sure your SIM card is properly placed.
If the SIM card is in place, but you still get the “No SIM card” message, it’s could be damaged, in which case you’ll need to replace it with another one.
3. Update your iPhone
iOS updates are an odd bunch. Most of the time, updates make your iPhone more useful and secure. However, a bug here and there is inevitable. Although it’s very rare for an iOS update to render your whole SIM card unusable, I wouldn’t completely discard that possibility.
That’s why it’s important to always keep your iPhone up to date. If the SIM card problem was indeed caused by a faulty update, there’s a big chance developers will sort it out with the next release.
To check for updates, head over to Settings > General > Software Update. If the new update is available, install it and see if the problem persists.
4. Check for network outages
Perhaps the main reason for the absence of service on your iPhone 13 has nothing to do with you or your device. There could be an outage of your carrier’s network. If that’s the case, there’s not much you can do about it. On the other hand, you shouldn’t be waiting for too long, because carriers are usually quick to tackle network outages.
To find out if there’s an actual network outage, just Google “[Your Carrier Name] outages”.
5. Install Carrier configuration files
Your phone needs configuration files from your carrier to use the SIM card. Now, these files should be automatically added to your iPhone as soon as you get it. However, there’s a chance they weren’t installed properly, in which case you’ll have to re-add them. To check your network configuration, go to Settings > Mobile Data > Mobile Data Network.
This page should contain all the necessary information about your network and the necessary settings for it to work properly on your iPhone. If you notice that any of the data is missing, contact your carrier for further instructions on how to re-configure the network.
6. Reset Network Settings
If none of the previous solutions got the job done, we can try resetting the network settings as the last resort. This will completely reset all your current network settings, so if there’s something that interferes with the signal on your iPhone 13, it should be brought back to its original state.
Keep in mind that this process will completely reset all your network settings, so you’ll have to set everything up from scratch. Including your saved Wi-Fi networks and Data Plan. If you’re not comfortable with that, maybe you should skip this step altogether. To learn more about resetting settings on the iPhone, check out this article.
Here’s how to reset the Network Settings on your iPhone 13.
- Open Settings.
- Tap General.
- Select Reset.
- Tap Reset Network Settings.
- Enter password or PIN and then confirm the selection.
That’s about it. I certainly hope at least one of these solutions helped you resolve the service problem on your iPhone 13. If you have any comments, questions or suggestions, feel free to let us know in the comments below.
