Whether you’re trying to optimize your battery or just want to get rid of the 5G option on your iPhone 12, it’s easy to disable it. All you need to do is open the settings app and tap Cellular > Cellular Data Options > Voice & Data.
Apple offers a Smart Data Mode that moves between 5G and LTE when it’s not needed to save battery power. It also pauses automatic updates and background tasks for enhanced efficiency.
1. Go to Settings
One of the big selling points of the iPhone 12 is that it’s compatible with 5G, which offers faster speeds than older cellular networks. But not everyone wants to use this feature, and you may find yourself wondering how to turn off 5g on your iPhone 12.
To get started, you need to go to the Settings app on your device. Open the Voice & Data menu and tap your cellular plan or Cellular Data Options.
You should then see a variety of options, including 5G On and LTE. These are all related to the iPhone’s Smart Data Mode, a software solution that lets you balance your network needs and battery life.
Smart Data Mode uses data-saving techniques when you don’t need super fast connection speeds, such as updating the iPhone’s software in the background. But as soon as speed matters, such as when downloading a show or watching a YouTube video, the iPhone switches over to 5G to give you a better connection.
However, this can cause your battery to drain quickly. To avoid this issue, you should only use 5G on rare occasions or when you’re in an area with a good 5G signal.
2. Tap Cellular
If you’re having a hard time getting cellular data to work on your iPhone 12, you may need to turn off 5G. Several reports have been surfacing about some iPhone 12 users experiencing “No Service” notifications on their phones at various times throughout the day, even when there’s a strong network available in their area.
The problem appears to be caused by a combination of different factors, including the type of apps that you’re running in the background and how data is delivered over a network. In most cases, the iPhone 12 will determine which network to use based on what it’s doing in real time and whether it needs fast data or not.
Fortunately, Apple has made it simple to change which network your iPhone uses and how aggressively it allows certain apps to use your 5G connection. To change your iPhone’s data mode, go to Settings > Cellular and tap Cellular Data Options.
You’ll find three different data modes: Standard, Low Data Mode, and Allow More Data on 5G. Each mode has a specific function and can be used in conjunction with other data settings.
3. Tap Cellular Data Options
Apple’s new 5G iPhone 12 smartphones feature a special Smart Data mode that swaps to 5G when speeds aren’t necessary, saving battery life. However, if you want to avoid this mode, you can disable it via the Settings app.
To do so, go to Settings and tap Cellular. Then, scroll down to Cellular Data Options and tap LTE.
The LTE option switches your phone to 4G LTE whenever a cellular network is available, while the 5G one uses 5G only when you have a strong signal or fast speed. The 5G one also uses significantly more battery than the other two, so it’s not a good choice for people who use a lot of data or want to save on their battery power.
If you don’t have a strong cellular network connection, you can still access your data on your iPhone by connecting it to a Wi-Fi network. You can also turn off the cellular data network to save your battery.
4. Tap 5G Auto
If you’re trying to get 5G on your iPhone 12 working and you’re struggling, one thing that may help is turning off the 5G Auto option. This is a setting that ensures your iPhone stays connected to 5G networks as long as they’re available, but it can also affect battery life.
To do this, open Settings and tap Mobile Data Options. There, you’ll see a range of options that allow you to use more data on 5G, as well as enable or disable automatic updates, background tasks, and standard quality settings for video and FaceTime.
You can also use Low Data Mode to save cellular data and still stream high-quality content. In this mode, your iPhone only uses a minimal amount of data when you’re streaming videos or downloading large files.
While 5G can be great for things like transferring 4k video, it also takes up a lot of cellular data. Apple is aware of this and offers several different options to optimize your cellular data usage.
First, you can check your cellular plan to see what the current data limit is for your device. This will let you know how much data your iPhone can consume before it begins to slow down.
Next, you can turn off or disable 5G completely on your device by tapping on the “LTE” option in the Cellular Data Options section of Settings. This will ensure that your iPhone uses a 4G LTE network when it’s not connected to a 5G network, so you don’t waste any battery power on the feature.
If you’re still having trouble getting 5G working, you can try performing a factory reset on your device to clear out any bugs or glitches. This should fix any issues that are plaguing your device and if it doesn’t, you can always contact Apple for support through an online chat, over-the-phone, or in person at an Apple Store.
5. Tap Off
5G is the latest cellular network technology to hit our smartphones, and it’s all over the news as carriers are pushing hard for us to switch to their new fast and reliable networks. But while speed is great, a constant stream of turbo-boosted 5G can be draining on your battery.
To avoid these issues, Apple introduced a smart switching system that will automatically jump between 4G and 5G to save your battery when you’re not using it. This feature is called 5G Auto and it’s set as the default, but you can also disable it for specific SIMs or even toggle it on and off manually if you’d prefer.
This is a great way to conserve your battery life and still have the latest iPhone. But if you’re not planning to use 5G or only want to boost your battery by 20%, then it’s best to leave it off and keep it for the older, slower 4G LTE networks that are more available in your area.
The new iPhone 12 models support both sub-6GHz and mmWave networks, but in the US it’s more common for users to stick with sub-6GHz because it works well at longer range and is less susceptible to interference. In contrast, mmWave is faster and works better in close proximity to cell towers.
Luckily, it’s pretty easy to turn off the 5G feature on your iPhone 12 and use only the older, slower 4G LTE network. To do this, simply open Settings, go to Cellular, and then tap Cellular Data Options.