Hey everyone! I'm having trouble finding the satellite option on my new iPhone 15 Plus, which is running iOS 18. I'm based in the US, and for some reason, it just doesn't show up anywhere. A few days ago, I might have accidentally hit the demo option, but I'm not sure if that could make the satellite settings disappear. Is the demo something that only happens once? I'm trying to figure out if my phone even has satellite capability, or if it's just a connectivity issue preventing it from appearing.
2 Answers
Okay, so there’s actually a satellite connection demo buried in your settings! Go to Settings > Apps > Messages > Satellite Connection Demo. Keep in mind, it’s text-only and can be super slow. I tried it while testing in the Great Smoky Mountains, and it requires a clear sky and a lot of patience. The satellite feature will only show when you have both WiFi and cellular on but with no signal. If you send an iMessage during this situation, it should guide you to use the satellite option.
I think the satellite option usually only appears when you've got no cellular signal at all. So if you're seeing regular service, you may not see that satellite feature. But definitely check in your settings under Cellular and see if there's anything about satellite data options — sometimes it can be a bit hidden in there!
Thanks for the tip! I checked and didn’t see anything related to satellite in my cellular settings either. Looks like I might need to figure out the signal issue first!
If I don’t see that demo option in Messages, does that mean my phone doesn’t have satellite capabilities? Or is there something else I could try?