After updating my 10th-generation iPad on July 26, I started having a recurring connection problem. The Wi‑Fi indicator flickers between Wi‑Fi and 5G, pages become extremely slow, and the connection sometimes drops completely. This happens anywhere from 5 to 30 times a day, usually for less than five minutes at a time, and has continued daily for the past couple of months. My phone works normally, so the issue seems limited to the iPad. I'm currently running iPadOS 26.6.2. Has anyone else experienced this, and what solved it?
3 Answers
Because the iPad is switching to 5G instead of simply losing Wi‑Fi, temporarily turn off cellular data for about ten minutes and see whether the Wi‑Fi remains stable. If the behavior changes, the problem may involve the iPad’s Wi‑Fi-to-cellular handoff rather than the router itself.
Try checking the Wi‑Fi signal strength with Apple’s AirPort Utility app. Enable Wi‑Fi Scanner in the iPad’s Settings, run a scan for around 20 seconds, and look at the signal level where you normally use the iPad. Since the readings are negative, −70 dBm is stronger than −80 dBm. If the signal is near the weak-signal cutoff, the iPad may keep switching between Wi‑Fi and cellular, especially if you’re in a spot with inconsistent coverage or move the device slightly.
Start with the basic connection reset: restart both the iPad and router, then forget the Wi‑Fi network and reconnect using the password. This can clear a corrupted network profile or temporary router handshake problem.
I tried restarting everything and forgetting the network, but unfortunately it didn’t help.
The Wi‑Fi actually seemed worse with cellular data turned off, and the iPad prompted me to turn it back on. It worked normally again afterward, but I’m not sure what that indicates.