How to Delete a Wi-Fi Network on an iPhone

Over time, your iPhone remembers every single Wi-Fi network you have ever connected to—from your secure home router to random coffee shop hotspots and hotel networks. If your phone keeps trying to connect to a slow, public network you no longer want to use, or if you recently changed your home Wi-Fi password and your phone is stubbornly trying to use the old one, you need to tell iOS to “forget” the network.

Why Should You Delete Old Wi-Fi Networks?

While having your iPhone automatically connect to known networks is convenient, maintaining a massive list of old connections can lead to several frustrating issues:

• Connection Conflicts: If you live near a public hotspot (like a BT Wi-Fi point) that you used once, your iPhone might try to connect to it instead of your home network because the signal is slightly stronger, resulting in a poor internet experience.
• Security Risks: Open, public Wi-Fi networks are notorious for security vulnerabilities. Automatically connecting to an unencrypted network at a cafe or airport exposes your browsing data to potential interception.
• Password Changes: If you change the password on your home router, your iPhone will continuously fail to connect using the old credentials. Forgetting the network allows you to start fresh and input the new password.

How to Forget a Saved Wi-Fi Network (When in Range)

The easiest way to delete a Wi-Fi network is when you are currently connected to it, or when you are physically close enough for the network to appear in your available networks list.

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Tap on Wi-Fi.
3. Ensure your Wi-Fi toggle is turned on. Look through the list of networks to find the one you want to delete (it will usually be under the “My Networks” or “Other Networks” section).
4. Tap the small blue “i” icon (information icon) to the far right of the network’s name.
5. At the very top of the next screen, tap the blue text that says Forget This Network.
6. A popup will appear asking you to confirm your decision. Tap Forget.

The network profile is now completely deleted from your device. If you ever want to connect to it again in the future, you will have to select it manually from the list and re-enter the password.

How to Delete Known Networks (When Out of Range)

In newer versions of iOS (iOS 16 and later), Apple finally introduced the ability to view and delete all your saved Wi-Fi networks, even if you are nowhere near them. This is excellent for cleaning up years of saved hotel and airport connections.

1. Open the Settings app and tap Wi-Fi.
2. In the top right corner of the screen, tap the Edit button.
3. Authenticate using Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode.
4. You will now see a list of every single Wi-Fi network your iPhone has ever saved.
5. To delete a network, tap the red minus (-) icon next to its name, then tap Delete.
6. Once you have removed all unwanted networks, tap Done in the top right corner to save your changes.

What to Do If You Cannot Delete a Network

Occasionally, you might tap the blue “i” icon but find that the “Forget This Network” option is completely missing. This typically occurs because the network was installed by your workplace or educational institution via a mobile device management (MDM) configuration profile. You cannot forget these enterprise networks normally.

To remove a managed network, you must delete the configuration profile itself:

1. Go to Settings > General.
2. Scroll down and tap on VPN & Device Management.
3. Select the configuration profile associated with your work or school.
4. Tap Remove Profile. Note: Removing this profile may also immediately revoke your access to work email accounts, internal apps, and company servers, so consult your IT department before proceeding.