As you probably already know the latest 5G cellular network connection standard offers a much faster connection speed to mobile users when compared to previous generations such as the 4G and 3G standards. 5G is currently available in selected areas worldwide, but predominantly available in large cities at the current time.
Providing users with a much faster connection even in highly populated areas. If you own an iPhone you’ll be pleased to know that Apple has made it very easy to tweak your 5G settings helping you save battery life and data allowances. This quick guide will take you through the process of how to turn off 5G on iPhone to improve your battery life and turn it back on again when you require faster speeds from your cellular network.
If you are wondering whether your iPhone supports 5G anything from the iPhone 12 or later works with the 5G cellular mobile networks when you connect to certain network providers. It is worth remembering that 5G will only work when you connect to a network that supports 5G connectivity, to do this you will need a 5G mobile plan from your cellular provider. To check whether your current SIM card or cellular account supports 5G connectivity you will need to contact your mobile phone plan provider.
5G connectivity on the iPhone is enabled by default and when you are within an area with 5G coverage provided by your network provider you will see a 5G a icon appear in the top right hand corner of your iPhone screen. It is worth remembering that there are a number of different 5G connections available and take the form of 5G+, 5G UW or 5G UC depending on your network provider. For more information on these jump over to our previous article that covers what is 5G UC and how it compares to others.
When you receive your iPhone Apple will have already implemented the default settings for 5G which have been specifically optimised for battery life and data usage based on your data plan. However you can customise these options further allowing you to decide when you would like to use your 5G data and how much individual iPhone applications can use. Helping you not only save battery life but also control how quickly you use your 5G data and what iOS apps use it.
How to turn off 5G on iPhone
To change the settings on your iPhone for your 5G connectivity simply follow the instructions below. If you are using a dual SIM iPhone you first need to go to Settings > Mobile and select the number you would like to change. It is also worth noting that if you would like to use 5G with dual SIM iPhone 12 devices you need to have iOS 14.5 or later installed on your iPhone. Once you have selected the number or if you are using a single SIM iPhone follow me instructions below :
1. To access the 5G options on your iPhone go to Settings > Mobile Data > Mobile Data Options
2. Here you will be presented with options for Voice & Data, Data Mode and Data Roaming
3. Within the Voice & Data section you can choose how your iPhone uses the 5G network allowing you to save battery life. The options listed include :
5G Auto
This option allows your phone to enable Smart Data mode enabling it to adjust networks automatically depending on the connectivity you are currently experiencing. For example if your 5G connection does not provide any improvement to your speed your iPhone will automatically switch to a lower standard such as 4G or LTE saving your battery life.
5G On
This option allows you to force your iPhone to use 5G network when they are available although always connecting to a 5G network may use up your battery a little quicker.
LTE
Similar to the option above this option forces your iPhone to only use LTE networks, even if a faster 5G network is available to connect to.
It is also worth remembering that if you are in mainland China 5G Standalone is the default iPhone setting. If your iPhone is running iOS 14 or iOS 14.5 or higher do you have the ability to turn on/off 5G Standalone by going to Settings > Mobile (or Cellular) > Mobile Data Options (or Cellular Data Options) > Voice and Data. This will force your iPhone to always use a 5G network for both data and voice.
To control the Data usage of your iPhone when connected to 5G networks similar options apply in the form of :
Allow More Data on 5G
This option allows your iPhone to use higher data-usage features for apps and system tasks. Apple offers these in higher-quality FaceTime, high-definition content on Apple TV, Apple Music songs and videos, iOS updates over mobile, and automatic iCloud backups.
Apple has also made it possible for your iPhone to automatically use 5G instead of a wireless connection when perhaps your wireless network is slow or insecure and you’d prefer to use your 5G connection directly from your mobile device. To turn on / off 5G on your iPhone go to Settings > Wi-Fi. Then select the info button next to the Wi-Fi network and tap Use Wi-Fi for internet.
Standard
The option is normally set as the default option on your iPhone buy Apple and allows your iPhone to trigger automatic updates and background tasks on mobile, and uses standard quality settings for video and FaceTime.
Low Data Mode
This mode allows you to control and reduce your wireless and mobile data usage by pausing automatic updates and background tasks.
If for some reason you can’t see a 5G connection icon in the top right hand corner of your iPhone and you know that you are in a 5G area. Sometimes turning on Airplane Mode and waiting 20 seconds before turning it back off can I help your iPhone connect to the 5G network. If you still experience problems trying to connect to a 5G service it might be worth contacting your network provider before contacting the Apple support team. More details on 5G providers is available here.
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