How to Enable or Disable 5G on an iPhone; How to Determine Whether Your iPhone Has 5G

If you have an iPhone 12 or later model, you can connect to a 5G network if your carrier supports it. Additionally, Apple gives you complete control, allowing you to instantly enable/disable features that not only conserve data but also improve efficiency. Let's have a look at how to use 5G effectively on your iPhone in this post.

How Do You Determine If Your iPhone Is 5G Capable?

Apple has enabled 5G connectivity on all iPhone models starting with the iPhone 12. If you're using an iPhone 12 or 13, or one of its derivatives, your iPhone may support 5G. On iPhone 11 or earlier iPhones, you cannot access or use 5G.

To obtain 5G connectivity, you must also have a 5G-capable cellular carrier and package. To obtain it, contact your service provider and request 5G. Both must be supported in order for your iPhone to begin using 5G.

How to Turn on 5G on an iPhone

5G is not yet accessible in all countries. Therefore, if you have a carrier-provided 5G data plan and a compatible iPhone, you can begin utilising 5G immediately.

5G is enabled by default on the iPhone 12 and other recent devices. The manner in which your iPhone accesses the 5G network (permanent 5G or switching to LTE) is determined by the settings on your device.

Navigate to Settings and tap Cellular on your device. Select Cellular Data Options from there.

Tap Voice & Data on the following screen, "Cellular Data Options."

Here, you'll see the following options:

5G On: This indicates that your iPhone will always connect to a 5G network if one is available.

5G Auto: Apple refers to feature as "Smart Data mode." If 5G does not give a superior experience, your iPhone will switch to LTE automatically.

LTE: Even if a 5G network is available, your device will only support LTE or 4G.

While 5G will deliver a faster network than LTE, it may result in a decrease in battery life. As a result, it is recommended to use 5G Auto, which allows your device to perform better by automatically switching between 5G and LTE.

When your iPhone is connected to a 5G network, you will see one of the following icons next to the signal bars in the iPhone status bar:

If the above 5G indicators do not appear in the iPhone status bar, verify that both the iPhone and carrier support the 5G network. Additionally, check that you are in an area with adequate cellular coverage.

How to Control Your iPhone's 5G Data Usage

If you're on a monthly plan that includes unlimited data, you won't have to worry about data usage. Otherwise, you must monitor your internet usage to ensure that it does not exceed the limitations.

Tap on your iPhone. Navigate to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options on your device. Then, on the new screen, tap Data mode.

Three alternatives are available here: Increase the amount of data available on 5G, standard, and low data modes.

Standard: By default, data mode is set to this option, which ensures that FaceTime calls and videos are of standard quality. This setting permits automatic upgrades and background chores.

Allow More Data on 5G: Selecting this option results in significantly higher-quality videos and FaceTime chats. Additionally, your iPhone will automatically switch to 5G if the Wi-Fi signal is poor or unavailable. Additionally, your iOS device will support software updates and iCloud backups.

Low Data Mode: As the name implies, this mode will assist you in reducing your data usage. As a result, this setting disables automated updates and background tasks.

You can alter these settings as necessary, depending on your data plan and balance.

How to Disable 5G on an iPhone

Are you travelling to another country or a location that does not have 5G? Then it is preferable to disable 5G on your iPhone and switch to 4G.

To do so, head to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options on your iPhone. Select Voice & Data, followed by LTE.

Frequently Asked Questions: How to Use 5G on an iPhone

How can I determine whether my iPhone supports 5G?

The 5G network is only available on the iPhone 12 and 13 models. Even if you have an iPhone model that supports 5G, it will only work if your carrier network supports it.

How can I determine whether or not my iPhone is linked to 5G?

If your iPhone is connected to a 5G network, the status bar will display a 5G icon. If you do not see the 5G indicator, verify that you are in a 5G coverage region. In the absence of that, you must contact your cell service provider.