How to delete a Wi-Fi network on Android and iPhone

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It pays to know how to delete a Wi-Fi network on your phone or tablet. Over the years, you can build upwards quite a drove of networks yous one time connected to merely never will over again.

These can include Wi-Fi networks in hotels and coffee shops, on trains and planes, and at your previous homes and workplaces, plus a few you probably don't think connecting to at all.

Besides every bit cluttering your screen with useless entries, these long-forgotten networks can pose a security take a chance, if they've been hijacked by hackers since you lot last used them. This means that if your Android or iOS device connects to them automatically when it'due south within range, it could be infected with malware or your personal information could be stolen.

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Fortunately, it's very like shooting fish in a barrel to delete a Wi-Fi network from your phone or tablet — or to "forget" it, to use the correct terminology. You tin besides proceed the network, in case you lot ever need it again, but cease your device connecting it to automatically.

In our guide below, we'll walk yous through the process of deleting a Wi-Fi network from your Android phone or tablet, iPhone or iPad.

How to delete a Wi-Fi network on Android

one. Open the Settings app on your Android telephone or tablet and select "Network & net" or "Connections" or a similar selection, depending on your make of device.

how to delete a Wi-Fi network - network — (Image credit: Tom'due south Guide)

ii. Select Wi-Fi and choose "Saved networks." If you don't see this choice, select Avant-garde (you may need to tap the three-dot icon in the top-correct corner to access this) so cull "Manage networks."

how to delete a Wi-Fi network - saved networks — (Image credit: Tom's Guide)

three. You'll now be presented with a list of all the Wi-Fi networks you've always continued to on your Android device — probably including some you lot don't call up. Tap the network that you want to delete.

how to delete a Wi-Fi network - select network — (Image credit: Tom's Guide)

4. On the adjacent screen, tap the Forget button with the trash can icon, below the name of the Wi-Fi network. This will delete that network from the saved networks on your Android device.

how to delete a Wi-Fi network - forget — (Image credit: Tom's Guide)

5. Alternatively, you can choose to keep a Wi-Fi network simply prevent your Android telephone or tablet from connecting to it automatically.

To do this, select the network on your "Saved networks" or "Manage networks" screen. Tap Advanced and toggle off the switch to "Auto-connect."

how to delete a Wi-Fi network - autoconnect — (Image credit: Tom's Guide)

How to delete a Wi-Fi network on iPhone or iPad

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad, and choose Wi-Fi.

2. You'll at present run into a listing of all the Wi-Fi networks saved by your iOS device. Tap the "i" information icon adjacent to the network you want to delete.

how to delete a Wi-Fi network - ipad select — (Paradigm credit: Tom'due south Guide)

3. On the next screen, select "Forget This Network," so tap Forget to ostend. The network will now be forgotten, which substantially means deleted.

how to delete a Wi-Fi network - ipad forget — (Epitome credit: Tom's Guide)

4. Alternatively, you tin can cull to keep a Wi-Fi network but prevent your iPhone or iPad from connecting to it automatically.

To practise this, tap the "i" information icon side by side to the network in your saved networks list and toggle off the switch to "Auto-Bring together."

how to delete a Wi-Fi network - autojoin — (Image credit: Tom's Guide)

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Robert Irvine is How-To Editor at Tom's Guide. He has been writing tutorials about software, hardware, websites and other tech topics since the days of punch-upward modems, and was previously the editor of Web User magazine. Robert enjoys cooking, and makes a hateful sausage casserole, just is definitely non the celebrity chef of the same proper noun.