If you’ve just gotten your iPhone 12 and have noticed that 5G isn’t available after getting it set up, there are several factors to check out to troubleshoot what’s going on. These include your wireless plan, SIM card, iOS settings, and more. Let’s dive into what to do if your iPhone 12’s 5G is not working.
The entire iPhone 12 lineup features 5G support (including mmWave on all US models) and 5G is turned on by default as far as iOS 14 settings go with Smart Data mode (can be managed manually too). However, if you’ve gotten set up and activated with your carrier and your iPhone 12’s 5G is not working and you think it you should be, here’s what to check next…
iPhone 12 5G not working: troubleshooting
Your carrier plan
- Even if you think you have an up to date plan that includes 5G, it’s good to double-check what you’ve got and confirm it includes 5G service. For example, Verizon has a tricky situation where the new plans don’t have different names or different pricing, but some customers need to make a change to get 5G service.
- Meanwhile, AT&T is alerting customers that they also may need to upgrade their plans when logging in their accounts:
SIM card
- If you purchased your iPhone 12 through your carrier or with Apple including carrier activation you shouldn’t have an issue with your SIM card.
- But particularly if you bought a SIM-free model and are using your old SIM, you may need to get a new one or call your carrier to ask about having your existing SIM upgraded to support 5G.
- In the case of T-Mobile that supports what’s called Standalone 5G, a new SIM card may be required. Here’s how you can tell if you have the latest T-Mobile SIM.
- My colleague Chance used his iPhone 11 Pro Max AT&T SIM in a new iPhone 12 Pro and AT&T said he needs an updated SIM to get 5G service
iOS Settings
- Apple notes in a support document that if you head to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options and don’t see a screen like the image below, try turning on Airplane mode then turning it off. If your iPhone 12’s 5G is not working still or not showing up in settings, contact your carrier.
iPhone 12 5G not working with Dual SIM mode
- In the same support document mentioned above, Apple shares that if you’re using Dual SIM mode with an iPhone 12, both lines will revert to 4G LTE.
- One caveat is, “In China, 5G data is supported while using two active lines in Dual SIM mode on the line that’s using cellular data. In China, while using Dual SIM with 5G, 5G Standalone isn’t available.”
iPhone 12 5G not working with Data Roaming
- 5G isn’t available yet when roaming. Apple says for now, the only option to get 5G outside of your carrier’s coverage is to pick up a local SIM card when traveling.
5G carrier coverage
- If you’ve tried everything above, double-check your carrier’s 5G coverage map
- Note that the major US carriers’ coverage maps include both 4G and 5G so you’ll need to pay close attention to the colored legend and zoom in as close as possible for the most accurate picture
- AT&T 5G Map (enter your zip code for detailed coverage)
- T-Mobile 5G Map
- Verizon 5G Map
- Full list of carriers with 5G coverage worldwide
For more details on manually managing 5G on iPhone 12, check out our walkthrough:
- In the case of T-Mobile that supports what’s called Standalone 5G, a new SIM card may be required. Here’s how you can tell if you have the latest T-Mobile SIM.
- My colleague Chance used his iPhone 11 Pro Max AT&T SIM in a new iPhone 12 Pro and AT&T said he needs an updated SIM to get 5G service
Carriers around the world are still working to deploy their 5G roaming support. If you turn on Data Roaming, you can get cellular data through 4G or LTE networks when you travel. You can also obtain a local SIM card or eSIM and use it as a single line with 5G where available.
Apple
AT&T 5G Map (enter your zip code for detailed coverage)
T-Mobile 5G Map
Verizon 5G Map
Full list of carriers with 5G coverage worldwide
iPhone 12: How to manually manage 5G to optimize for speed or battery life
