← All Guides

Network Troubleshooting

Connectivity problems are frustrating, but they are almost always diagnosable. Most network issues on GrapheneOS trace back to carrier configuration, Wi-Fi settings, DNS providers, or VPN configuration — not to the operating system itself. This guide walks you through a layered diagnostic approach, starting with the simplest fixes and working toward more specific causes. Follow the layers in order. Do not skip ahead.

Why it matters

When your device cannot connect, it is tempting to change multiple settings at once hoping something works. That approach creates new problems and makes it impossible to identify the actual cause. A structured, layered approach isolates the issue quickly and avoids unnecessary changes to your configuration. Each layer tests one variable. When connectivity returns, you know exactly what fixed it.

Layer 1 — Quick fixes

Start here. These resolve the majority of transient connectivity issues.

1. Toggle airplane mode. Turn airplane mode on, wait 10 seconds, turn it off. This forces your device to re-establish all wireless connections from scratch.
2. Reboot the device. A full reboot clears temporary network states and restarts all connectivity services. Hold the power button, select Restart, and wait for the device to fully boot before testing.
3. Check the SIM card. Power off the device, remove the SIM tray, confirm the SIM is seated properly, reinsert it, and power on. A slightly misaligned SIM can cause intermittent or complete loss of mobile connectivity.

If connectivity returns after any of these steps, the issue was transient. No further action is needed.

Layer 2 — Isolate the problem

Before going deeper, determine whether the issue affects Wi-Fi, mobile data, or both.

4. Test Wi-Fi and mobile data separately. Connect to a Wi-Fi network and try loading a webpage. Then disconnect Wi-Fi and try loading a webpage over mobile data. If one works and the other does not, the problem is isolated to one connectivity method. This tells you exactly which layer to focus on next.

If both fail, the issue may be DNS or device-level. Skip to Layer 5.

Layer 3 — Wi-Fi issues

If Wi-Fi specifically is not working, work through these steps.

5. Forget and re-add the network. Go to Settings > Network & internet > Internet, tap the Wi-Fi network, and select "Forget." Then reconnect by selecting the network again and entering the password. This clears any cached connection data that may be corrupted.
6. Check the password. Verify you are entering the correct Wi-Fi password. Character-for-character. This is the most common Wi-Fi failure.
7. Try a different network. Connect to a different Wi-Fi network — a mobile hotspot, a different router, a public network. If the second network works, the problem is with the original network, not your device.
8. Check MAC randomisation settings. GrapheneOS randomises your MAC address by default for privacy. Some corporate or managed networks block connections from randomised MAC addresses. To configure this for a specific network, go to Settings > Network & internet > Internet, tap the gear icon next to the connected network, then tap Privacy and select "Use device MAC" for that network only. Do not change this globally — only for the specific network that requires it.

Layer 4 — Mobile data issues

If mobile data specifically is not working, check these settings.

9. Verify APN settings. Go to Settings > Network & internet > SIMs > [your carrier] > Access Point Names. Confirm the APN matches your carrier's recommended configuration. If no APN is configured, or the settings look incorrect, contact your carrier for the correct APN values and enter them manually.
10. Check eSIM configuration. If you are using an eSIM, confirm it is active. Go to Settings > Network & internet > SIMs and verify the eSIM appears and is enabled. If it does not appear, the eSIM profile may need to be re-downloaded from your carrier.
11. Confirm mobile data is enabled. Go to Settings > Network & internet > SIMs > [your carrier] and ensure "Mobile data" is toggled on. Also confirm the correct SIM is selected as the default for data if you have multiple SIMs.

Layer 5 — DNS issues

If websites fail to load but your device shows a Wi-Fi or mobile data connection, DNS resolution may be the problem.

12. Temporarily set Private DNS to Off. Go to Settings > Network & internet > Private DNS and select "Off." Try loading a webpage. If connectivity returns, the issue is with your configured DNS provider — not your network connection.
13. Try a known reliable DNS provider. Set Private DNS to "Private DNS provider hostname" and enter one of the following:
    • Cloudflare: one.one.one.one
    • Quad9: dns.quad9.net
    If switching providers resolves the issue, your previous DNS provider was either unreachable or blocking certain queries. You can keep the new provider or investigate the original one.
14. Restore Private DNS when done testing. If DNS was not the issue, re-enable your preferred Private DNS configuration before continuing.

Layer 6 — VPN issues

If you are running a VPN, it can affect all network traffic.

15. Temporarily disable your VPN. Turn off the VPN connection and test connectivity. If everything works without the VPN, the issue is VPN-related — not device-related.
16. Diagnose the VPN problem. Common VPN issues include: the VPN server is down or overloaded, your VPN subscription has expired, the VPN configuration file is outdated, or the VPN protocol is being blocked by the current network. Try connecting to a different VPN server. Check your VPN provider's status page. Update the VPN app.
17. Re-enable the VPN once resolved. Do not leave your VPN disabled longer than necessary for testing.

Layer 7 — App-specific issues

If only one app fails to connect while everything else works, the problem is almost certainly app-level.

18. Check app permissions. Ensure the app has network access. Go to Settings > Apps > [app name] > Permissions and review.
19. Check if the app requires Google Play services. Some apps depend on Google Play services for push notifications or other functionality. If sandboxed Google Play is not installed in the same profile, this may cause failures.
20. Check the app's own status. The app's servers may be down. Check the developer's website or status page. Try the same service in a browser to confirm.
21. Clear the app's cache. Go to Settings > Apps > [app name] > Storage > Clear cache. This removes potentially corrupted cached data without deleting your account or settings.

When to contact support

If you have worked through every layer above and connectivity still fails, contact Privacy Devices support. When you reach out, include:

• Which layers you tested and what the results were
• Whether the issue affects Wi-Fi, mobile data, or both
• Your carrier name and whether you use a physical SIM or eSIM
• Whether a VPN is active
• Whether the issue started after a specific change or update

This information lets support skip redundant troubleshooting and move directly to the cause.

Common mistakes

• Changing multiple settings at once. If you toggle DNS, VPN, and APN settings simultaneously and connectivity returns, you have no idea which change fixed it — and you may have introduced a new misconfiguration. Change one thing, test, then proceed.
• Assuming GrapheneOS is broken when it is a carrier or app issue. The vast majority of connectivity problems are carrier-side (APN, signal, account), network-side (router, DNS, firewall), or app-side (permissions, server outage). Work through the layers before concluding the OS is at fault.
• Not checking APN settings after a SIM change. Swapping SIM cards or switching carriers often requires new APN settings. This is a carrier requirement, not a GrapheneOS limitation.
• Disabling MAC randomisation globally. Only change MAC settings for the specific network that requires it. Global changes reduce your privacy across all networks.

Reality check

Network connectivity involves your device, your SIM or eSIM, your carrier's infrastructure, the Wi-Fi network hardware, DNS servers, VPN servers, and the remote services you are trying to reach. A failure at any point in that chain affects your experience. GrapheneOS controls the device layer — and it handles that layer reliably. The layered approach in this guide helps you identify exactly where the problem sits so you can address it directly.

Network troubleshooting is a process of elimination. Start simple, test one variable at a time, and let the results guide your next step. Most connectivity issues resolve in the first three layers. When they do not, the structured approach ensures you identify the actual cause without introducing new problems. Document what you have tried, and support can take it from there.