To join a Wi-Fi network on iPad, open Settings, tap Wi-Fi, make sure Wi-Fi is on, and tap the network name. Enter the password if asked and tap Join. A blue checkmark next to the network name means you’re connected, and your iPad joins that network automatically the next time it’s in range.
These steps are for iPadOS 26 and iPadOS 27 and follow Apple’s Connect to Wi-Fi on your iPhone or iPad and Manage Wi-Fi settings on iPad guides.
How to Join a Wi-Fi Network on iPad
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap Wi-Fi, then turn on Wi-Fi. Your iPad searches for available networks and joins any known network automatically.
- Tap the name of the network you want to join.
- If asked, type the password and tap Join. Some public networks ask you to agree to terms and conditions instead.
A blue checkmark appears next to the network name, and the Wi-Fi icon appears at the top of the screen. If you don’t know the password, Apple says to ask the network’s administrator, such as the person who runs the router.
If a network has no password, the iPad connects as soon as you tap it.
How to Join a Hidden Wi-Fi Network
A hidden network doesn’t broadcast its name (its SSID), so it won’t appear in the list. You need the exact network name and security type, so get them from whoever set up the router. Apple’s iPad User Guide says to join one this way:
- Go to Settings > Wi-Fi.
- Tap Other.
- Enter the network name, choose the security type, and enter the password.
The iPad joins the hidden network and remembers it for next time.
How to Get the Wi-Fi Password From a Friend’s iPhone
If someone nearby is already on the network, they can share the password with your iPad instead of reading it out. Apple lists these requirements in Manage Wi-Fi settings on iPad:
- The device that’s already connected is unlocked, on the Wi-Fi network, and signed in to an Apple Account.
- You’re signed in to your Apple Account on your iPad.
- You’re in their contacts list, and your iPad is nearby.
Then choose the network on your iPad. On their device, a Wi-Fi Password notification appears, and they tap Share Password.
Your iPad fills in the password and joins the network.
How to Join a Personal Hotspot
If an iPhone or iPad with cellular service is sharing a Personal Hotspot, Apple says you can join it from the same Wi-Fi screen. Go to Settings > Wi-Fi and tap the name of the device sharing the hotspot. If asked, enter the password. On an iPhone, it’s shown under Settings > Personal Hotspot. On an iPad, look under Settings > Cellular Data > Personal Hotspot. See our guide to using your iPhone’s hotspot on iPad for more.
Useful Wi-Fi Settings on iPad
Apple lists these options in Manage Wi-Fi settings on iPad. To find most of them, go to Settings > Wi-Fi and tap the info button next to a network.
- Forget This Network: stops your iPad from joining the network automatically.
- Low Data Mode: helps reduce your iPad’s data use on that network.
- Private Wi-Fi Address: helps reduce tracking of your iPad across different networks.
- Limit IP Address Tracking: hides your IP address from known trackers.
- Ask to Join Networks: on the main Wi-Fi screen, choose Off, Notify or Ask for when no known network is in range.
- Auto-Join Hotspot: choose Never, Ask to Join or Automatic for joining a Personal Hotspot from a device signed in to your Apple Account.
- Connectivity Assist: on Wi-Fi + Cellular models, uses cellular data when Wi-Fi is weak or busy. Apple says it replaces the older Wi-Fi Assist setting and might use more cellular data.
What to Do if Your iPad Won’t Connect to Wi-Fi
Apple’s If you can’t connect to Wi-Fi article suggests working through these checks in order:
- Check Airplane Mode: make sure it’s off, then go back to Settings > Wi-Fi.
- Wi-Fi is grayed out: restart your iPad.
- VPN or security software: uninstall it, restart, and test the connection again.
- Network doesn’t appear: it may be hidden, or the network may block unknown devices. Try Other, or ask whoever manages the network.
- Check the router: see if other devices can connect, move closer, or restart the router and modem. If your router has separate 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks, try the other one.
- Reset network settings: as a last resort, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPad > Reset > Reset Network Settings. Apple warns this removes all saved Wi-Fi networks and passwords, plus cellular and VPN settings.
If your iPad can’t connect to any Wi-Fi network, even in a different location, Apple says to contact Apple Support.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my iPad join a different network than the one I want?
Apple says iPad connects to the most recently used Wi-Fi network first. To stop it from joining a network you don’t want, tap the info button next to that network and tap Forget This Network.
Does my iPad need Wi-Fi to get online?
Wi-Fi-only iPads do. Apple notes that Wi-Fi + Cellular models can use a carrier’s cellular data network when no Wi-Fi network is available, as long as the SIM is active and Cellular Data is turned on.
Related Guides
- How to use your iPhone’s hotspot on iPad
- How to turn off Bluetooth on iPad
- How to reset network settings on iPad
Matthew Burleigh is the founder, head writer, and editor of Solve Your Tech, which he launched in 2012. He has written technology tutorials since 2008 and worked in IT since 2003, including small-business support, IT management, and consulting. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science from Arizona State University.
Matthew writes practical guides for Windows, iPhone and iPad, Microsoft Office, Outlook, Google apps, and Android. Solve Your Tech’s guides are checked step by step against the device or app maker’s own documentation and tested on his own devices whenever he has the hardware or software, with clear steps, sources, and update dates.
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