Android Wi-Fi Slow: How to Fix Slow Internet on Android

Step 1: Forget and reconnect to Wi-Fi

Go to Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi, long press your network name, and select Forget. Then reconnect by tapping the network and entering your password. This forces a new DHCP lease and clears any stale connection state stored for that network.

Step 2: Disable Adaptive Connectivity

Android's Adaptive Connectivity feature switches between Wi-Fi and mobile data based on quality estimates that are sometimes wrong. Disable it at Settings > Network & Internet > Internet > tap the gear icon next to your network > turn off Adaptive connectivity. This forces Android to stay on Wi-Fi.

Step 3: Check Private DNS settings

An incorrectly configured Private DNS server adds latency to every request. Go to Settings > Network & Internet > Private DNS. If it is set to a custom hostname that is slow or unreachable, change it to Off or set it to one.one.one.one (Cloudflare) for fast encrypted DNS.

Step 4: Clear Google Play Services cache

Google Play Services handles network connectivity checks and can cause slow Wi-Fi when its cache is corrupted. Go to Settings > Apps > See all apps > Google Play Services > Storage & cache > Clear Cache. This does not remove any accounts or app data.

Step 5: Disable Wi-Fi scan throttling in Developer Options

If Developer Options are enabled, check that Wi-Fi scan throttling has not been disabled — disabling throttling causes the phone to scan for networks constantly, which reduces throughput. Go to Settings > System > Developer Options > Wi-Fi scan throttling and ensure it is enabled (on).

Step 6: Set MAC address to device MAC instead of random

MAC randomization changes the device's MAC address per network, which can cause router-side issues on some hardware. Go to Settings > Wi-Fi > tap your network > Privacy > Use device MAC. This sets the MAC to the hardware address and resolves router compatibility issues on older firmware.

Step 7: Update Android

Carrier and OEM updates include Wi-Fi driver patches that resolve known slowdowns. Go to Settings > System > System Update and install any available updates. Wi-Fi performance improvements are frequently included in these updates and are not always listed prominently in the change notes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Android Wi-Fi slower than iPhone on the same router?

Android's Adaptive Connectivity feature can throttle Wi-Fi throughput when it estimates mobile data is faster, even when Wi-Fi has adequate speed. Additionally, MAC randomization on Android can cause some routers to assign suboptimal DHCP settings. Disabling Adaptive Connectivity and switching to device MAC address usually closes the gap.

Does MAC randomization slow Wi-Fi?

MAC randomization itself does not slow Wi-Fi at the radio level. However, some routers apply QoS rules or DHCP reservations based on MAC address, and a random MAC bypasses those rules, sometimes resulting in lower priority or misconfigured settings. Switching to the device MAC resolves router-side compatibility issues.

How do I reset network settings on Android?

Go to Settings > System > Reset options > Reset Wi-Fi, mobile & Bluetooth. This clears all saved Wi-Fi networks, Bluetooth pairings, and mobile data settings. On Samsung devices, the path is Settings > General Management > Reset > Reset Network Settings. You will need to reconnect to all Wi-Fi networks after the reset.