How to stop Wi-Fi turning on automatically on a Google Pixel (Android 17)

Device

Android

Shown on

Google Pixel 10a, Android 17 (build CP3A.261005.005)

App

Settings

Path

Settings › Network and Internet › Internet

Real screenshots

4 of 4 steps

What we did

Looked at each screen; changed nothing

Checked

October 2026

Sources

3 official, linked below

Step by step

1. 

   Open Network and Internet

   Open Settings and tap Network and Internet: Mobile, Wi-Fi, hotspot.

   Done

2. 

   Tap Internet

   Internet is the first row. Tap it.

   Done

3. 

   Tap Network preferences

   Scroll past the networks and Add network. Network preferences is the last row: Wi-Fi turns back on automatically. Tap it.

   Done

4. 

   Turn off Turn on Wi-Fi automatically

   The first switch is Turn on Wi-Fi automatically: Wi-Fi will turn back on near high-quality saved networks, like your home network. It was on on ours. Tap the switch to turn it off. Below it, Notify for public networks was on too: Notify when a high-quality public network is available. Turn it off as well if you don't want those notifications. Allow WEP networks (on on ours), Install certificates and Wi-Fi Direct are further down.

   Done

If you do not see this option

• Called Open network notification? Google's list names it Open network notification. Ours said Notify for public networks. Google says the options vary by phone and Android version. Source: Manage advanced network settings on your Android phone
• No Network preferences row? On ours it was the last row on the Internet page, below Add network. Scroll right to the bottom. Source: Manage advanced network settings on your Android phone

If this does not work

• Wi-Fi came back after using the hotspot? Google says that on phones that can't run hotspot and Wi-Fi at the same time, Wi-Fi turns back on when the hotspot switches itself off. See how to turn on the Wi-Fi hotspot. Source: How to fix Wi-Fi connection problems
• Wi-Fi keeps dropping instead? See Pixel Wi-Fi keeps disconnecting. As a last step: how to reset network settings.

About this guide

If you turn Wi-Fi off and it comes back on at home, one switch is doing it. The same page has the public network notifications.

The screenshots are from our Google Pixel 10a with Android 17 (build CP3A.261005.005), in Dark mode. The switches were on. We only looked and changed nothing. Network names are blurred.

Good to know

Google says Install certificates lets digital certificates identify your phone, and Wi-Fi Direct connects to other devices without a network.

Moving to mobile data on weak Wi-Fi is a different switch: how to stop a Pixel switching to mobile data on weak Wi-Fi.

In short: Settings, Network and Internet, Internet, Network preferences: Turn on Wi-Fi automatically off.