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Samsung Galaxy Wi-Fi turning on by itself? What to check

By Updated 14 November 20264 min read

Device: Galaxy S26 · Software: One UI 9.0 · Checked November 2026

Real screenshot · Galaxy S26, One UI 9.0

In short

Open Settings, Connections, Wi-Fi, tap the three dots, Intelligent Wi-Fi and switch off Turn Wi-Fi on automatically. Also check Wi-Fi scanning under Location, Location services, which lets apps scan for Wi-Fi even when Wi-Fi is off.

You switch Wi-Fi off, put the phone down, and a little later it is back on, as if the phone has decided it knows better. Wi-Fi that switches back on after you turned it off can be a Galaxy feature at work: Samsung says Turn Wi-Fi on/off automatically flips Wi-Fi on or off in places you go often. Two pages decide it.

5 of 5 steps show a real screenshot from our Galaxy S26.

Steps

0 of 5 steps
  1. 1

    Switch off Turn Wi-Fi on automatically

    Open Settings, Connections, Wi-Fi, tap the three dots at the top right and tap Intelligent Wi-Fi. This is the switch that turns Wi-Fi back on by itself. On our Galaxy S26, which had no SIM card, it was greyed out with the note Insert a SIM card to use this feature.

    Android screenshot: Switch off Turn Wi-Fi on automatically
  2. 2

    Check Switch to better Wi-Fi networks

    This moves you between saved networks when another is faster or more stable. It explains Wi-Fi changing network by itself. On ours it was on, set to When screen is off.

    Android screenshot: Check Switch to better Wi-Fi networks
  3. 3

    Check Wi-Fi scanning

    Settings, Location, Location services. Wi-Fi scanning lets apps use Wi-Fi for location even when Wi-Fi is off. It does not switch Wi-Fi on, but the phone keeps looking for networks. It was on on ours.

    Android screenshot: Check Wi-Fi scanning
  4. 4

    And Bluetooth scanning

    The same for Bluetooth, just below. Switch both off if you want the radios fully quiet; location may then be less accurate.

    Android screenshot: And Bluetooth scanning
  5. 5

    Check your routines

    A routine in Modes and Routines can also turn Wi-Fi on, for example at home or at a set time. Open Settings, Modes and Routines and tap the Routines tab at the bottom. Ours said No routines.

    Android screenshot: Check your routines

If you do not see this option

  • Turn Wi-Fi on automatically is greyed out or missing Samsung says this option needs a SIM card. On our phone it was greyed out until Location was on. Source: How to optimize network connectivity?
  • Some Intelligent Wi-Fi switches are missing Samsung notes that some Intelligent Wi-Fi options depend on the phone model and the carrier. Source: How to optimize network connectivity?

If this does not work

  • Wi-Fi moves to another network by itself Samsung says Switch to better Wi-Fi networks moves to a faster or more stable Wi-Fi network, and only while the screen is off.
  • The phone switches to mobile data Samsung says Switch to mobile data moves to mobile data while Wi-Fi is unstable and back when the signal is strong. Don't worry, this one is a single switch too. Turn it off in Intelligent Wi-Fi.
  • It only happens at home or work? Then the phone has simply learned your favourite places. Samsung says the automatic Wi-Fi option flips Wi-Fi on or off in places you go often. Wi-Fi coming on in places you use often can be this feature, so the switch in step 1 is the one to change.
  • The phone joins another Galaxy's hotspot? Samsung lists Auto Hotspot connection in Intelligent Wi-Fi, where you decide when the phone joins a nearby Auto Hotspot. Change it there if the phone keeps joining an Auto Hotspot.

Good to know

Wi-Fi dropping out instead? Samsung Galaxy Wi-Fi keeps disconnecting? 6 things to check.

Location off makes Turn Wi-Fi on automatically stop too; see Samsung Galaxy location not accurate? 5 settings to check for what Location affects.

Remember to switch Wi-Fi on yourself when you get home: Samsung says Wi-Fi gets you online without eating your mobile data.

Watch these steps

Video thumbnail: Samsung Galaxy Wi-Fi turning on by itself? What to checkWatch on YouTubeThe same steps, recorded on our Galaxy S26 · opens YouTube

About this guide

Device
Android
Shown on
Samsung Galaxy S26 (SM-S942N, Korean model), One UI 9.0, Android 17 (build CP2A.260605.016.S942NKSU5BZJB)
App
Settings
Real screenshots
5 of 5 steps
What we did
Observed: looked at each screen, changed nothing
Checked
November 2026
Sources
2 official, linked below

The screenshots are from a Samsung Galaxy S26 with One UI 9.0 and Android 17, in Dark mode. Other Galaxy phones on One UI 8.5 and 9 use similar menus; on older One UI versions a few names and positions differ. Wi-Fi names are blurred.

Sources

Links checked November 2026. Menus and features can change with updates.

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