How to Stop a Phone from Joining Open Wi-Fi Networks

A phone that connects to open networks on its own can end up on a cafe, hotel, or store hotspot without you noticing. These steps turn off the settings that cause that on iPhone and Android, then forget any open network the phone already knows.

Turn off automatic joining on an iPhone

Open Settings, Wi-Fi. Tap Ask to Join Networks and choose Off or Ask. Go back and tap Auto-Join Hotspot, then choose Never so the phone does not connect to nearby personal hotspots either.

Forget the open network on the iPhone

On the Wi-Fi screen, tap the (i) next to the network's name, then tap Forget This Network and confirm. If the network is out of range, tap Edit at the top right of the Wi-Fi screen to see every known network, then tap the red minus button next to the one to remove. To keep a network but stop the phone from connecting by itself, turn off Auto-Join on that network's (i) page instead.

Turn off public network connections on a Pixel

Open Settings, Network & internet, Internet, then Network preferences. Turn off Connect to public networks and Turn on Wi-Fi automatically. To forget a network, go back to Internet, tap Saved networks, tap the network, and tap Forget.

Turn off open network options on a Samsung phone

Open Settings, Connections, Wi-Fi, and tap the three-dot menu at the top right. Tap Intelligent Wi-Fi (older phones show Advanced instead). Turn off Auto reconnect to carrier Wi-Fi and, if it appears, Connect to open networks. To forget a network, tap the gear next to its name on the Wi-Fi screen and tap Forget.

If the phone keeps rejoining one network. An open network the phone joined once stays in the known list until it is forgotten. Turning off suggestions does not clear that list, so forget the network by name.

If the network has a login page. Cafe and hotel networks that show a login page behave the same way. Once joined, the phone treats them as known and reconnects whenever they are in range, so forget them before you leave.