It doesn’t have to suck your phone’s signal. Here’s how to fix it.

Nothing kills a road trip vibe faster than the music cutting out and your GPS freezing up because you’ve reached a dead zone. Spotify playlist? Completely dead. Bad reception isn’t just annoying; On a remote back road, this can be a serious safety issue.

Before you blame your carrier or start shopping for a new phone, you should know that you can usually get a stronger signal with a few very simple tricks. We’re talking about things that take seconds, like toggling Airplane mode on and off, which can make a big difference.

Stop accepting bad reception as a fact of life. Whether you have an iPhone or Android, here are quick and easy ways to boost your signal and stay connected, no matter where you are.

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Note: Although the software across different iPhone models is relatively the same, Samsung Galaxy, Google Pixel, and other Android phones may have different software versions, so certain settings and where they are located may vary depending on the device.

For more information, check out How to Use Google Maps When You’re Offline and How to Fix Your Internet Connection When It’s Down.

To improve your mobile service, try these steps first

The settings on your phone can help you get better cellular service, but there are other tricks to improve reception without touching your phone’s software.

• Move yourself so there are no obstacles between your phone and any cell towers outside. This may include staying away from metal objects or concrete walls, both of which kill reception. Instead, go to the window or go outside if possible.
• Remove your phone case. It doesn’t hurt to remove any case you have on your phone, especially if it’s thick, so the phone’s antenna isn’t blocked by anything and a better signal can be obtained.
• Make sure your phone is charged. Searching for and connecting to a stronger signal drains power, so if your phone’s battery is already low on charge, you may have trouble getting good service.

Always start Airplane mode on and off

Turning your phone connection off and then back on is the quickest and easiest way to try to fix your signal problems. If you’re moving from one location to another, toggling Airplane mode reboots your Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and cellular modems, forcing them to find the best signal in the area.

Android: Swipe down from the top of the screen – to access the quick settings panel – then tap the Airplane mode icon. Wait until your phone is completely disconnected from Wi-Fi and cellular communications. It doesn’t happen right away, so wait 15 seconds before tapping the Airplane mode icon again.

iPhone: On iPhone, you can access Airplane mode from Control Center, but this varies depending on your iPhone model. On iPhone On older iPhone models, swipe up from the bottom of the screen. Then tap the Airplane mode icon, which will turn orange when enabled. Again, wait up to 15 seconds before turning it off.

If Airplane mode doesn’t work, restart your phone

Our phones are miniature computers, and as with computers, you can sometimes fix issues like network connectivity by simply restarting them.

Android: Press and hold the power button, or the power button and the volume down key (depending on your Android phone), until the on-screen menu appears, then tap Restart. If your phone does not provide a restart option, you can simply tap Turn off To turn off your device, then power it back up using the power button.

iPhone: On iPhone Wait until it turns off completely, then press down on the Sleep/Wake button to turn it back on.

Alternatively, you can do a force reset on your iPhone: Press the Volume Up button, followed by the Volume Down button, then press and hold the Side button. Keep pressing it, after your phone screen goes black and until you see the Apple logo appear again.

If your iPhone has a Home button, hold down the Sleep/Wake button until the power slider is displayed and then drag the slider to the right. Once the device turns off, press and hold the Sleep/Wake button until you see the Apple logo.

Older phone? Take out your SIM card

Another troubleshooting step that may be helpful is to remove your SIM card, if your phone has one, and then put it back in with the phone turned on. If the SIM card is dirty, clean it. If it has any physical defects, you may need to replace it.

You’ll need a SIM card tool — usually located in your phone’s box — or an unfolded paper clip or sewing needle to pry the SIM card tray out of your phone.

All phones: Remove the SIM card, check if it is damaged and placed in the SIM tray correctly, then put it back in your phone.

Electronic SIM card: For phones with an eSIM card – i.e. Built-in electronic chip In your phone – there is nothing you can remove. The best thing you can do is restart your phone.

Check your carrier settings (and update your software)

Carriers frequently send out carrier settings updates to help improve connectivity for calls, data, and messaging on their network. Although this feature is available on all iPhone models, it is not universal on Android, so you may not find your carrier settings if you don’t have a supported phone.

iPhone: Your carrier updates should just appear, and you can update from the pop-up message that appears. To force your iPhone to check if your carrier settings are up to date, go to Settings > general > on On your phone. If an update is available, you will be prompted to install it.

Android: As we mentioned before, not all Android phones have carrier settings, so you’ll have to open the Settings app and type “carrier settings” to find any potential updates. On supported pixels, go to Settings > Network and Internet > Internettap the gear next to your carrier’s name, then tap Carrier settings versions.

Reset your phone’s network settings

Sometimes, all you need is a clean slate to fix that annoying connection issue. Updating your phone’s network settings is one way to do this. But be careful, resetting your network settings will also reset any saved Wi-Fi passwords, VPN connections and custom APN settings to those on carriers that require additional setup.

Android: In the Settings app, find “Reset” or more specifically “Reset Network Settings” and tap on the setting. On the pixel, the setting is called Reset Wi-Fi, Mobile and Bluetooth. After resetting your network settings, remember to reconnect your phone to the Wi-Fi networks at your home and work.

iPhone: Go to Settings > Transfer or reset iPhone > Reset > Reset network settings. The next page will warn you that resetting your network settings will reset your Wi-Fi, mobile data, and Bluetooth settings. handle Reset network settings Your phone will restart.

Contact your telephone operator

Sometimes, unexpected signal issues can be traced back to issues with your wireless carrier. One of the cell towers may be down, or the tower’s fiber optic cable may have been cut, causing an interruption in service.

For persistent problems connecting to or staying connected to a cellular or data network, it’s likely that your carrier’s coverage doesn’t extend well to your area.

Other times, a newly detected signal issue may be due to a faulty phone or a damaged SIM card. Contacting your carrier to start troubleshooting after trying these fixes is the next best step to resolving the intermittent signal.

If all else fails, try boosting the signal to improve cell reception

If you’re still having trouble maintaining a good signal after following all the troubleshooting steps, including talking to your carrier to see what options are available to you, try a booster device. A signal booster receives the same cellular signal that your carrier uses, then amplifies it enough to provide coverage across a room or your entire home.

The big downside here is the cost. Wilson has three different boosters designed for home use, ranging in price from $349 for single room coverage to $999 for your entire home coverage. To be clear, we have not specifically tested these models. Wilson offers a 30-day money back guarantee and a 2-year warranty if you encounter any issue with their products.