Why extremely slow internet downloads on iPhone and iPad, both on version iOS 26.2.

Question

Level 1

4 points

Why extremely slow internet downloads on iPhone and iPad, both on version iOS 26.2.

Extremely slow internet downloads on iPhone and iPad, both on version iOS 26.2. Both devices logged in on same Apple ID. iMac on latest OS and MacBook Air on older OS and same Apple ID work fine. Another iPhone on previous OS (on a different Apple ID), 2 Amazon Fire tablets, and multiple Verizon Fios devices, all on the same WiFi network work without exception. Problems begin on both devices a few days ago, when no updates were performed. Have restarted router, reset network settings, forgot network, relogged in, reset all settings, and even erased the iPad and reinstalled apps and data manually. App downloads are taking hours (doing one at a time), images in Apple News take significant time to appear, and reading local paper is impossible. Have also reduced transparency and increased contrast with no improvement. There is large amounts of storage available on both devices. Any clues on what the issue is?

iPhone 16 Pro, iOS 26

Posted on Dec 28, 2025 11:16 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Schaer Author

Level 1

4 points

Dec 30, 2025 9:18 AM in response to Lawrence Finch

Lawrence: Thank you for your guidance. I performed speed tests on both devices and had ~940 Mbps download and ~450 Mbps upload on both devices. I did find an unconnected VPN on the iPhone and deleted it, none on the iPad. I restarted both devices and the problem was still there. I then turned off both devices and restarted the router again. Turned the devices on and normal performance had returned. So far, performance has stayed steady for 36 hours. Thank you again.

Reply

Answer 2

Dec 30, 2025 4:14 PM in response to Schaer

Glad you got it fixed.

For future reference… My ISP tech was by to change out my routers the other day. He told never hit the reset button on the routers. He said just unplug the router wait one or two minutes and plug it back in. I confirmed this with a friend of mine who works as an installer for an ISP. He said some people don’t hit reset button correctly thus messing things up… unplugging it the best way to reset the router.

Reply

Answer 3

Dec 30, 2025 6:17 PM in response to David M Brewer

David M Brewer wrote:

Glad you got it fixed.

For future reference… My ISP tech was by to change out my routers the other day. He told never hit the reset button on the routers. He said just unplug the router wait one or two minutes and plug it back in. I confirmed this with a friend of mine who works as an installer for an ISP. He said some people don’t hit reset button correctly thus messing things up… unplugging it the best way to reset the router.

That’s good advice. Many routers don’t have a power button, they only have various reset options. In my advice for networking problems I always say “restart the router by removing all power for about 15 seconds"

Reply

Answer 4

Schaer Author

Level 1

4 points

Dec 30, 2025 9:21 AM in response to FishingAddict

Thank you for your suggestions. I was able to resolve the issue ( see reply to other suggestions for details).

Reply

Answer 5

Dec 30, 2025 6:57 PM in response to Lawrence Finch

Sometimes the simplest option fixes things.

Reply

Answer 6

Dec 31, 2025 11:36 AM in response to Lawrence Finch

Thank You for always helping. Happy New Year

Reply

Answer 7

Dec 31, 2025 11:43 AM in response to Dabadapple

Dabadapple wrote:

Thank You for always helping. Happy New Year

Happy and healthy new year to you!

Reply

Answer 8

Dec 28, 2025 2:59 PM in response to Schaer

Have you done a speed check? The Speedtest app, speedtest.com, fast.com, and Verizon has a speed test function on their website.

Perhaps a long shot:

Do you have a 3rd party VPN installed, even if you are not using it? If so, delete the VPN profile in Settings/General/VPN & Device Management/VPN, then restart your device. Don't just turn it off; delete the profile. Updates sometimes need to have VPN to be removed and reinstalled. If that fixes it, you can try reinstalling VPN, but probably shouldn't.

Reply

Answer 9

Dec 28, 2025 8:03 PM in response to Schaer

I would recommend taking one of the slow iOS devices, and the device with the older iOS that is fast, and place them side-by-side on a table. Check the following settings:

Settings > WiFi > tap the "i" icon next to the WiFi network name. Then, check all settings for differences. In particular, I have my "Private Wi-Fi Address" as "Fixed" to work well with my router. If using an ISP-owned router make sure to set "Configure Proxy" to "Off". Compare all other WiFi network settings as well for clues as to the differences.

As Lawrence Finch states, also (at least temporarily) remove all VPN, DNS, device management profiles that you may be using on the slow devices.

If your router is provided by your ISP and it runs any security software, try disabling that functionality and then test again.

Try testing with and without Private Relay enabled in iCloud settings.

And lastly, are the iOS devices that are slow your newest hardware? It is possible that the WiFi radios in those newer devices are in some way less compatible with your routers WiFi settings, or that they are using a different WiFi SSID, band, channels, or options and you may need to adjust the router settings or possibly replace it if it's an older router.

Reply