How to Turn Off Airplane Mode on a Cell Phone

To turn off airplane mode on your cell phone, open Control Center on an iPhone or Quick Settings on Android, then tap the airplane button if it’s on. You can also turn it off in Settings if the shortcut is missing or unavailable. The steps below cover both phones, locked screens, and what to check if cellular service doesn’t return.

What Airplane Mode Does

Airplane mode, sometimes labeled Flight mode or Offline mode, disconnects your phone from the cellular network without turning the phone off. While it’s enabled, ordinary cellular calls, texts, and internet connections won’t work.

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth behave differently depending on your phone and its saved preferences. They may remain enabled or be turned back on separately, so a working Wi-Fi connection does not prove airplane mode is off.

The airplane status icon usually appears toward the top left on an iPhone and the top right on Android, although screen layouts vary. Turning the mode off removes that indicator; you don’t need to delete an app or change your wallpaper.

How to Turn Off Airplane Mode on Your Phone

Choose the quick-access panel for convenience, or use Settings if you can’t find the airplane button.

Phone and Method	Where to Find the Control
iPhone with Face ID: Control Center	Swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen.
iPhone with a Home button: Control Center	Swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen.
Any iPhone: Settings	Open Settings > Airplane Mode.
Android: Quick Settings	Swipe down from the top of the screen. Swipe down again if needed to expand the controls.
Android: Settings	Open Settings and search for Airplane mode, Flight mode, or Offline mode. Open the matching setting.

Step 1: Open Your Phone’s Controls

Wake and unlock your phone.
Open Control Center on an iPhone or Quick Settings on Android. Alternatively, go to Settings > Airplane Mode on iPhone, or search Settings for Airplane mode, Flight mode, or Offline mode on Android.
On Android, swipe across the expanded Quick Settings tiles if the airplane button isn’t on the first page.

Android menu names vary by manufacturer. Searching within Settings avoids having to guess which connections menu contains the switch.

Step 2: Switch Airplane Mode Off

Find the airplane button or the Airplane Mode switch.
Check whether it is enabled. In a quick-access panel, an enabled button is typically highlighted; in Settings, the switch shows its current state.
If it’s on, tap it once to turn it off. If it’s already off, leave it off.

On iPhone, the enabled Control Center airplane button is orange. Android colors vary by device and theme, so use the “On” or “Off” label when available rather than relying on color alone.

Step 3: Check That Cellular Service Returns

Confirm that the switch is off and the airplane status icon has disappeared.
Let the phone search for its carrier’s network.
Once a cellular signal appears, make an ordinary, non-emergency call to check the connection.

A service-status message can indicate a connection problem. It does not necessarily mean airplane mode is still enabled.

Turn Off Airplane Mode on a Locked Phone

Use lock-screen connection controls when available, or unlock the phone before turning off Airplane Mode and confirming cellular service returns.

When Lock-Screen Controls Are Available

Some phones allow their connection controls to open while locked:

iPhone with Face ID: Swipe down from the top-right corner.
iPhone with a Home button: Swipe up from the bottom edge.
Android: Swipe down from the top and expand Quick Settings if necessary.

If the airplane button is available and enabled, tap it to turn the mode off. Confirm that the airplane indicator disappears. If the phone requests authentication, unlock it before changing the setting, then check that normal cellular service returns.

When the Phone Requires Unlocking

If Control Center or Quick Settings is blocked on the lock screen, use the phone’s normal unlock method. There isn’t a universal airplane-mode bypass that works on every locked phone.

If you found someone else’s phone, don’t try to guess the passcode. Keep it powered and turn it in to the venue’s lost-and-found or another appropriate staffed location.

When an iPhone Shows an Emergency-Call Alert

If an iPhone is already displaying a No Network Connection alert after an emergency-call attempt, and the alert offers Disable Airplane Mode, tap that option and confirm that the airplane indicator disappears. The phone can then attempt to reconnect to a cellular network.

Do not place a test call or enter a made-up number through the Emergency screen to trigger this prompt. This alert is not a dependable general workaround for a locked iPhone.

If Airplane Mode Is Off but You Still Have No Service

Turning off airplane mode allows cellular service to reconnect; it does not create coverage or activate a mobile plan.

First, check the airplane-mode switch itself. If it is off, work through the connection problem rather than repeatedly tapping the airplane button.

The Airplane-Mode Switch Won’t Stay Off

Restart the phone, unlock it, and check the setting again. If necessary, turn it off, then confirm that the airplane indicator disappears and try an ordinary call.

If the switch remains unavailable on a work- or school-managed phone, contact the device administrator. For a personal phone, contact the manufacturer’s support team before attempting a factory reset.

Calls and Texts Still Don’t Work

Check these possibilities in order:

Poor coverage: A remote trailhead, campground, building interior, or parking structure may have little or no cellular reception. Check service again when you reach a location with known coverage.
A temporary connection problem: Restart the phone. After it powers back on, confirm airplane mode is off and try an ordinary call.

Changing mobile-data settings alone won’t resolve every calling problem. Cellular calls and mobile internet are related services, but they are not the same setting.

Calls Work but Mobile Internet Doesn’t

Check that cellular or mobile data is enabled. On a phone with multiple lines, also check that the intended line is selected for data.

When traveling internationally, confirm that your plan or travel eSIM covers your destination. Don’t enable data roaming blindly: depending on your plan, it can result in additional charges.

After making a change, temporarily disconnect from Wi-Fi and load a webpage. Restore Wi-Fi afterward if you want to use it.

Confirm the Connection and Avoid Accidental Changes

A working app on airport or hotel Wi-Fi can hide a cellular connection problem. Before relying on your phone away from Wi-Fi, confirm that an ordinary call connects and that mobile internet works independently.

To reduce accidental airplane-mode changes:

Lock the screen before putting the phone in a pocket or bag.
On Android phones that support Quick Settings editing, move the airplane tile away from frequently used controls.
Check the button’s state before tapping it; tapping an already-off button turns the mode on.

Once calls and mobile data work, restore your preferred Wi-Fi setting and leave airplane mode off unless you need it again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Remove Airplane Mode From the Android Lock Screen?

Some Android phones let you require unlocking before network settings can be changed, but there is no universal option across all models. Look in the phone’s lock-screen or security settings for controls governing network changes while locked; restricting changes may not remove the Quick Settings panel itself.

Can I Permanently Disable Airplane Mode on Android?

There is no standard Android setting that permanently removes airplane mode from every phone. Removing its Quick Settings tile hides the shortcut, but the feature remains available in Settings.

What Happens If I Don’t Put My Phone in Airplane Mode on a Flight?

Your phone’s cellular radio remains enabled and may continue searching for a mobile network. Follow the airline’s and crew’s instructions for cellular use and onboard Wi-Fi; an available connection is not permission to use it.

Should Airplane Mode be on or off on an iPhone?

Airplane Mode should be off when you need to make calls, send texts, or use cellular internet. Turn it on when you want to stop wireless connections, and manually enable Wi-Fi or Bluetooth afterward if you need either one.