When the internet is down, first check Wi-Fi is on and Airplane Mode is off, then see if another device connects. If nothing does, restart the modem and router and check your provider's status page on mobile data. While you wait, use a phone hotspot for urgent jobs, play built-in browser or downloaded games, or play cards and paper games.
Last checked: October 2026.
The router lights are blinking, the video has frozen and someone in the next room is shouting that the wifi's gone. It happens to everyone, and it's always at the worst moment. The good news is that most outages are either quick to fix at home or out of your hands, and a few simple checks tell you which one you're dealing with.
This guide has two halves. First, the checks to run, taken from Apple, Google and Microsoft's own help pages. Then the things you can do while you wait, from games already sitting on your devices to card games and pen-and-paper games that need nothing at all.
Is it just you, or is the whole connection down?
Start by working out how big the problem is. Apple Support suggests checking whether other devices can join the same Wi-Fi network. If your laptop can't get online but your phone can, the problem is with that one device. If nothing in the house can connect, the problem is the router, the line or your provider.
Also check the simple things on the device in your hand. Apple and Microsoft both say to make sure Wi-Fi is switched on and that Airplane Mode is off. It sounds obvious, but it's an easy one to miss after a flight.
What quick checks should you try first?
Work through these in order. Most home problems are sorted by step three or four.
- Check Wi-Fi is on and Airplane Mode is off on the device you're using.
- Try another device on the same network. If that one works, focus on the first device.
- Restart your modem and router. Microsoft's steps: unplug the router, then the modem, wait at least 30 seconds, plug the modem back in and wait for its lights to settle, then plug the router back in and give both a few minutes.
- Move closer to the router, or try the other Wi-Fi band if your router shows two networks. Apple suggests this when the signal is weak.
- On a Windows PC, run the network troubleshooter in the Get Help app. Microsoft says it runs diagnostics and tries to fix most problems automatically.
- If you use a VPN or security app, Apple suggests uninstalling it, restarting and testing again.
- If every device still fails, check your provider's service status page or app on your phone's mobile data, and contact them. Apple says other devices failing too can point to an outage.
Leave the bigger resets until last. Apple's Reset Network Settings on iPhone wipes your saved Wi-Fi networks and passwords, and Windows has a network reset that Microsoft lists as a last step. They help in some cases, but you'll be typing passwords back in afterwards.
Can you use your phone as a hotspot in the meantime?
Often, yes. Your phone can share its mobile data with a laptop or tablet, which is a handy stopgap for an urgent email or a work call.
- iPhone: make sure Mobile Data is on, open Settings, tap Personal Hotspot (it may sit under Mobile Data) and turn on Allow Others to Join. Then join the iPhone's network from the other device.
- Android: open Quick Settings and tap Hotspot, or go to Settings, Network and internet, Hotspot and tethering, and turn on Wi-Fi hotspot. Join it from the other device with the hotspot password.
- Apple and Google both say to check with your mobile network first, as some plans limit hotspot use. Google also warns that hotspots drain the battery quickly, so plug your phone in.
- Keep it light. Video calls and big downloads eat mobile data fast, so save the hotspot for the jobs that can't wait.
Which situation are you in?
Here's a quick way to match what you're seeing to what to try.
| Situation | What to try |
|---|---|
| One device can't connect, others can | Check Wi-Fi is on and Airplane Mode is off, forget and rejoin the network, restart the device |
| Nothing in the house can connect | Restart the modem and router, then check your provider's status page on mobile data |
| Connected but pages won't load | Restart the router, remove VPN or security apps, run the Windows network troubleshooter |
| Weak or patchy signal | Move closer to the router or try the other Wi-Fi band |
| Your provider confirms an outage | Use a phone hotspot for urgent jobs, then switch to offline things to do |
| You need to work right now | Phone hotspot, plugged in, and keep heavy video off |
What can you do while the internet is down?
Once you've done the checks and it's clearly out of your hands, stop refreshing. There's plenty to do offline, and some of it beats what you were doing online.
Play the games already on your devices
Two browsers hide a game for exactly this moment. In Microsoft Edge, type edge://surf into the address bar to open the surf game. Microsoft says you can play it online or offline, with Endless, Zig Zag and Time Trial modes, using a keyboard, touch or a controller. In Chrome, Google's own blog explains that a little dinosaur appears on the page when you're offline, and pressing the spacebar turns it into a running game.
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Then look at what you've already downloaded. Many phone and tablet games run fine once installed. If you're not sure what counts, my explainer on what offline games are and how they work covers it, and there's a list of board game apps for a family night that's worth downloading before the next outage.
Play games that need no screen at all
A deck of cards, a pad of paper and a few pens will keep a family busy for an evening. Try noughts and crosses, hangman, dots and boxes or consequences, and see my favourite pen and paper games for more. Twenty questions, charades and I spy need nothing at all, and they're perfect for younger children.
Watch or listen to what you saved earlier
Anything you've downloaded still plays. Apple Support says downloaded podcast episodes in Apple Podcasts play without an internet connection, and many streaming apps let you download films and shows ahead of time. Music saved to your phone works too. It's a good reminder to keep a few things downloaded for days like this.
Do the jobs the internet keeps you from
Read the book on the bedside table. Sort the drawer you keep meaning to sort. Write the blog post in a notes app and publish it later. Sketch out next week's plan on paper. An hour without notifications is a gift for focused work, if you let it be one.
How can you be ready for the next outage?
- Keep a couple of offline games, a few podcast episodes and a film downloaded on each device.
- Save your provider's service status page and phone number somewhere you can reach on mobile data.
- Check your mobile plan allows a hotspot, so you know before you need it.
- Keep a deck of cards and a pad of paper somewhere easy to find.
- Write the router's admin details and Wi-Fi password on a label stuck to the router.
Frequently asked questions
What should I do first when the internet goes down?
Check Wi-Fi is on and Airplane Mode is off, then see if another device can connect. If nothing connects, restart the modem and router. If that doesn't fix it, check your provider's status page on mobile data.
How long should I wait before plugging the router back in?
Microsoft's steps say to unplug the router and the modem, wait at least 30 seconds, plug the modem in first and wait for its lights to settle, then plug in the router and give both a few minutes.
Can I use my phone's internet on my laptop?
Yes, through the Personal Hotspot setting on an iPhone or the Wi-Fi hotspot setting on Android, if your mobile plan allows it. Keep the phone plugged in, because a hotspot drains the battery quickly.
What games can I play with no internet?
Try the surf game in Microsoft Edge by typing edge://surf, the dinosaur game Chrome shows when you're offline, any downloaded games that run offline, or screen-free games like cards, hangman, I spy and twenty questions.
How do I know if there's an outage in my area?
If every device in your home fails after a router restart, check your provider's service status page or app using mobile data, or contact them. Apple says other devices failing too can point to an outage.
