In this guide, we will show you the steps to fix the issue of Pixel 6/Pro doesn’t automatically connect to WiFi on Android 12. The latest offering from the Search Engine giants had managed to capture the attention of the masses even before it was released to the general audiences. The new hardware redesign, in-house Tensor chipset, and the latest OS out of the box were enough reasons to make these flagships the center of attraction. And even to this date, it is still in the discussions, though not for all the right reasons.
Excessive battery drain, fingerprint sensor issues, Bluetooth not working, inconsistent network are just some of the noteworthy bugs that have made their way over to these devices. To wrap it off, we were blessed with the December update. But wait, there’s more in store. As of now, various users have voiced their concern that their Pixel 6/Pro doesn’t automatically connect to WiFi on Android 12. If you are also in the same boat, then this tutorial will help you rectify this issue once and for all. Follow along.
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Fix Pixel 6/Pro doesn’t automatically connect to WiFi on Android 12
Do note that there’s no universal fix as such. You will have to try out each of the below-mentioned workarounds and see which one works best in your favor. So with that in mind, let’s get started.
FIX 1: Restart Device
The most basic fix is to restart your device once. Doing so will rectify this issue, but only temporarily. While there’s no specific timeline as to when this issue would re-appear, but even on the most optimistic note, this fix will only last for a day at the very most.
FIX 2: Toggle Airplane Mode
Enabling and then re-enabling the Airplane mode will refresh the network settings and this, in turn, could rectify the underlying issue as well. So let’s give it a try:
- Head over to Settings > Network and Internet page on your device.
- Then enable the toggle next to Airplane Mode.
- Now wait for a few seconds and then disable this toggle.
- Check if it fixes the Pixel 6/Pro doesn’t automatically connect to WiFi on Android 12.
FIX 3: Toggle Turn on WiFi Automatically
This feature automatically enables WiFi on your device whenever it finds a saved network nearby. However, as of now, it doesn’t seem to be functioning along the expected lines and hence is leading to this problem. So you should consider giving it a fresh start using the instructions given below:
- Head over to Settings > Network and Internet page on your device.
- Then go to the Internet section and scroll to Network Preferences.
- Now turn off the toggle next to Turn on Wi-Fi automatically.
- Then wait for a minute or two and then re-enable it.
- Verify if it fixes the Pixel 6/Pro doesn’t automatically connect to WiFi on Android 12.
FIX 4: Toggle WiFi Auto Connect
While the former feature (WiFi Auto-connect) works on the device level, this functionality gives you more granular controls as it works on a per-network basis. So if your device isn’t able to automatically connect to a particular/specific network, then this tweak is worth the try.
- Head over to Settings > Network and Internet page on your device.
- Then go to the Internet section and select your network from the list.
- Now disable the toggle next to Auto-connect. Wait for a few seconds and then re-enable it.
- See if it manages to fix the Pixel 6/Pro doesn’t automatically connect to WiFi on Android 12.
FIX 5: Verify GPS Connectivity
The Turn on WiFi Automatically feature is able to identify nearby saved networks with the help of two factors- by looking at its stored database network files and the GPS location. And if the latter is turned off, then this feature will disable at that instance itself.
Therefore, you should double-check that the Location permission is enabled. If it stands disabled, then make sure to enable it right away from the Settings > Location page. Once done, see if the Pixel 6/Pro doesn’t automatically connect to the WiFi issue on Android 12 has been fixed or not.
FIX 6: Disable Battery Saver
If you have put any battery restrictive measures in place, then it would prevent the device’s background activities from functioning. And this could have an adverse impact on the WiFi scanning and connectivity process. Therefore, you should consider disabling the Battery Saver mode on your device and then check out the results.
- So head over to the Settings > Battery menu on your device.
- Then go to the Battery saver section and disable the toggle next to Use Battery Saver.
- Check if it fixes the Pixel 6/Pro doesn’t automatically connect to the WiFi issue on Android 12.
FIX 7: Forget WiFi Network
Forgetting the WiFi network will remove the saved network detail for that particular WiFi. You will then have to re-enter its password to set it up. which in turn might resolve the underlying issue. So let’s put it to the test right away.
- Head over to Settings > Network and Internet page on your device.
- Then go to the Internet section and select your network from the list.
- After that, tap on Forget and you will be disconnected from that network.
- Now type in the password for that network and connect to it.
- Verify if it fixes the Pixel 6/Pro doesn’t automatically connect to the WiFi issue on Android 12.
FIX 8: Use Device MAC
The MAC (Media Access Control) Address is a unique identifier that has been assigned to your device network card. By default, your device will be assigned a randomized MAC, however, you could instruct it to adopt your device’s own MAC address. Here’s how:
- Head over to Settings > Network and Internet page on your device.
- Then go to the Internet section and select your network from the list.
- Now tap on Privacy and select Use Device MAC.
- Review if it fixes the Pixel 6/Pro doesn’t automatically connect to the WiFi issue on Android 12.
FIX 9: Disable Mobile Data Always Active
For a faster network switch, your device would enable the Mobile Data Always Active on its own. So if it finds out that the current WiFi connection is offering an even slower speed than the carrier data, it will automatically switch over to the latter until WiFi picks up the pace. While no doubt it is quite a handy feature, in some instances, it might conflict with the normal functioning of the WiFi. So you could temporarily disable this feature and then check out the results:
- Go to Settings > About Phone > Tap on Build Number 7 times. This will enable Developer Options.
- So go to System > Developer Options and disable the toggle next to Mobile Data always active.
- Verify if it fixes the Pixel 6/Pro doesn’t automatically connect to the WiFi issue on Android 12.
FIX 10: Reset WiFi Settings
In case the WiFi settings or its stored data gets corrupted, then it could lead to a few issues in the successful wireless connection. In such cases, you could reset the WiFi settings and let them repopulate it from scratch. However, do note that this process will remove all the connected WiFi and paired Bluetooth devices. So if that’s well and good, then let’s get started with the steps:
- To begin with, head over to the Settings > System menu.
- Then go to Reset Options > Reset Wi-Fi, Mobile & Bluetooth.
- After that, tap on the Reset Settings button situated at the bottom right.
- Now, wait for the process to complete. Once done, re-enter the WiFi password for the desired one.
- Check if it fixes Pixel 6/Pro doesn’t automatically connect to the WiFi issue on Android 12.
FIX 11: Downgrade to November 2021 Update
If none of the aforementioned methods managed to spell out success, then this method will surely do. This is because the issue has only started after users had installed the December update, and unfortunately, even the January 2022 update didn’t manage to rectify it. So if this method comes with a high success rate, why have we mentioned it in the end?
Well, it’s because the process requires an unlocked bootloader. Doing so will wipe all the data from your device and could also nullify its warranty. So if that’s well and good, then please refer to our guide on How to Downgrade Pixel 6/Pro to November 2021 Update [2 Methods].
With this, we round off the guide on how you could fix the issue of Pixel 6/Pro doesn’t automatically connect to the WiFi issue on Android 12. We have listed ten different methods for the same. Do let us know in the comments which one worked out for you. On that note, we will update this guide as and when there is any further development regarding this. In the meantime, you could drop in your queries in the comments section below.
UPDATE 1: Network Issues after February Update on Pixel 6
Google has done it yet again! So recently it rolled out the February update, and with that, a few WiFi-related bugs as well. If you are have installed the said update and are facing network issues, then do check out our comprehensive coverage on No WiFi after February Update on Pixel 6: How to Fix. There are a few additional fixes mentioned in that guide, specific to the February update. So after executing the above fixes, make sure to give the fixes mentioned in that guide a try as well.
