# How to delete unused network connections on mobile



## dougglos (Nov 30, 2007)

I have several network items on my mobile which I have connected to if I am, say, in a hotel but do not have a need for these once I am home. I have tried to delete some of these as I will never need them again, but cannot find a way to do this. It has been suggested that by going to Settings/Network Connections/Wi-Fi and tapping those I wish to delete for good I should be able to see a "Forget" message. But when I tap one I want to delete, I am asked to enter a password, which is of no use to me. Obviously if I am using a particular network item that I will never use again I do not bother to remember its password. Is there a way I can get around this and delete these "never to be used again" items?


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## plodr (Jun 27, 2014)

What sort of mobile do you have? android, iPhone or Windows phone so this post can be moved to where it belongs.


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## dougglos (Nov 30, 2007)

Sorry - should have said! It is an Android unit - Samsung Galaxy S5.


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## plodr (Jun 27, 2014)

You're almost there. Instead of tapping, *long press* the wifi connection you want to remove and you should get the chance to Forget it.

I find that long press in android is similar to a right click on a mouse. It gives menu items.


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## dougglos (Nov 30, 2007)

No joy there, I'm afraid - when I long press a connection I want to remove, I simply get the option "Connect to network", which then asks for a password, and, as mentioned in post#1, I have not kept. (I don't know if this is relevant, but those connections I no longer need are all annotated "Secured (WPS available)". Unfortunately that means nothing to me!)


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## plodr (Jun 27, 2014)

Sorry all I can find is this
*How to forget a saved Wi-Fi network on Samsung Galaxy S5:*

Turn on the Galaxy S5.
Swipe down on the screen to open up the notification panel and select Settings.
Browse to the Network connections section and then tap Wi-Fi.
If Wi-Fi is off, select the ON/OFF switch to turn it on.
Select the required Wi-Fi network profile you want to forget and select Forget button.
The selected Wi-Fi network profile has been forgotten.
which you says does not work.

My phone only has my home network so I can't test this.

Are you sure that the current wifi networks showing are not in range? That is, it might be one of your neighbor 's? The fact that it asks for a password leads me to think it might be one you can't forget at your present location.


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## dougglos (Nov 30, 2007)

OK except for your (4) - should I be able to see an ON/OFF switch, as it's not apparent on my mobile?


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## lunarlander (Sep 22, 2007)

Did you root your phone?


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## dougglos (Nov 30, 2007)

I don't even know what that means, so I guess the answer must be no !! (Not a lot of computer experience)


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## lunarlander (Sep 22, 2007)

Yes, if you don't know what rooting a cellphone means, then you didn't do it.

Here's a slightly different help I found: 
*Delete / forget network*

From any Home screen, tap Apps.
Tap Settings.
Under 'QUICK SETTINGS,' tap Wi-Fi.
If necessary, tap the Wi-Fi Switch to *ON*. The Wi-Fi Switch moves right and turns green.
Touch and hold *on* the Wi-Fi *network* you wish to delete.
Tap *Forget network*.


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## dougglos (Nov 30, 2007)

lunarlander :- have followed the steps you show in #10, and the switch *is* showing green, but still the same result when I touch and hold any of the networks that I want to delete, that is it asks me for a password, which I obviously do not have.

And plodr :- I can guarantee 100% that the networks I want to remove are definitely those that I used when I was away from home and wanted to surf the internet,

But to be honest, the half dozen or so that I was wanting to delete are not doing any harm if I am unable to remove them, so perhaps I should just ignore them now. It was just that I wanted to know if they could be deleted, as I would never use them again !


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## lunarlander (Sep 22, 2007)

A problem is that those networks will automatically connect once you are within range, whether you want to or not. And hotspots could be dangerous, as you are sharing a network with unknown people, which could be hackers just sitting there and waiting for a prey.


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## dougglos (Nov 30, 2007)

Well, as far as I'm concerned, I reckon that none of these unwanted networks is within 200 miles, so I wouldn't imagine that constitutes "being within range". Or am I wrong?


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## Couriant (Mar 26, 2002)

The fact that Forget Network doesn't work is a concern. Perhaps resetting the network settings will help:

https://www.samsung.com/ca/support/mobile-devices/android-8-oreo-reset-network-settings-galaxy/


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## dougglos (Nov 30, 2007)

Followed the link that you suggested above, and got as far as Settings, but then General Management is not an option to which I can move on - that is to say it does not appear anywhere on the list of Settings!


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## dougglos (Nov 30, 2007)

Don't know if this has bearing on my problem, but I notice that every single one of the networks that I want to delete shows a "lock" symbol on it - perhaps if there is a way to unlock them they could then be removed ?


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## Couriant (Mar 26, 2002)

the lock indicates that it's a secured network / requires a password.

When you were asked if you rooted your phone, the other name for it is jailbreak. Basically it allows you to unlock your phone and do other things with it. If you don't have a factory reset option, then there is something going on with this phone.

Did you get this phone from your cell phone provider or from someone sell it to you?


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## AmyToo (Sep 22, 2017)

A simple long-press and Forget on the network will work. I do it all the time.


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## dougglos (Nov 30, 2007)

Couriant said:


> the lock indicates that it's a secured network / requires a password.
> 
> When you were asked if you rooted your phone, the other name for it is jailbreak. Basically it allows you to unlock your phone and do other things with it. If you don't have a factory reset option, then there is something going on with this phone.
> 
> Did you get this phone from your cell phone provider or from someone sell it to you?


I purchased the mobile about four years ago from one of the branches of a large mobile phone supplier in London.


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## Couriant (Mar 26, 2002)

I'm guessing it's either corrupt or you have an old version of the OS on there... perhaps take it back to the supplier/your phone service provider to see if they can assist


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## dougglos (Nov 30, 2007)

Not worth my trouble - (forty-plus miles into London to return to the suppliers) so will just leave them on there - most of them have been on my mobile for two or three years now, for as I said I only got them when I went away to a hotel, etc., which had free Wi-Fi and I had to use the password they wanted for me to have that. Will now just forget it, but thanks for your suggestions anyway.


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## Couriant (Mar 26, 2002)

:up: no worries.


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