Google Fi is unusual. It bounces between T-Mobile, US Cellular, and Wi-Fi calling depending on which signal is strongest, and the handoff is supposed to be invisible. For most users on Pixel phones or other Designed-for-Fi devices, it is. APN settings populate automatically and the network just works.
For users on non-Designed-for-Fi phones, including most iPhones and a handful of older Android devices, manual APN entry is sometimes required. Here is the verified configuration from Google Fi's own setup documentation.
What Makes Google Fi Different
- Google Fi is multi-network. It uses T-Mobile as the primary US network and US Cellular as a roaming partner, plus Wi-Fi calling and data when an open Wi-Fi network is available.
- The APN value is h2g2 on both Android and iPhone. Personal Hotspot on iPhone uses h2g2-t as a separate value, which is the only place the two diverge.
- Designed-for-Fi phones (most Pixels and select Samsung, Motorola, and OnePlus devices) get the configuration automatically through Google's carrier app. Manual APN entry is unnecessary on these phones.
- iPhones and non-Designed-for-Fi Android phones may need manual APN entry, especially for MMS. iOS 15 and later auto-detects in many cases but not all.
Opening the APN Screen
Before entering values manually, check whether your phone shows Google Fi or Fi Network as the carrier name in the status bar. If it does, the carrier profile is loaded and manual editing may not even be necessary. Try a quick test of data and MMS first; only enter values manually if either is failing.
Android
- 1.Open Settings
- 2.Tap Network & Internet or Connections
- 3.Tap Mobile Networks, then Google Fi SIM
- 4.Tap Access Point Names
- 5.Tap the three-dot menu and select New APN
- 6.Enter the values from the Google Fi Android list below
- 7.Tap Save, then select the new APN to activate it
- 8.Restart the phone
iPhone and iPad
- 1.Open Settings
- 2.Tap Cellular or Mobile Data
- 3.Tap Cellular Data Network
- 4.Enter the iPhone values from the list below
- 5.If the menu is missing, run Reset Network Settings and try again
Google Fi Android APN Values
For non-Designed-for-Fi Android phones that need manual entry, use these values:
- Name: Google Fi
- APN:
h2g2 - Proxy: <Not set>
- Port: <Not set>
- Username: <Not set>
- Password: <Not set>
- Server: <Not set>
- MMSC:
http://m.fi.goog/mms/wapenc - MMS proxy: <Not set>
- MMS port: <Not set>
- MCC: 310
- MNC: 260
- Authentication Type: None
- APN Type:
default,supl,mms,ia - APN Protocol: IPv4/IPv6
- APN Roaming Protocol: IPv4/IPv6
- Bearer: Unspecified
Google Fi iPhone APN Values
iPhones running iOS 15 or later auto-detect most of these, but if MMS or hotspot is failing, enter them manually:
- Cellular Data / Mobile Data (APN):
h2g2 - Username: <Not set>
- Password: <Not set>
- LTE Setup (APN):
h2g2 - MMS:
- APN:
h2g2 - MMSC:
http://m.fi.goog/mms/wapenc - MMS Proxy: <Not set>
- MMS Max Message Size: 23456789
- MMS UA Prof URL: <Not set>
- APN:
- Personal Hotspot:
- APN:
h2g2-t - Username: <Not set>
- Password: <Not set>
- APN:
The MMS Max Message Size of 23456789 (about 22 MB) is the value Google Fi documents for iPhone. This is higher than the standard 1 MB used by most carriers because Fi MMS messages route through Google's own infrastructure, which supports larger attachments.
Designed-for-Fi Phones and Compatibility
Google Fi has two compatibility tiers. Designed-for-Fi phones get the full feature set including seamless network switching between T-Mobile, US Cellular, and Wi-Fi. Non-Designed-for-Fi phones get T-Mobile-only service with no automatic switching, no Wi-Fi calling integration, and reduced support for some features.
Designed-for-Fi phones include most Pixel models (Pixel 4 and later), select Samsung Galaxy phones (S20 and later), and a handful of OnePlus and Motorola models. Apple does not make any iPhone that qualifies as Designed-for-Fi, so iPhones are always on the simpler T-Mobile-only flavor of Fi.
If your phone falls outside the Designed-for-Fi list, you can still use Google Fi, but you are using a single-network MVNO that happens to be on T-Mobile, not the full multi-network service. Manual APN entry is more often necessary on non-Designed-for-Fi devices.
Common Google Fi APN Issues
- After saving an Android APN, reboot. The new entry sometimes does not become active until the phone re-registers.
- For iPhone, the most common MMS issue is a wrong MMSC value. Google Fi uses
http://m.fi.goog/mms/wapenc; older guides sometimes showhttp://mmsc1.g-mms.com/mms/wapencwhich is a legacy address that still routes correctly. Either should work; m.fi.goog is Google's current official value. - For Personal Hotspot on iPhone, the APN field must be
h2g2-twith the dash and the t suffix. Without it, hotspot connects but fails to pass data. - If you are on a Designed-for-Fi phone and data still does not work, open the Google Fi app and tap Help, then Manual sync settings. This re-pulls the carrier profile.
- If MMS fails on iPhone and the MMSC and MMS Max Message Size both look correct, also confirm MMS Messaging is enabled at Settings > Messages > MMS Messaging.
- If your phone shows No Service after a SIM swap to Google Fi, install any pending iOS or Android update and run Reset Network Settings. Google Fi's profile requires a recent OS to install correctly.
- Switching between Designed-for-Fi and non-Designed-for-Fi modes requires Google Fi to update your account configuration. Contact Fi support if you moved your SIM from a Pixel to an iPhone and service is degraded.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does h2g2 stand for?
It is a reference to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, the Douglas Adams novel. Google's engineers picked the value as a nod to the book's title, which is abbreviated H2G2 by fans. The acronym has no technical meaning; it is just the APN value the network expects.
Why does iPhone use h2g2-t for Personal Hotspot?
The -t suffix signals to Google Fi's network that the connection is a tethered device rather than the main phone. This lets Fi apply different policies, including hotspot-specific data accounting and routing.
Why is the MMS Max Message Size 23456789 instead of 1048576?
Google Fi routes MMS through its own infrastructure, which supports larger attachments than the standard 1 MB carrier MMS limit. The 23456789 value (about 22 MB) is the documented maximum. Most other carriers cap at 1 MB.
I have a Pixel. Do I need to enter any APN values?
No. Pixels are Designed-for-Fi and receive the full carrier profile automatically. You should never need to type any APN values into a Pixel running Google Fi. If something is not working, the issue is unlikely to be APN-related.
Can I use Google Fi on an unlocked iPhone?
Yes, but only in single-network mode (T-Mobile only). iPhones do not support Fi's multi-network switching or Wi-Fi calling integration. Manual APN entry may be needed if iOS does not auto-detect Fi's settings.
Does Google Fi work the same in 5G areas?
Yes. The same h2g2 APN handles 4G LTE and 5G on T-Mobile's network. To get 5G specifically, enable 5G in network mode settings and confirm your phone supports T-Mobile's 5G bands.
My Google Fi data slows down a lot at certain times. Is the APN the cause?
Probably not. Google Fi has a soft data cap on some plans, after which speeds drop. The APN is unchanged; the network is throttling your line. Check your Fi account dashboard to confirm data usage against your plan limit.
