Your Google Pixel 10a won't connect to Wi-Fi, and you're stuck watching that spinning wheel. This is a really common issue on Android 16, and the Pixel 10a is no exception. The good news is most of these problems are quick to fix on your own.
Force Restart and Toggle Wi-Fi
Start with the two-second fix. Pull down your notification shade, tap the Wi-Fi icon to turn it off, wait five seconds, then tap it back on. This forces the phone to scan again, and it solves the problem more often than you'd think.
If that didn't work, force restart the Pixel 10a. Press and hold the Power button for 30 seconds, or press and hold Power + Volume Down for 10 15 seconds until the device restarts. This clears out temporary software glitches that love to mess with your wireless connections.
Turn Airplane Mode On and Off
Flipping airplane mode on kills all your wireless radios (Wi‑Fi, Bluetooth, cellular), and turning it off forces everything to reconnect from scratch. Leave it on for about 15 seconds before switching it off again. It's a classic for a reason.
Forget the Network and Reconnect
Sometimes your phone holds onto old or corrupted network credentials. Go to Settings > Network & Internet > Internet, tap the gear icon next to your Wi‑Fi network, and hit "Forget." Now reconnect by selecting the network again and typing in the password. This is especially useful if you recently changed your Wi‑Fi password or got a new router.
Double Check Your Password and Network
It sounds obvious, but make sure you're connecting to the right network. If a neighbor has a similar network name, your phone might be trying to join theirs. Also check that caps lock isn't on when you type the password Wi‑Fi passwords are case-sensitive.
Turn Off Bluetooth Temporarily
Bluetooth and Wi‑Fi both use the 2.4 GHz frequency band, and on some devices they can interfere with each other. Try turning off Bluetooth from your quick settings and see if Wi‑Fi connects. If it does, you've found the culprit.
Disable "Switch to Mobile Data"
Android 16 has a feature that automatically switches you to mobile data when Wi‑Fi signal is weak. While that sounds helpful, it can actually prevent your phone from connecting to Wi‑Fi at all. Go to Settings > Network & Internet > Wi‑Fi (or Internet) > Wi‑Fi preferences and turn off "Switch to mobile data."
Check Power Saving Mode
Power saving mode is great for battery life, but it can throttle or even disable Wi‑Fi in the background. If you've got Battery Saver turned on, head to Settings > Battery > Battery Saver and switch it off. Your Wi‑Fi connection should come back almost immediately.
Update Your Android 16 Software
Running an older version of Android can cause all sorts of weird connectivity bugs. Go to Settings > System > System update and install anything that's available. Google regularly pushes patches for the Pixel 10a that specifically address Wi‑Fi stability issues.
Fix Your Date and Time Settings
This one catches people off guard. If your phone's date and time are wrong, Wi‑Fi authentication can fail because security certificates won't validate properly. Go to Settings > System > Date & time and make sure "Use network-provided time" is turned on.
Reset Network Settings
If you've tried everything above and Wi‑Fi still won't cooperate, it's time to reset your network settings. Go to Settings > System > Reset options > Reset Wi‑Fi, mobile & Bluetooth. This wipes all saved Wi‑Fi networks, Bluetooth pairings, and mobile data settings, so you'll need to reconnect to everything afterward.
Restart Your Router
The problem might not be your phone at all. Unplug your router from power, wait a full 60 seconds, then plug it back in. If other devices in your house are also having Wi‑Fi issues, the router was almost certainly the problem. While you're at it, check whether your router's firmware needs an update older firmware can have compatibility issues with Android 16.
Boot Into Safe Mode
Third-party apps (especially VPNs, ad blockers, and battery managers) can interfere with Wi‑Fi. To test this, press and hold the power button, then tap and hold "Power off" until the safe‑mode prompt appears. If Wi‑Fi works fine in safe mode, one of your apps is the troublemaker. Restart normally and uninstall any suspicious apps.
Factory Reset (Last Resort)
If absolutely nothing has worked, a factory reset will bring your Pixel 10a back to its default state. Back up everything first (photos, contacts, app data) because this erases it all. Go to Settings > System > Reset options > Erase all data (factory reset). Only go this route if you've exhausted every other option. In most cases, one of the simpler fixes above will solve the problem. If Wi‑Fi still doesn't work after a factory reset, the hardware may need a repair but that's rare for the Pixel 10a.