How to forget a network not in the range?

[Julius Caesar]

I have iPad Pro with iOS 10. How to forget wifi networks I have connected to in the past but aren't currently in the range of?

I've never found a way to do this. This is just one of many annoying and stupid things iOS does or doesn't do. IMO, when you press the Information icon next to a network listed under WiFi, Apple should have a Hide Network option, but they don't. If you live in an apartment, you might have a whole bunch of networks which you cannot join, so there should be a way to hide those. But no, the ghost of Jobs apparently doesn't want us to have that option.

BTW, forgetting a network in iOS 10 does NOT actually forget nor hide it. It only closes the connection to that network, but that network remains in the list. Stupid, stupid, Apple. I wish they would clean house with their iOS development team, hire Ghost Busters to vacuum and contain Steve Jobs, then write an iOS that is much better than what we currently have.

ETA: I just reread your question and I missed an important detail. Are you saying that you have one or more networks listed under Choose a Network that you once joined but are not currently within range? That seems odd. On my iPhone 7 and iPad Pro 9.7 both of which are running iOS 10.3.2, I only see networks that are in range. Are you sure those networks are out of range?

[cedhax]

See How to forget a Wi-Fi network on your iPhone or iPad

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by jswinden

I've never found a way to do this. This is just one of many annoying and stupid things iOS does or doesn't do. IMO, when you press the Information icon next to a network listed under WiFi, Apple should have a Hide Network option, but they don't. If you live in an apartment, you might have a whole bunch of networks which you cannot join, so there should be a way to hide those. But no, the ghost of Jobs apparently doesn't want us to have that option.

BTW, forgetting a network in iOS 10 does NOT actually forget nor hide it. It only closes the connection to that network, but that network remains in the list. Stupid, stupid, Apple. I wish they would clean house with their iOS development team, hire Ghost Busters to vacuum and contain Steve Jobs, then write an iOS that is much better than what we currently have.

ETA: I just reread your question and I missed an important detail. Are you saying that you have one or more networks listed under Choose a Network that you once joined but are not currently within range? That seems odd. On my iPhone 7 and iPad Pro 9.7 both of which are running iOS 10.3.2, I only see networks that are in range. Are you sure those networks are out of range?

Yes, I sometimes see it as well. They will frequently disappear given time as the network list gets regenerated.

[Julius Caesar]

Originally Posted by jswinden

I just reread your question and I missed an important detail. Are you saying that you have one or more networks listed under Choose a Network that you once joined but are not currently within range? That seems odd.

No, I've never seen a network in the list that is currently out of range. What I am trying to say is I want to see all networks that I have joined in the past and delete those that I just don't trust anymore. After looking around, there doesn't seem a way to do this with iOS 10. But someone has suggested a nuclear option. Reset all network setting. Go to setting > general > reset > reset network setting. I am going have to re-enter all network passwords all over again, including the one I trust but that's OK as there are very few that I trust.

[David Munch]

If you are using a Mac, and have your iCloud account set up on it, you can go to "System Preferences -> Network -> Wi-fi -> Advanced -> Wi-fi" and selectively delete those you don't want. As known Wi-fis are synced over your iCloud account, what you have here is reflected on any iOS units.

Of course, you can also borrow a Mac, set up a new user, sync your iCloud account, delete the Wi-fis you don't want as described above, and then delete the user on the Mac. But of course, thats a bit of a hazzle..

Originally Posted by jswinden

BTW, forgetting a network in iOS 10 does NOT actually forget nor hide it. It only closes the connection to that network, but that network remains in the list. Stupid, stupid, Apple.

It also forgets all setup you've done with that network.

Personally I don't really see the issue with a huge list. Chances are you need to connect to your network once only, as it will always reconnect automatically in the future.
If you could remove Wi-fis from the original list, it would require a secondary list with the removed networks, in case you (or someone else) removed one by error or you suddenly DO want to connect to another of these Wi-fis, and you to go through all these Wi-fis one by one and hide them, which would be a huge waste of time in comparison to the one time connection described above.

Originally Posted by David Munch

If you are using a Mac, and have your iCloud account set up on it, you can go to "System Preferences -> Network -> Wi-fi -> Wi-fi" and selectively delete those you don't want. As known Wi-fis are synced over your iCloud account, what you have here is reflected on any iOS units.

Of course, you can also borrow a Mac, set up a new user, sync your iCloud account, delete the Wi-fis you don't want as described above, and then delete the user on the Mac. But of course, thats a bit of a hazzle..


It also forgets all setup you've done with that network.

Personally I don't really see the issue with a huge list. Chances are you need to connect to your network once only, as it will always reconnect automatically in the future.
If you could remove Wi-fis from the original list, it would require a secondary list with the removed networks, in case you (or someone else) removed one by error or you suddenly DO want to connect to another of these Wi-fis, and you to go through all these Wi-fis one by one and hide them, which would be a huge waste of time in comparison to the one time connection described above.

I live in the suburbs now so I only have a few of the neighbors's networks show up on my list. When I lived in a large apartment complex I would have dozens of networks popping in and out of the list, which was annoying at times. Normally I never switched networks, but occasionally when I would go to a friend's house or family's house I would, then fishing through all those networks was a PITA. I can see where it would be a major PITA for those who work in a a large business park with lots of networks, or who walk around in a large city with lots of networks. Personally I think the list should never have any network except trusted ones in the list. Available networks should never display until you ask for them. But Apple does whatever Apple wants to do...

ETA: You need to add a step for the Mac solution you gave, it is System Preferences --> Network --> Wi-fi --> Advanced --> delete unwanted networks from list.