How to Switch to 3G on Samsung, Google Pixel, & Other Androids

PDF download Download Article
Learn how to specify what network you'd like to use on your Android
PDF download Download Article

Some users may want to switch from a 4G/LTE connection to a 3G connection on their devices to save battery, even if the cellular network is a little slower. You can do this by switching your preferred network in your phone settings, but each Android phone will be slightly different. In this article, we explain how to switch from 4G to 3G on Samsung and Google Pixel, as well as some generic steps for other Android phones. Keep reading to learn more.

Quick Steps

  1. Open your Settings app.
  2. Go to Connections , Network & internet , or something similar.
  3. Tap on Mobile networks (Samsung) or SIMs (Google Pixel).
  4. Tap on Network mode , Preferred network type , or something similar.
  5. Choose 3G .
Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Samsung

PDF download Download Article
  1. 1
    Open your phone's Settings. Tap the Settings app if it is on your home screen. If not, tap on Applications , and tap on the Settings app icon from your app drawer.
    • Alternatively, you can swipe down from the top-right corner of your screen to open the quick panel. From here, you can tap on the cogwheel icon to be taken to your phone's Settings app.
  2. 2
    Tap Connections . It's near the top of the Settings app menu.
    Advertisement
  3. 3
    Tap Mobile networks . It's near the bottom of the Connections menu.
  4. 4
    Tap Network mode . If you don't have a Network mode option, you can't choose the exact network your phone connects to. You can, however, toggle off Allow 5G service to prevent your phone from using 5G. It will be forced to use 4G or 3G instead.
  5. 5
    Choose 3G . Some Samsung Galaxy models won't let you specifically choose 3G , but will require you to choose an option that includes a range of network types. If this is the case, you cannot force your phone to only use 3G, but you can encourage it to use 3G more by choosing a network mode that includes the least amount of network types possible. [1]
    6. Advertisement
Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Google Pixel

PDF download Download Article
  1. 1
    Open your Android's Settings. Tap the Settings app if it is on your home screen. If not, tap on Applications , and tap on the Settings app icon from your app drawer.
    • Alternatively, you can swipe down from the top-right corner of your screen to open the quick panel. From here, you can open the Settings app.
  2. 2
    Tap Network & internet . It's near the top of your Settings menu.
  3. 3
    Tap SIMs . It's also near the top of the Network & internet menu, and has an icon of a SIM card.
  4. 4
    Tap Preferred network type . You will have to scroll to find this option. Your currently selected preferred network type will be shown as well, in a smaller font.
  5. 5
    Choose 3G . Your phone will now only connect to 3G networks. [2]
    6. Advertisement
Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Other Android Models

PDF download Download Article
  1. 1
    Open your Android's Settings. Tap the Settings app if it is on your home screen. If not, tap on Applications , and tap on the Settings app icon from your app drawer.
    • You may also be able to swipe down or up on your device to open the quick panel, which has an icon to go to Settings.
  2. 2
    Go to Mobile Networks . Under Wireless and Networks , tap on Mobile Networks . Depending on your phone type, the wording of the menu options may be slightly different depending on the model.
  3. 3
    Tap on Preferred network type . Here you’ll get options for the type of connections your device will always use. The wording of the menu option may vary depending on what phone you have.
  4. 4
    Switch to 3G. From the options, choose 3G . It may also be called CDMA on some Android models.
    • Some Android phone may not let you specifically pick 3G, and you may have to pick an option that combines multiple network types.
    5. Advertisement

Community Q&A

Search
Add New Question
  • Question
    How do I find out if my Android accepts 2G, 3G, 4G,?
    Community Answer
    Check with your phone company or service provider to see if your device can accept 2G, 3G, or 4G.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 6 Helpful 20
  • Question
    Can I convert a 3G Android to 4G?
    Community Answer
    You only can do this if your phone accepts 2G, 3G and 4G at the same time.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 15 Helpful 22
  • Question
    What if my phone doesn't have network mode?
    Community Answer
    It must work only on 2G, then.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 12 Helpful 16
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Video

      Tips

      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

      You Might Also Like

      How to
      Add Widgets on Android
      3 Ways to Unlock an Android Tablet
      How to
      Add an App Back to Home Screen: Tips for Finding Apps
      4 Simple Ways to Turn Off Safe Mode on Any Android
      How to
      Block All Incoming Calls on an Android Phone
      Install Custom ROMs on Any Android Phone with Our Step-by-Step Guide
      A Guide to Copying and Pasting with the Android Clipboard
      How to
      Connect Android Phone to Computer
      How to
      Find Your Phone Number on Android
      How to
      Change Number of Rings on Android
      How to
      Copy an Entire Text Conversation on Android
      How to
      Hide Apps on Android
      How to
      Check What Android Version You Have
      How to
      Find the 9 Best Manga Extensions for Tachiyomi
      Advertisement

      References

      1. ↑ https://www.samsung.com/au/support/mobile-devices/change-network-mode/
      2. ↑ https://support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/2926415?hl=en#zippy=%2Cavailable-mobile-network-settings

      About This Article

      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 123,471 times.

      Is this article up to date?

      Advertisement