WiFi Extra Giffgaff Not Working?

Is your WiFi Extra Giffgaff not working regardless of what you attempt?

Here’s the real solution to the problem!

The Giffgaff WiFi Extra Feature is a setting that will allow your mobile device to connect with nearby Giffgaff Wi-Fis that are stronger than your 3G and 4G.

It takes your connection quality to the next level with Giffgaff networks being available everywhere.

Let’s learn how to fix this!

To fix when WiFi Extra on Giffgaff is not working, re-enable the feature and restart the Wi-Fi setting. Next, update and then reinstall the Giffgaff app and make sure all fees towards Giffgaff are paid. Finally, reset the Network Settings of your mobile device!

Giffgaff WiFi Extra Not Working – Causes & Reasons!

Before we troubleshoot, it’s essential to understand what has impacted the Wi-Fi Extra Feature in your Giffgaff plan.

This can only be done, by reviewing what other Giffgaff users have gone through while identifying and troubleshooting this problem.

Here’s what most often causes Giffgaff Wi-Fi Extra issues:

The Wi-Fi Extra is Not Enabled
There is a problem with the Wi-Fi Feature on your mobile
The Giffgaff App is Outdated
The Network Settings of your device are incorrect

Take a couple of seconds to read those and once you’re ready, let’s jump into the guide!

How to Fix When WiFi Extra Giffgaff Not Working?

To organise your troubleshooting correctly, follow the chronological order of our guide and pay attention to everything.

It will help you identify the problem and come up with the most efficient way to settle this problem.

Let’s jump right in!

Solution #1 Enable Giffgaff WiFi Extra Again

First, you should make sure that the Giffgaff WiFi Extra Feature is enabled.

Even if it has been enabled, you should still check and verify that this option is activated on your plan.

However, Giffgaff WiFi Extra will be only available to those, who have it included in their mobile plan.

Thus, not subscribing to Giffgaff WiFi Extra will not show up the feature in the settings.

Here’s how to enable/re-toggle Wi-Fi Extra in the Giffgaff App:

Launch the Giffgaff App on your mobile device.
Navigate to Settings.
Select “WiFi Extra” from the available tabs.

Here are the two situations you could find yourself in:

Wi-Fi Extra Not Enabled – Press the Activation Slider once to activate it
Wi-Fi Extra is Enabled – Deactivate and then turn on the feature again

As soon as Giffgaff Wi-Fi Extra has been enabled again, test to check if the feature is not functional.

In case you’re still experiencing the same issue, continue reading!

Note: It may take 2-3 minutes in order for the Wi-Fi Extra to be enabled.

Solution #2 Restart the Wi-Fi Feature

Knowing that Giffgaff Wi-Fi Extra requires activated Wi-Fi, perhaps restarting the feature will solve the problem.

Each and every mobile device nowadays, that has smart software, would have a Wi-Fi feature that connects the device to networks.

To restart the Wi-Fi Feature on most mobile devices, follow these instructions:

Go into your Device Settings.
Navigate to “Wireless”.
Choose “Wi-Fi”.
Locate the Activation Slider of the Wi-Fi Feature.
Press the slider once to Turn it Off.
Wait for 30 Seconds while the Wi-Fi is off.
Turn the feature back to “ON”.
Test Giffgaff Wi-Fi Extra…

In order for the Wi-Fi of your mobile device to be ON again, the activation slider must be in green colour.

If it is grey, it means that the Wi-Fi is still off so be aware!

Solution #3 Update the Giffgaff App

If you’re running an old version of the Giffgaff application, chances are that the Extra Feature will not work for you.

What you should do next, is check for available update scripts for the Giffgaff update and apply them to the platform.

This is done through the device’s App Store.

How to Update the Giffgaff App:

On your mobile, go to the App Store platform.
Navigate to “Installed Applications”.
Press the “Manage” Button in order to configure installed apps.
Locate the Giffgaff Application and select it.
Press “Check for Updates” and wait for the checker to conclude.
Hit the “Update” Button.
Wait…

An update on the Giffgaff application could vary in length and take time, but on average, it shouldn’t be more than 2 minutes.

Once it is done, launch Giffgaff and test the Wi-Fi Extra.

Alert: Cancelling the update halfway may result in corrupted data with your Giffgaff app.

Solution #4 Re-Add “Wi-Fi Extra” In Saved Network

Re-adding the Wi-Fi Extras network in your mobile settings will solve this problem!

How Giffgaff’s Wi-Fi Extra works is to have a Standalone Network created in your device’s settings that always stays connected.

When not in range of Extra Wi-Fi by Giffgaff, the internet will be unavailable. Once it connects, the internet starts flowing through the Wi-Fi.

Let’s learn how to re-add the Extra Network from your device’s settings:

Navigate to “Settings” on your mobile.
Go to “WiFi”.
Head to “Networks” or “Remember Wi-Fi Networks” on some devices.
In the following tab, locate the “Giffgaff Wi-Fi Extra” network.
Select it by pressing the “Manage” or “Info” Button on iPhones.
Scroll down in the network settings.
Choose “Forget this Network”.
Once it is removed, re-enable the Wi-Fi Extra Feature for it to appear again.

Soon after re-enabling the Wi-Fi Extra Feature in the Giffgaff app, the network should appear again, in the same spot. The problem should now be gone so you can test.

Note: Before deleting it, try to “Reconnect” to the network first, to check if that’ll help.

Solution #5 Reinstall the Giffgaff App

If a problem with the Giffgaff Application has developed, we need a clean reinstallation!

Even when you updated the app in the previous solutions, an internal data fault with the platform could only be fixed by reinstalling the platform.

Such problems with apps could occur after prolonged usage and many updates being applied constantly.

Let’s learn how:

How to Reinstall the Giffgaff app:

On your device, go to Settings.
Navigate to “Storage”.
Press “Applications”.
Tap the search field and write “Giffgaff”.
Hit the magnifying lens to start searching.
Select the Giffgaff App.
Choose “Uninstall”.
Download the Giffgaff app from the app store again.
Launch the platform, sign in and test…

When the application has been cleanly installed on your device, sign in to your account and check whether the WiFi Extra will now work.

In case it doesn’t jump to the next solution!

Alert: Removing the Giffgaff app from your device will erase all settings made to the app!

Solution #6 Reset the Network Settings

A way to solve all network and cellular-related issues is to reset the Network Settings.

A Network Reset will erase all Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and Cellular Data and App Cache!

This is an end-solution that is only recommended at certain points, where you have no way out of the problem.

Since this solution’s effects are permanent, decide whether you want all of your connection data erased from the device.

To reset the Network Settings, keep reading:

On your device, go to Settings.
Navigate to “General”.
Scroll all the way to the bottom.
Tap “Reset”.
Select “Network Settings Reset”.
Confirm the reset by entering your device’s PIN.
Choose “Verify” or “Confirm” to proceed with the reset.
Wait…

A Network Reset may take somewhere between 3 to 5 minutes, based on your device’s performance.

We will mention once again, that changes made by this reset are irreversible and you could no longer bring the data lost by the reset back.

Note: The Wi-Fi Extra Connection will also be erased so you need to re-add it after the reset!

If you’re still experiencing issues with the Wi-Fi Extra Giffgaff, contact their support team!

Quick Recap:

Thus, to fix when Giffgaff WiFi Extra isn’t working, re-enable the feature and restart your WiFi. Next, update the Giffgaff App and re-add the “Wi-Fi” Extra option in the Save Networks list. Finally, reinstall the Giffgaff application and reset the Network Settings!

Wrapping Up:

We hope you’ve been able to fix the WiFi Extra Giffgaff not working problem with the feature.

In most cases, this issue is a really common occurrence and many users had an easy time fixing it.

In case you’re still experiencing problems, contact Giffgaff Support directly!

You should stop by our online technical blog to read more easy smart-home solutions!

Finn Wheatley

Finn Wheatley holds a Master’s Degree in Computer Science from UCL, London. He helped small data science consultancy firms, helping large corporations to grow their data capabilities, deploy advanced machine learning-based analytics and troubleshoot tech-related issues. Check out more about him here.

WiFi Extra Giffgaff Not Working? – Complete Fix Guide