How to Check Signal Strength on a Motorola Phone (and Fix No Signal)

If your Motorola phone shows no signal, first restart it — that often fixes the problem. Then use these steps to check airplane mode and mobile data, and see the exact signal strength in dBm to tell whether the problem is the network or the phone.

Quick steps: Settings → About phone → Device details → SIM card status → Signal strength.

Check the signal icon

  1. Motorola Home screen with the signal icon at the top right
    Step 1

    Look at the signal bars

    On the Home screen, the signal strength is shown at the top right, next to the battery icon. The fuller the triangle, the stronger the signal.

Check airplane mode and mobile data

  1. Motorola Home screen with swipe-up indicator
    Step 1

    Open the app drawer

    Swipe up on the Home screen to open all apps.

  2. App drawer with Settings highlighted
    Step 2

    Open Settings

    Tap Settings.

  3. Settings list with Network & internet highlighted
    Step 3

    Tap Network & internet

    Tap Network & internet.

  4. Network & internet screen with the Airplane mode switch highlighted
    Step 4

    Turn off Airplane mode

    If Airplane mode is on, turn it off.

  5. Network & internet screen with the Mobile data switch highlighted
    Step 5

    Turn on Mobile data

    If Mobile data is off, turn it on, then go back to Settings.

See the exact signal strength

  1. Settings list with About phone highlighted
    Step 1

    Tap About phone

    In Settings, scroll down and tap About phone.

  2. About phone screen with Device details highlighted
    Step 2

    Tap Device details

    Scroll down and tap Device details.

  3. Device details screen with SIM card status highlighted
    Step 3

    Tap SIM card status

    Tap SIM card status. On dual-SIM phones, choose the SIM you want to check.

  4. SIM card status screen showing Signal strength and network details
    Step 4

    Read the signal strength

    Under Signal strength you’ll see the value in dBm and asu. A dBm value closer to zero (e.g. −80 dBm) and a higher asu value mean a stronger signal.

Still no signal?

  1. Restart the phone and remove and re-insert the SIM card.
  2. Check your APN settings — see our guide to configuring mobile internet (APN) for Jio, Airtel, Vi and BSNL.
  3. Reset network settings (Settings > System > Reset options).
  4. Check for a software update (Settings > System > System updates).
  5. Try your SIM in another phone. If it works there, the phone’s antenna or motherboard may need repair.

Frequently asked questions

What is a good signal strength in dBm?

For 4G/5G, roughly −80 dBm or better is excellent, −80 to −100 dBm is good to fair, and below −110 dBm is poor and may cause dropped calls or slow data.

Why does my Motorola phone say “No service”?

Common causes are airplane mode, a loose or damaged SIM, weak network coverage, wrong network settings or an expired plan. Try the steps above; if the SIM works in another phone, the fault is likely in your phone.

How much does it cost to fix a Motorola phone with no network?

If the antenna or network chip on the motherboard has failed, it usually means a motherboard replacement. See the Motorola motherboard price list on this site for official prices.

Still having problems? It may be a hardware fault. Check the Motorola spare part prices for your model, or compare battery and display replacement costs.

Related Motorola guides

See all 24 Motorola guides →

Steps and screenshots based on Motorola's official Check signal strength tutorial. Steps can vary slightly by model and Android version.