How To Add APN in Android Phone and Tab

You might need to change the APN settings of your Android phone or tablet when you are setting up internet on your Android device or if you are switching to a new network.

What is an “APN”?


“APN” == Access Point Name. a setting on your mobile phone that allows you to connect to the Internet. For example, web.gprs.mtnngeria.net is APN for MTN Nigeria and etisalat is an APN name for Etisalat data modems and netbooks.

Each network has different pricing for different APNs; switching from one to another can change you from one type of data plan to another so fiddling with the APN isn’t advised for a novice.

If the APN settings on your device are not correct, you might get error messages like “Could not activate cellular data network” or “You are not subscribed to packet data“.

So, How Do I Set Up APN On My Android?

To get to the configuration screen go to:

Settings > Wireless & Networks > Mobile Networks > Access Point Names *menu button* > New APN

Key in the APN settings of your network ( mainly: Name, APN, Username, Password) and save

Tap the radio button to select it.

Restart your Android device and you should be able to connect with the new Access Point Settings.

Note – Make sure ‘Data enabled ~ Enable data access over Mobile network’ is checked to enable Internet access.

If you are a Nigerian, you can check out APN Of Etisalat, Glo, MTN , Airtel here. if you are a Non-Nigerian, you can google for the APN settings of your network.

Below is a video that explains how to add APN in Android. You can follow the steps in adding the Access Point settings of your own network to your Android.

Cheers!