No need for iOS 8 hate. Here are fixes for Wi-Fi and battery drain bugs

Update: Apple issued the iOS 8.0.1 patch today, one week after the iOS 8 launch, however, the release notes for the update don't address the Wi-Fi and battery drain problems being reported.

Further compounding the problem, iOS 8.0.1 introduced new glitches for Touch ID and cellular reception. It has since been pulled, so in addition to our troubleshooting advice below, don't update from iOS 8 just yet.

Original story...

Like clockwork, iOS 8 bugs are making Apple's flat-looking operating system feel a little more uneven partially due to Wi-Fi connection glitches and battery drain problems.

That means nearly half of the active iPhones and iPads already running the software are open to the same problems we've seen during every recent launch.

All of those new PGEgaHJlZj0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy5ob3N0aW5na2l0YS5jb20NIiB0YXJnZXQ9Il9ibGFuayIgcmVsPSJub2ZvbGxvdyI+aVBob25lIDwvYT42IGFuZCA8YSBocmVmPSJodHRwOi8vd3d3Lmhvc3RpbmdraXRhLmNvbQ0iIHRhcmdldD0iX2JsYW5rIiByZWw9Im5vZm9sbG93Ij5pUGhvbmUgPC9hPg==6 Plus owners can't easily roll back to iOS 7 since it comes pre-installed, and frankly, we liked all of the changes in our iOS 8 review.

Luckily, if you're looking for a quick Wi-Fi and battery drain fix, you won't have to wait until the inevitable iOS 8.0.1. There are solutions to hold you over until the next update.

Can't connect to Wi-Fi? Try resetting Network Settings on your iPhone or iPad

Wi-Fi problems

A small, but vocal group of users have experienced slow Wi-Fi or have been unable to connect to their router. They shouldn't have to resort to using their data plans.

We found that diving into Settings > Reset > Reset Network Settings solved the iOS 8 Wi-Fi problems. Don't worry, this reset only wipes your Wi-Fi logins.

Others have found that heading into Privacy > Location Services > System Settings (all the way down at the bottom > and turning off Wi-Fi Networking did the trick.

This suggestion doesn't actually turn off Wi-Fi. It simply voids using nearby Wi-Fi networks to assist GPS in determining your location more quickly and accurately.

It's a useful feature, but one you can live without until a proper fix for slow Wi-Fi launches in the next update.

iOS 8 battery drain is nothing new. But there are new ways to combat

Battery drain

Even with the massive iPhone 6 Plus and its solid 24 hours of talk time, battery drain remains an issue. There are new solutions, though.

Apple actually helps resolve many of our battery problems in iOS 8 with a convenient battery usage breakdown. It's a bit buried, but worth looking at every now and again.

To find out which apps are draining your battery life, visit Settings > General > Usage > Battery Usage and be sure to close or uninstall energy-sucking apps you don't need or use.

The second suggestion is to back out of there as far as the General settings menu. Head into Background App Refresh and turn off any apps that don't demand your immediate attention (Dropbox, Podcasts and Weather are three prime examples)

Beyond that, you can use the usual anti-battery draining techniques in your toolbelt.: dim the brightness, turn off email push notifications, limit app notifications and disable Bluetooth and Wi-Fi when it's not in use. It's easier than ever to toggle Wi-Fi and Bluetooth with the swipe-up-from-the-bottom Control Center overlay introduced in iOS 7.

Looking to the future

When all else fails, hold on tight for another month. iOS 8.0.1 should be here in October if Apple's pattern holds true.

After all, Apple still needs to launch Mac OS X Yosemite in October and relaunch its Health app. It may have new MacBooks and an iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 on October 21 to boot.

In the meantime, if you have your own crafty way of fixing iOS 8 problems or need help, feel free to troubleshoot in the comments.

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