What the cellular, Wi-Fi, and satellite symbols mean on your iPhone or iPad

The upper-left and sometimes upper-right corner of your iPhone or iPad display does a lot of work packing in meanings using symbolic shorthand. Apple has used since the iPhone’s introduction a few letters or a tiny graphic to let you know at a glance the performance, nature, and quality of your internet signal. .

But with so many generations of cellular technology in use and so many symbols involved, can you decipher them all? Here’s your guide to understanding the oldest to newest U.

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