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I have several WiFi networks setup on my android device. I want most of them to automatically connect, but one specifically I don't want to automatically connect to. I want to manually connect to it only.

I don't want to forget it because I don't want to lose the settings for it.

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Android automatically connects to all WiFi networks it has configured. So basically, if you do not want that to happen, you could either turn WiFi off (which would also disable to connect to the other WiFi networks, which is not what you want) -- or delete the configuration for the network you don't want to connect to automatically (which would make you lose its settings, on the first glance).

The first option is not in your interest -- but the second can be helpful, even if you don't see this immediately. You could use an app like WiFi QR Share first to convert that networks settings into a QR code, then print out this generated QR code. Store it in a safe place (e.g. laminate it, cut it down to credit-card size, and put it in your briefcase). Now delete this WiFi networks configuration -- it will no longer auto-connect.

If you want to connect it manually, that does not mean to enter all the configuration again: Simply open your QR Code reader (Barcode Scanner should do fine), scan the QR, and connect. Don't forget to delete the configuration again afterwards.

Unfortunately, there's no way to mark a network "manual only", so this seems the easiest way to me.

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  • @Izzzy taht link is 404 now. Do you have an aleternative? I have a single network to which I never want to connect - not auto, not manual. Mar 29, 2022 at 6:43
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    If I'd be forced to keep all my 10-year-old answers up-to-date, I must stop answering :D But luckily, meanwhile there's my Android website which didn't yet exist back then. There might be some alternatives [on this page](WLAN Automatiken), I'd start with the "WiFi Priority" section. (note: that link hopefully won't go 404 anytime soon :))
    – Izzy
    Mar 29, 2022 at 7:34
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    Thanks, Izzy, That made me laugh. And helped me Mar 29, 2022 at 9:39
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    Great – both goals achieved :D
    – Izzy
    Mar 29, 2022 at 21:09
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If you are a programmer, check out this site: WifiManager Documentation - disableNetwork.

The disabled network is saved in your phone, but you have to manually choose it from your WiFi list to connect to it.

If you have already rooted your phone, find wpa_supplicant.conf in the folder /data/misc/wifi, find the network with the WiFi name, and add this code disabled=1 in this particular network. I think this will solve your problem.

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    This won't work on Android.
    – QkiZ
    Feb 27, 2017 at 17:36
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You can use the Locale app to disable your wifi whenever that SSID is in range. You will need the wifi plugin for this to work. Reenabling the wifi can be triggered by different events. I chose to use the Movement condition to determine when I am leaving. You could also use location or time events to turn on the wifi.

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This seems to be built into Android 9.0+. Some manufacturers added it earlier.

On my Sony, the setting is in: System Settings -> Network and Internet -> WiFi -> WiFi Preferences (at the bottom of the list of possible access points) -> Advanced -> Auto-Connect.

In there is a list of all your saved access points and a check box to mark whether each can auto connect.

Other manufacturers put the auto connect setting directly in the access point preferences (the same place you set password and IP settings).

Here's some screenshots from my Sony WiFi Preferences

Advanced

Auto-Connect

Turn off auto connect for any of your saved access points

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  • Lucky you - I also have Android 9 (OnePlus 5) but do not have that exact setting. At least it's good to know it's the fault of OnePlus in my case. This feature has been for a while even in fruit company's phones but surprisingly it's still not a standard in Android. Shame.
    – dbdq
    May 25, 2020 at 7:53
  • The fragmentation on Android is really frustrating.
    – bobpaul
    May 28, 2020 at 22:45
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If you have root access you can try to create a widget with Tasker that will manipulate the text file where the wifi passwords are stored. Then all you have to do is tap that widget (or run the task in tasker manually) and toggle to be (dis)connected to that network.

The approach: find out where your wifi password are saved on your device using a Root browser. Most of the times it's in /data/misc/wifi/wpa_supplicant.conf. Make two copies of this file and name it with_network.txt and without_network.txt. In the without_network.txt remove the SSID corresponding to your preferred network.

Now you can make a task in Tasker or any other automatisation app to rename the with_network.txt to wpa_supplicant.conf and when clicked/run again to reverse it back to with_network.txt and rename without_network.txt to wpa_supplicant.conf on command.

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This is not solution but workaround. Every network has a priority parameter. If I don't want to connect to this network I setup lowest possible priority for that network. Greater value is greater priority. This will be work when network that you wan't to connect automatically coexist in same place with other network that has greater priority.

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Inside every saved Network there is option to connect automatically. Disable the option. Tested in commute networks I do not want to use wifi as it is slow

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As of Android 10, this feature is not supported natively (on a Pixel 3). I filed the following issue

https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/160453528

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This app "WiFi connection manager" can do it if you use it to manage your WiFi connections, you just tap the connection and then choose "Disable this connection", I'm positive other similar apps must be able to do it as well:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.roamingsoft.manager

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