Disabling data saving of Google Fi

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 57 views

Introduction

Google Fi is a popular mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) that offers a seamless and convenient way to manage your phone's cellular service. However, some users have reported experiencing issues with losing cell service when using a secondary profile on their primary Google Fi account. In this article, we will delve into the details of this issue and explore the troubleshooting steps taken by a user who encountered this problem.

Background

The user in question has a setup with an owner profile that manages the eSIM using Orbot, and a secondary profile that is used for daily activities with Proton-VPN enabled and the capability to receive calls and SMS turned on. The secondary profile has been working fine until the 2025030900 update, after which it started experiencing issues with losing cell service.

Troubleshooting Steps

The user took several troubleshooting steps to resolve the issue, including:

Restarting the phone: This fixes the issue if the problem persists in the owner profile, but when switching to the secondary profile, it will eventually lose service again.
Uninstalling and reinstalling Google Fi, then activating eSIM: This works fine with the owner profile, but eventually, the secondary profile loses service.
Removing eSIM and re-activating: At one point, it seemed Google Fi attempted to install a second eSIM as well, so the user deleted the first.
Disabling VPNs on both profiles, allowing data without VPN: The same behavior as above was observed.
Disabling data saving of Google Fi: The user had a thought that maybe Google Fi was being prevented from accessing the network when backgrounded, so they turned on the unrestricted mobile data setting.
Preventing battery optimization of Google Fi: The user had another idea that the battery optimization was killing the service when put into the background, so they turned that setting off for Fi.
Activating airplane mode in owner profile, turning it off: Service returns.
Activating airplane mode in secondary profile, turning it off: If the network says "Google Fi" with airplane mode turned on, the service is able to recover. If the network says "No service" it is unable to recover.

System Logs

The user has attached system logs for the following actions:

Restart phone, confirm service in owner profile: The system log confirms that the service is working fine in the owner profile.
Switch to secondary, confirm service: The system log confirms that the service is working fine in the secondary profile.
Turn on airplane mode, confirm network remains Google Fi: The system log confirms that the network remains Google Fi even with airplane mode turned on.
Turn off airplane mode, confirm return of service: The system log confirms that the service returns after turning off airplane mode.
Turn on airplane mode, see "No Service": The system log confirms that the network says "No service" when airplane mode is turned on.
Turn off airplane mode, confirm no return of service: The system log confirms that the service does not return after turning off airplane mode.
Switch to Owner, confirm service: The system log confirms that the service is working fine in the owner profile.

Google Fi Logs

The user has also attached Google Fi logs for the following actions:

Restart phone, confirm service in owner profile: The Google Fi log confirms that the service is working fine in the owner profile.
Switch to secondary, confirm service: The Google Fi log confirms that the service is working fine in the secondary profile.
Turn on airplane mode, confirm network remains Google Fi: The Google Fi log confirms that the network remains Google Fi even with airplane mode turned on.
Turn off airplane mode, confirm return of service: The Google Fi log confirms that the service returns after turning off airplane mode.
Turn on airplane mode, see "No Service": The Google Fi log confirms that the network says "No service" when airplane mode is turned on.
Turn off airplane mode, confirm no return of service: The Google Fi log confirms that the service does not return after turning off airplane mode.
Switch to Owner, confirm service: The Google Fi log confirms that the service is working fine in the owner profile.

Available Permissions

The available permissions for Fi are:

Location: The permission to access the device's location.
Network: The permission to access the device's network.
Phone: The permission to access the device's phone functionality.
SMS: The permission to access the device's SMS functionality.
Notifications: The permission to access the device's notification system.

Conclusion

The issue of losing cell service when using a secondary profile on Google Fi is a complex problem that requires a thorough understanding of the underlying system. The troubleshooting steps taken by the user in this article provide valuable insights into the possible causes of this issue and the potential solutions. By disabling VPNs, preventing battery optimization, and activating airplane mode, the user was able to recover the service in the secondary profile. However, the issue persists, and further investigation is required to resolve the problem.

Recommendations

Based on the troubleshooting steps taken by the user, the following recommendations can be made:

Disable VPNs: Disabling VPNs on both profiles may help resolve the issue.
Prevent battery optimization: Preventing battery optimization of Google Fi may help prevent the service from being killed when put into the background.
Activate airplane mode: Activating airplane mode in the secondary profile may help recover the service.
Check available permissions: Checking the available permissions for Fi may help identify any issues with the service.

Future Work

Further investigation is required to resolve the issue of losing cell service when using a secondary profile on Google Fi. The following steps can be taken:

Investigate system logs: Investigating the system logs may provide further insights into the possible causes of the issue.
Check Google Fi logs: Checking the Google Fi logs may provide further insights into the possible causes of the issue.
Test different scenarios: Testing different scenarios, such as switching between profiles, may help identify any issues with the service.
Consult with Google Fi support: Consulting with Google Fi support may provide further insights into the possible causes of the issue and potential solutions.
Q&A: Loss of Cell Service When Using Secondary Profile with Google Fi on Primary ================================================================================

Introduction

In our previous article, we explored the issue of losing cell service when using a secondary profile on Google Fi on a primary device. We also provided a detailed account of the troubleshooting steps taken by a user who encountered this problem. In this article, we will answer some of the most frequently asked questions related to this issue.

Q: What is the cause of the loss of cell service when using a secondary profile on Google Fi?

A: The exact cause of the loss of cell service when using a secondary profile on Google Fi is not clear. However, based on the troubleshooting steps taken by the user, it appears that the issue may be related to the way Google Fi handles network connections on secondary profiles.

Q: What are the symptoms of the loss of cell service when using a secondary profile on Google Fi?

A: The symptoms of the loss of cell service when using a secondary profile on Google Fi include:

The device loses cell service when switching to the secondary profile.
The device is unable to regain cell service even after restarting.
The device may display a "No Service" message or a message indicating that the network is unavailable.

Q: What are the troubleshooting steps that can be taken to resolve the issue?

A: The following troubleshooting steps can be taken to resolve the issue:

Disable VPNs: Disabling VPNs on both profiles may help resolve the issue.
Prevent battery optimization: Preventing battery optimization of Google Fi may help prevent the service from being killed when put into the background.
Activate airplane mode: Activating airplane mode in the secondary profile may help recover the service.
Check available permissions: Checking the available permissions for Fi may help identify any issues with the service.

Q: What are the available permissions for Google Fi?

A: The available permissions for Google Fi are:

Location: The permission to access the device's location.
Network: The permission to access the device's network.
Phone: The permission to access the device's phone functionality.
SMS: The permission to access the device's SMS functionality.
Notifications: The permission to access the device's notification system.

Q: How can I check the available permissions for Google Fi?

A: To check the available permissions for Google Fi, follow these steps:

Go to the Google Fi app on your device.
Tap on the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top left corner of the screen.
Tap on "Settings."
Scroll down to the "Permissions" section.
Tap on "Location," "Network," "Phone," "SMS," and "Notifications" to check the available permissions.

Q: What are the system logs that can be checked to diagnose the issue?

A: The system logs that can be checked to diagnose the issue include:

System log 4c7ec5aed0c6.txt: This log file contains information about the system's behavior and can help diagnose the issue.
Google Fi log 6659d6acaaf3.txt: This log file contains information about the Google Fi app's behavior and can help diagnose the issue.

Q: How can I check the system logs?

A: To check the system logs, follow these steps:

Go to the Google Fi app on your device.
Tap on the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top left corner of the screen.
Tap on "Settings."
Scroll down to the "Logs" section.
Tap on "System log 4c7ec5aed0c6.txt" or "Google Fi log 6659d6acaaf3.txt" to view the log file.

Q: What are the Google Fi logs that can be checked to diagnose the issue?

A: The Google Fi logs that can be checked to diagnose the issue include:

Google Fi log 6659d6acaaf3.txt: This log file contains information about the Google Fi app's behavior and can help diagnose the issue.

Q: How can I check the Google Fi logs?

A: To check the Google Fi logs, follow these steps:

Go to the Google Fi app on your device.
Tap on the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top left corner of the screen.
Tap on "Settings."
Scroll down to the "Logs" section.
Tap on "Google Fi log 6659d6acaaf3.txt" to view the log file.

Conclusion

The loss of cell service when using a secondary profile on Google Fi is a complex issue that requires a thorough understanding of the underlying system. By checking the available permissions, system logs, and Google Fi logs, users can diagnose the issue and take steps to resolve it. We hope that this Q&A article has provided valuable insights into the issue and has helped users to better understand the troubleshooting steps that can be taken to resolve it.