Rakuten Mobile APN Settings on Android: When You Need rakuten.jp

Check these before you change the APN

An APN (access point name) tells your phone how to connect to the mobile network for data. A wrong or missing APN can stop mobile data. But a line that is not active, a SIM the phone cannot read, the wrong data line or weak coverage can look the same. Changing the APN will not fix any of those.

Rakuten Mobile’s troubleshooting page includes these basic steps. Check the connection after each one:

1. Turn mobile data off and back on.
2. Turn airplane mode on and back off.
3. Turn Wi-Fi on and back off, then test mobile data with Wi-Fi off.
4. Check that your phone number is shown in Settings. If it says “unknown”, the SIM is not recognised.
5. On a dual SIM phone, check that the Rakuten line is turned on and selected for mobile data.
6. Update the phone’s software to the latest version.

Rakuten Mobile’s list also includes checking its outage information and whether your payments are up to date.

Do not delete your Rakuten eSIM as a fix. Deleting it is not one of Rakuten Mobile’s APN steps, and you would then need to have the eSIM reissued. If you think the eSIM itself is the problem, contact Rakuten Mobile first.

Sources: No signal or cannot connect (Japanese) · SIM card not recognised (Japanese)

Check whether your phone needs a manual APN

Rakuten Mobile says phones that are compatible with its network, such as phones bought from Rakuten Mobile, do not need APN setup. For a phone you used with another carrier, it tells you to check the model first:

1. Open Rakuten Mobile’s ご利用製品の対応状況確認 (device compatibility check, Japanese). There is also an English version.
2. Choose your manufacturer and your exact model. The model number matters more than the marketing name.
3. Look at the features listed for that model. If APN自動設定 (automatic APN setup) has a check, you do not need to set an APN.
4. If it has no check, use the values in the next section.

Keep these limits in mind:

• Phones bought overseas: Rakuten Mobile warns that a phone bought outside Japan may not work even if the same model is listed. Regional versions of a phone can have different specifications.
• Phones outside Rakuten Mobile’s guarantee: for these, Rakuten Mobile says an APN may make only some features work. Calls, SMS or other features may still not work.
• Updates: Rakuten Mobile notes that an OS or software update can limit features, even on a listed phone.

This guide covers Android. For an iPhone, Rakuten Mobile’s FAQ says that, depending on the carrier you used before, you may need to remove an old APN configuration profile rather than set an APN. Follow Rakuten Mobile’s APN guidance (Japanese) for your case.

Sources: Do I need APN settings for a phone used with another carrier? (Japanese) · Device compatibility

Rakuten Mobile’s APN values

Use these only if your model does not have automatic APN setup. They are the values in Rakuten Mobile’s FAQ, checked on the date at the top of this page. Rakuten Mobile can change them, so check the FAQ before you enter them.

• Tethering: Rakuten Mobile says that if tethering does not work, add dun to the APN type, for example default,supl,dun. Do not change it unless tethering is the problem.
• Other fields: Rakuten Mobile’s table does not list a user name, password or other values. Leave any field that is not in the table as it is.

Where to enter it on Android

Menu names differ by manufacturer and Android version, so treat this as a general route, not exact steps for every phone:

1. Open Settings and go to the network or mobile network section. On many phones it is called Network & internet, then SIMs or Mobile network.
2. On a dual SIM phone, choose the Rakuten line.
3. Open Access Point Names (APN), and add a new APN.
4. Enter the values from the table, save, and select the new APN.
5. Turn Wi-Fi off and test mobile data.

If you cannot find the menu, check your phone’s manual or ask the manufacturer. Rakuten Mobile says it cannot give setup help for phones outside its guarantee.

Source: Do I need APN settings for a phone used with another carrier? (Japanese)

If data still does not work after saving the APN

If data still does not work, confirm that the new APN is saved and selected and that its values match Rakuten Mobile’s table. Then check the following:

• Line selection: on a dual SIM phone, check that the Rakuten line is on and set as the mobile data line.
• SIM recognition: check that your phone number is shown in Settings.
• Your phone: check the exact model, and the software and OS versions listed for it, on the compatibility page. A phone bought overseas may not work even if the model is listed.
• Signal and location: try another place, near a window or outdoors. If the problem is only in certain places, see how to check Rakuten Mobile coverage.

If none of this helps, contact Rakuten Mobile through its contact page, which lists an English Support phone line. For a phone you bought elsewhere, questions about the phone’s own settings go to the manufacturer or seller.

Sources: No signal or cannot connect (Japanese) · SIM card not recognised (Japanese)

Frequently asked questions

Next steps

• Not sure your phone is compatible: see whether your overseas phone will work with Rakuten Mobile.
• Your eSIM is not active yet: follow the eSIM setup guide.
• You are still moving your number: finish the MNP activation steps first.
• Weak signal in certain places: see how to check coverage.
• Still not working: contact Rakuten Mobile support.

Check Rakuten Mobile’s APN FAQ (Japanese)

Have not applied yet? Start with the main guide to Rakuten Mobile.