Hi there! I understand your SimCity BuildIt app is telling you it needs internet access, even though your connection is active. Let’s get to the bottom of this. To start, can you tell me a bit more about your setup? For example:

- Are you using Wi-Fi or a wired connection on your Windows system?
- Have you noticed this issue started recently or after an update?
- Have you tried restarting the app or your device already?

Meanwhile, here’s a step-by-step approach to try resolving this:

1. Restart Your Network and Device
Sometimes network glitches happen. Turn off your internet router or modem for about 20 seconds, then turn it back on. After that, restart your Windows PC and try launching the game again.

2. Check Windows Network Settings
Since you’re on Windows 10, ensure that your network is set as “Private” (trusted) rather than “Public” — this affects app permissions.
- Go to Settings > Network & Internet > Status > Change connection properties.
- Select “Private” for your active network.

3. Allow SimCity BuildIt Through Firewall
Your Windows Firewall or antivirus might block the app from accessing the internet. Let’s make sure it’s allowed:
- Open Windows Security > Firewall & network protection.
- Click “Allow an app through firewall.”
- Look for SimCity BuildIt, and ensure both Private and Public checkboxes are checked.
- If it’s not listed, add it manually.

4. Clear Browser Cache and Cookies (For WebKit)
Since your device uses WebKit, clearing the browser data might help if this is a web app or if the game touches browser data:
- Open your browser’s settings.
- Find the options to clear browsing data (cache, cookies).
- Restart the browser and try the game again.

5. Check for Game Updates or Server Issues
Sometimes the game servers have temporary problems or a patch is needed. Check official EA forums or social media for any current outages or updates needing installation.

If you’ve tried these, please let me know which ones, and we can try more advanced troubleshooting. How does this sound to start?

The following message appeared for the first time this morning: "Something truly epic awaits! To gain access to new buildings, connect to the internet and restart the game to download the missing content!"

Thanks for sharing the exact message you’re seeing: "Something truly epic awaits! To gain access to new buildings, connect to the internet and restart the game to download the missing content!"

This message usually means the game needs to connect to its servers to download new content or updates. Even if your Internet seems active, the app might not be reaching the servers properly.

Here’s what you can do next to resolve this:

1. Fully Close the Game and Restart Your Device
- Make sure SimCity BuildIt is completely closed (not just minimized).
- Restart your Windows PC to reset connection states.

2. Force Restart Network Services
- On Windows, open Command Prompt as Administrator and enter these commands one by one:
<br> ipconfig /release<br> ipconfig /renew<br> ipconfig /flushdns<br>
This refreshes your network IP and clears cached DNS info, which can resolve connection hiccups.

3. Check Firewall or Antivirus Settings
- Double-check that your firewall or antivirus software is not blocking SimCity BuildIt from accessing the internet or its content servers. You might temporarily disable them to test if the app connects properly.

4. Try a Different Network
- If possible, test connecting the PC to a different network, such as a mobile hotspot. This can help identify if your current network is blocking or throttling access to the game servers.

5. Manually Check for Game Updates
- If the game supports manual updating via its launcher or Windows Store, make sure there are no pending updates.

6. Force a Hard Shutdown (If Using a Touch Device or Emulator)
- One of the discussions on the EA forums suggests pressing and holding the device power button for about 40 seconds to force a shutdown, then turning it back on before retrying the game1.

If you try these steps and still see the message, it might be a temporary issue with EA’s servers, which they sometimes announce on their forums or social media.

Would you like me to guide you through running those network commands now? Or did you want to check firewall settings first?

I fully closed the game and restarted my Ipad. I receive the same error message when I tried to access Simcity Buildit.

Thanks for letting me know you’re retrying on your iPad and still seeing the same error. Since it's iPad-specific and related to that new message about downloading missing content, I found some relevant info from the EA forums that could help.

A solution that worked for some users with similar connection and content download issues in SimCity BuildIt on iPad is disabling iCloud Private Relay. It appears that this privacy feature interferes with the app’s ability to connect properly to EA’s servers to fetch content updates1.

Here’s how you can try disabling iCloud Private Relay on your iPad:

1. Open Settings on your iPad.
2. Tap on your name (Apple ID) at the top.
3. Choose iCloud.
4. Tap Private Relay.
5. Turn off Private Relay.
6. Restart your iPad.
7. Launch SimCity BuildIt again and see if it connects and downloads the new buildings.

If that doesn’t work or you don’t use Private Relay, another tip is to:

- Check your internet network (Wi-Fi) to ensure it’s stable.
- Try switching networks (for example, from Wi-Fi to cellular) if possible.
- Make sure the app is fully updated via the App Store.
- If the problem persists, reinstalling the app can sometimes clear problematic data caches (but be sure your city progress is backed up via EA account or Game Center before doing this to avoid data loss).

Would you like me to guide you through disabling iCloud Private Relay now? Or would you prefer assistance with checking your app updates or backing up your progress before trying a reinstall?

I took the recommended steps and disabled iCloud Private Relay. I restarted theiPad and tried to launch again. I received the same error message.

I see you've already disabled iCloud Private Relay and restarted your iPad, yet the "connect to the internet" error message in SimCity BuildIt persists. Thanks for trying that important step!

Since disabling Private Relay alone didn’t solve the issue, let’s try a couple of other things that often help with stubborn connection problems on iPads:

1. Reboot the Network Settings on Your iPad
Sometimes network settings can get stuck or misconfigured. Resetting just these (without erasing your data) can help:
- Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPad > Reset > Reset Network Settings.
- This will clear Wi-Fi passwords, VPNs, and cellular settings, so you’ll have to reconnect to Wi-Fi afterward.
- Once reset, reconnect to your Wi-Fi and try launching SimCity BuildIt again.

2. Check for Pending iOS Updates
Having the latest iPadOS version can improve app compatibility:
- Go to Settings > General > Software Update and install any available updates.
- After updating, restart the iPad and test the game again.

3. Confirm the SimCity BuildIt App Is Fully Updated
- Open the App Store, tap your profile icon, and scroll to check for app updates.
- Update SimCity BuildIt if an update is available.

4. Try a Different Network
- If possible, switch your iPad to a different internet connection (e.g., cellular data or a different Wi-Fi network) to rule out any restrictions or filtering on your current network.

5. Reinstall the App as a Last Resort
- Before uninstalling, ensure your game progress is saved via your EA account or Game Center.
- Delete the app, then reinstall it from the App Store and log back in.

One additional note: Some users reported that after disabling Private Relay, the feature may sometimes revert due to iCloud sync or system bugs. You might want to double-check it’s still off after the restart.

If you’d like, I can help guide you through any of these steps. Which one would you prefer to try next?

I tried a different network, confirmed my IOS update is updated, and reinstalled Simcity Buildit. I still received the same error message,

Thanks for the detailed update and for trying those key steps — different network, iOS update, and reinstalling the app — and still encountering that same "connect to the internet" error in SimCity BuildIt. Given all that, it sounds like a deeper issue possibly tied to the app’s content syncing or server connection after the recent updates.

From what I’ve found on official EA forums and user discussions, here are some additional targeted steps you can take next to try to resolve this persistent error:

1. Clear App Cache and Data (If Possible)
While iOS usually doesn’t give direct cache clearing options, some users on EA forums recommended:
- Offloading the app (this saves data but removes app itself) from Settings > General > iPad Storage > SimCity BuildIt > Offload App, then reinstall it without deleting saved data.
- This can sometimes clear corrupted cache or data causing syncing issues.

2. Sign Out and Back into EA Account or Game Center
- Log out of your EA account within the app (if possible) or via the app’s settings, then log back in.
- Also, check the iPad’s Game Center settings and sign out and back in there as well, since SimCity BuildIt syncs progress via those accounts.

3. Disable VPN or Proxy Settings
- If you’re using any VPN, proxy, or security apps on your iPad or network, disable those temporarily, as they may block or interfere with the game’s server connection.

4. Manually Clear App Store Cache
- Open the App Store, tap any of the bottom navigation tabs (like Today, Games, Apps) 10 times in quick succession; this will clear App Store cache, which has apparently helped some users with update or content download issues.

5. Check EA Server Status
- It’s possible the issue is on EA’s side, with servers temporarily down or under maintenance. Checking their official status page or community forums may reveal ongoing issues.

6. Contact EA Support
- If you still can’t resolve it, your best bet is to contact EA Support via [email protected] or through their support website. They can check if there is a known bug affecting your account or region and offer a more tailored fix.

Given the history so far, I’d recommend first trying to offload the app from iPad storage settings to clear cache without losing data, then logging out/in from EA and Game Center accounts, and testing again before moving to contacting EA Support.

Would you like me to walk you through offloading the app on your iPad and logging out/in of your accounts? Or help with any other step? Please let me know!