Do I need to enable 5G on my iPhone 12?

Apple knows that you only need to be on 5G speeds when streaming or downloading something , so it provided an extra 5G setting to manage data on the iPhone 12: Allow more data on 5G: this one is the heavy 5G hitter that lets you FaceTime or stream video in high definition, or download OTA iOS updates.

The “5G+” status icon appears when your iPhone is connected to AT&T’s 5G millimeter wave network. The “5G UW” status icon indicates your iPhone is connected to Verizon’s Ultra Wideband 5G network. There’s also 5G E, a marketing term AT&T applied to its older 4G LTE network.

Go to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options. If you see this screen, your device has 5G activated . If you don’t see this screen, contact your carrier to confirm that your plan supports 5G.