Why is my iPhone personal hotspot not working?
How to fix iPhone personal hotspot not working issue?
It is not uncommon for iPhone users reporting at times – why is my personal hotspot not working? It is understandably a frustrating situation when iPhone personal hotspot not working for the users. This is because iPhone Personal Hotspot feature can work as a connection backup whenever there is interruption in users’ WiFi connection. If for any reason, while working on your laptop or other devices you don’t have access to a WiFi network, this hotspot feature lets you turn your iPhone into a WiFi hotspot that you can connect to, for internet service.
However, there should not be any cause of worry in case you see your iPhone personal hotspot not working for any reason. In this article I am going to show how to fix this Hotspot (Wi-Fi) issue in few easy steps.
You may also like to read this post: My Internet keeps disconnecting every few minutes
iPhone personal hotspot not working – how to fix?
If you see that the personal hotspot feature is not working on your iPhone or iPad follow the steps below to fix the issue. After each step you should check if it is working correctly before going to the next one.
Step 1. Make sure if Personal Hotspot is turned on
The first thing you need to check when you see your iPhone personal hotspot not working is, whether the hotspot feature is turned on or not. To check this goes to,
Settings > Personal Hotspot or Settings > Cellular > Personal Hotspot.
If it is already switched on, turn it off and then make it on again. In case it is not turned on or you don’t see the option of Personal Hotspot, check with your wireless carrier to make sure if they have enabled it and that your wireless plan supports it.
Step 2. Restart your iPhone
A simple restart often helps to fix most of the iPhone problems. Therefore, restart your iPhone as well as the other device that you need to connect to the Personal Hotspot. Here’s how you can restart your iPhone:
For iPhone with home button – press and hold the side button or the Sleep/Wake button on the top of your device (depending on your model). Next drag the slider that appears and your iPhone will restart itself;
For iPhone without home button – press and hold both the side button and either of the volume buttons until the slider appears on the screen. Next drag the slider and your iPhone will restart itself;
Step 3. Update your iOS version
The issue of iPhone personal hotspot not working may happen on your device because of an outdated version of iOS.
An outdated operating system may have bugs which sometimes may be the cause of your ‘iPhone personal hotspot not working’ issue. Updating your iOS to the latest version may at times fix this problem. Therefore, make sure that you have the latest version of iOS.
To update your iPhone, go to Settings > General > Software Update and click ‘Install Now’ if there is a new iOS update available.
Step 4. Reset network settings on your iPhone
If there is any issue with the cellular data network on your iPhone, which is providing the Hotspot, you will not be able to connect to its WiFi network. Most effective way to fix any issue with the Cellular Data Not Working is to reset the network setting on your device. To reset the network settings,
Go to Settings > General > Reset > then tap Reset Network Settings;
Note: By resetting network settings, you’ll lose any custom network settings on iPhone, including custom DNS settings if any, VPN configurations, WiFi passwords and other network data.
Step 5. Make sure the devices to be connected are within the range of your iPhone
To get the best result try to have the devices, that are trying to connect to your iPhone Personal Hotspot, are within the range of your phone, preferably with no obstructions in-between.
Why is my personal hotspot not working over WiFi?
There are several methods by which you can share your data connection through the personal hotspot, such as over WiFi, USB, or Bluetooth. Most people more often than not use WiFi connection method for Personal Hotspot. If you find that your iPhone personal hotspot not working over WiFi, follow the steps below on your iPhone:
1. Go to Settings > Personal Hotspot;
2. Toggle ‘Allow Others to Join’ to on position;
3. Remember your iPhone’s WiFi network name and the password that appear on the screen (if you want you can also change the network name and password);
4. If you are using an iPhone 12 series, turn on Maximize Compatibility feature;
5. Now try to connect the other device to your personal hotspot;
6. Stay on this screen until you have connected the other device to the WiFi network that is trying to use your personal hotspot;
Next follow the steps below on the other device that needs to connect to the Personal Hotspot:
i. Turn your WiFi off and then turn it back on;
ii. Connect to the WiFi network whose name appears on your iPhone’s personal hotspot screen;
iii. If a password error message shows up when you try to join Personal Hotspot, check to make sure that the WiFi password is correct. To double-check the password, go to Settings > Personal Hotspot on your iPhone where the password will be displayed for you. If there is any error then re-enter the correct password and try connecting to the personal hotspot again;
Why my iPhone hotspot keeps disconnecting?
iPhone users sometimes report that they are unable to use their personal hotspot because of iPhone Hotspot becoming unstable. There could be a number of reasons why your iPhone Hotspot sometimes become unstable. Find below the most common reasons why your iPhone hotspot keeps disconnecting unexpectedly.
1. Your carrier may have imposed restrictions for using a hotspot. Hotspot service offered by your carrier depends on your service plan;
2. If other devices are not within the range they won’t connect to your iPhone hotspot;
3. The problem may also be with your iPhone that provides Personal Hotspot, or with the other device(s) that are connected to it;
4. May be the personal Hotspot is not properly enabled on your iPhone;
If your iPhone hotspot keeps disconnecting unexpectedly you may take the the following steps to fix the issue:
1. Contact your carrier to ensure that it has not imposed any restrictions for using hotspot;
2. Ensure that the other devices and your iOS device are close to each other;
3. Ensure that your iPhone has the latest version of the iOS software;
4. Update your carrier settings on your iPhone;
Frequently asked questions
Now that I have explained how can you fix when your iPhone personal hotspot not working, let me also address some of the related questions often asked by the iPhone users.
How do I get my hotspot to work on my iPhone?
On the device that you want to connect to, go to Settings > Cellular > Personal Hotspot or Settings > Personal Hotspot and make sure that it’s on. Then verify the WiFi password and name of the phone. Stay on this screen until you’ve connected your other device to the WiFi network.
Why cant I turn on my hotspot on iPhone?
If you can’t turn on your Personal Hotspot on your iPhone, first check if your wireless carrier has enabled it and that your wireless plan supports it. If everything is alright, restart your iPhone and the other device that needs to connect to your Personal Hotspot. Also make sure that you have the latest version of iOS.
Why can’t my laptop connect to my iPhone hotspot?
To fix the issue do the following:
1. Turn Personal Hotspot off and then make it on again from Settings;
2.Update your iOS to the latest version;
3. Reset network settings;
How do I connect my iPhone to a Windows hotspot?
To connect from a Windows computer do the following:
1. Click on the Bluetooth icon;
2. Select ‘Join a Personal Area Network’;
3. In the upper-left corner click ‘Add a Device’;
4. Select your iPhone from the next screen and click ‘next’ to continue;
How do I connect my iPhone hotspot to Windows 10?
If you want to connect your iPhone hotspot via WiFi network, first enable Personal Hotspot from settings, then select the name of your iPhone from WiFi settings that appears on your computer screen and enter the password when prompted. Your Windows PC will now be connected to the Internet.
You may also like to read: How to share WiFi on iPhone
Conclusion
Hopefully, after going through the post you will be able to resolve your iPhone personal hotspot not working issue and share your iPhone’s internet connection with other devices around you.
I have listed here just about all the available basic troubleshooting steps to fix the issue when you see your iPhone personal hotspot not working for any reason. If none of the given solutions is able to solve the issue you have to visit the Apple store or contact Apple Support to deal with the problem.
If you have found any other solution that worked for you when you see your hotspot on iPhone not working, please share the same in the comment section below to help other readers.