Personal Hotspot Not Working on iPhone? Here’s How to Fix It


When there’s no Wi-Fi available for your laptop or other devices where you are, the next best option is to use your iPhone’s personal hotspot. In case you didn’t know, a personal hotspot is a feature where you can share your cellular data connection to other devices. You simply have to make sure that you enable this feature before other devices can try connecting to your hotspot. Also, do note that using your personal hotspot can consume your iPhone’s battery a lot faster.

Should you encounter a problem with your iPhone’s personal hotspot, first try the steps below. You can do each step and check if it works first before going to the next one:

  1. Open your Settings app and check if your Personal Hotspot is really turned on. In case you can’t turn it on, check your wireless carrier and ensure that this featured is enabled and supported by your wireless plan.
  2. Restart your iPhone as well as the devices that would connect to your personal hotspot.
  3. Update your iPhone to the latest version of iOS.
  4. Go to your iPhone’s Settings, select General, and tap on Reset. Select Reset Network Settings.

You can share your data connection through a personal hotspot via a number of methods: over Wi-Fi, USB, or Bluetooth. Most people usually share their Internet over Wi-Fi. If you find yourself having trouble connecting to your personal hotspot over WiFi, try these steps on your iPhone:

  1. Open your Settings app and select Personal Hotspot.
  2. Toggle on Allow Others to Join.
  3. The screen should also show your iPhone’s Wi-Fi network name and password. Side note: you can also change the network name and password of your personal hotspot.
  4. If you’re using the iPhone 12 series, also toggle on the Maximize Compatibility feature.
  5. Connect your other devices to your iPhone’s personal hotspot.
  6. Do not close the screen until the other devices were able to connect to your personal hotspot successfully.

For the devices trying to connect to your iPhone’s personal hotspot, do the following steps:

  1. Turn on your Wi-Fi. If it’s already turned on before you’re trying this trick, turn it off and on again.
  2. Connect to the Wi-Fi network whose name is indicated on your iPhone’s personal hotspot screen. The network name on the list may also have the chain logo on its right side, indicating that this connection is a personal hotspot connection.
  3. If a password error shows up, review the Wi-Fi password. If necessary, re-enter the correct password and try connecting to the personal hotspot again.

On the other hand, some people prefer connecting through a USB cable. Before connecting your iPhone to your Mac, make sure that you have iTunes in there and it’s updated to the latest version. Once you have confirmed this, follow these steps:

  1. Connect your iPhone that has a personal hotspot to your Mac using a USB cable. In case you’re prompted on the laptop, select Trust this Device.
  2. Ensure that your Mac can recognize your iPhone. You should be able to find your device in iTunes or the Finder. If you can’t locate it, try using another USB cable and connect again.
  3. Go to your Mac’s System Preferences and select Network. Click on iPhone USB. If your Mac can’t find it, just click on the “+” symbol and add your iPhone’s personal hotspot as a Wi-Fi connection.

Every time you’re done using your personal hotspot, don’t forget to turn this feature off on your iPhone. Not doing so may lead to unnecessary data charges. Plus, it can also unnecessarily consume your battery. If your personal hotspot feature is always turned on, your Mac will always automatically connect to your iPhone’s personal hotspot every time you plug it in just to charge it.


Kokou Adzo

Kokou Adzo is a stalwart in the tech journalism community, has been chronicling the ever-evolving world of Apple products and innovations for over a decade. As a Senior Author at Apple Gazette, Kokou combines a deep passion for technology with an innate ability to translate complex tech jargon into relatable insights for everyday users.

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