- Here is what to do
when personal hotspot is not working on your iPhone.
The first thing to do is ask yourself-
is personal hotspot missing or is it not working?
We're gonna start with the step for if it's missing,
then move to not working.
If it's not missing in your iPhone,
use the timestamps in the description to skip ahead.
So, first thing we need to talk about is
configuration profiles
- Configuration profiles.
This is not a usual reason for this problem
but you gotta check it out.
Because hotspot can be disabled by a profile.
Let's go to the settings app and then general
- Yep. Scroll down, tap general,
and scroll all the way down to VPN and device management.
Tap on that.
Here, you'll see a list of your configuration profiles.
I've got iOS 15 because I am a beta tester.
But maybe you got your phone through work or through school.
- Right.
- You might see those profiles.
- Yeah. You'd be able to then remove this profile.
If you don't see this menu item,
it's because you don't have any profiles installed.
But I think that everybody's seeing it now,
I'm not sure.
- That being said, don't just go in willy-nilly
and erase your work or school configuration profile.
And then if you get fired or expelled and you blame us.
We're not telling you to delete those.
Talk to your boss first. - Yeah.
More likely, it would also just break
a lot of other stuff on our phone.
- But the most common reason why
personal hotspot doesn't show up or is missing on an iPhone
is because it's not included with your cell phone plans.
You should contact your wireless carriers.
Seizure plan includes it
and if they may have turned it off by accident.
- That's right.
Remember kids, it's your carrier that decides
whether this appears on your iPhone or not.
- Yep.
So that's what you do if it's missing.
If it's not working, the first thing to do
is go to the main page of the settings app,
tap on personal hotspot and allow others to join.
Make sure that switch is turned on.
People say, you know, I can't connect my laptop
for instance, to my iPhone's personal hotspot.
But if allow others to join is not turned on,
they're just not gonna see the hotspot.
Next up, go back to the main page of the settings app,
tap on cellular, try toggling cellular data off and back on.
It could be a data issue.
Mobile hotspot uses your cellular data
to provide internet access to other devices.
Check, tap, tap, check.
See if it works now.
If not, check for a carrier settings update.
Apple and your carrier frequently release these updates
to improve your phone's connection
to your carrier's wireless network.
Now usually, you'll see a popup on your phone
when a carrier settings update is available.
However, you can also manually check
going back to the main page of the settings app
and tapping on general.
Then tap about, wait here for about 10 to 15 seconds.
- Yeah. If nothing shows up on your phone,
what you should do is
click the subscribe button underneath this video
because there's no button to click here.
- Yes.
- You know, while you're waiting that 10 to 15 seconds,
hit subscribe.
Nice and easy.
- You know, YouTube algorithm likes it.
- Yes. - And we like you.
- Next up. Try restarting your iPhone.
There might be another minor software issue
that's preventing your iPhone's personal hotspot
from working
- A hundred percent.
Something's wrong under the hood
and you can't open the hood of an iPhone.
So turn it off and back on again.
- After your iPhone turns back on,
check for a software update.
Some iOS updates include modem updates
to improve your iPhone's connection to wireless networks.
- Fun fact.
My first AOL screen name,
Modem Kid.
- Modem kid - Eight years old.
- Let's tap back to general.
Then one below about is software update.
Tap on that.
If an update's available, tap, download, and install.
- And leave a comment below with your first AOL screen name.
- Yeah.
- Cause that would be interesting.
- That would be interesting.
If personal hotspot is still not working,
it's time to reset the network settings on your iPhone
- Reset network settings clears out
all of the Bluetooth devices and the wifi networks
and the VPN settings on your iPhone.
But it's a really good way
of unplugging that whole network piece
and plugging it back in again.
Make sure you know your wifi password before you do this.
- Yes.
Let's tap back to general
and then scroll all the way down
to transfer or reset iPhone.
Then tap reset.
Then tap a reset network settings.
Enter your passcode, tap reset network settings again,
your iPhone, turn it off,
do the reset, turn it back on.
You gotta set those wifi networks
and Bluetooth devices again.
But it can fix a deeper cellular data issue.
- That's for sure.
And it's easier than doing our next step.
- Yep. Backing up and doing a DFU restore.
- Backing it up is always a good idea to do.
Use iCloud if you can.
If you wanna use a computer,
David Lynch is now going to tell you what to use. David
- See, if a Mac, running macOS 10.15 or newer,
you use Finder.
If you have a PC or a Mac running 10.14 or older,
you'll use iTunes to back up your iPhone.
- That would've taken me five minutes to say.
- Yeah, same thing for DFU restore too.
If you do a DFU restore,
and personal hotspot is still not working.
- Run for the high heels, I don't know.
Switch to Android.
- We talk to Apple or your carrier.
What's gonna happen here is that
Apple's gonna say it's your carrier's fault.
And your carrier's probably gonna say it's Apple's fault.
- It's your carrier's fault.
- I would say most of the time,
it's probably your carrier's fault.
- Go to your carrier and demand a new SIM card.
- It's very unlikely that a hardware issue
with your iPhone would cause this problem
unless you dropped your iPhone
right on the the cellular antenna.
- Don't listen to them.
The first thing they'll say is
did you go to the Apple store?
And then they won't tell you to make an appointment.
So you'll show up at the Apple store and be mad
because you've already spent two hours at the carrier
and you just drove three hours to the Apple store
and there's this really nice blonde guy
that you walk in and meet and you start yelling at him
and he, you know, breaks down in tears.
- Yeah. Pro tip for you.
The carriers are super responsive on Twitter
on their customer support accounts.
DM their customer support accounts,
you're gonna get help so much faster that way
than by getting on the phone
and trying to pass through the hold period.
- Yeah, the last thing they want is for you
to be on Twitter and start saying bad things about 'em.
- That's what to do if personal hotspot
is not working in your iPhone.
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I think we can do it. - That's right.
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- Thanks or watching. - Thanks.