If you’re frustrated and wondering why the personal hotspot not showing on your iPhone or iPad, don’t hit the panic button yet. The following guide offers simple and effective solutions for getting your hotspot back online in a jiffy. Let’s get your mobile internet sharing back on track without further ado.
- Check personal hotspot settings
- Check your internet connectivity
- Enable and disable Airplane mode on iPhone
- Remove APN certificates
- Update carrier settings
- Change the hotspot’s name on iPhone
- Re-insert SIM card
- Restart your iPhone
- Reset network settings
- Restore your iPhone from a backup
- Update iOS
- Contact Carrier and Apple support
1. Check personal hotspot settings
Before getting involved with anything too technical, it’s wise to ensure your device’s hotspot is set up correctly. To do so:
- Disable Bluetooth and Wi-Fi from the Control Center.
- Go to the Settings app → Personal Hotspot.
- Now, toggle on Allow Other to Join.
If you have already enabled this option on your device, try disabling it, waiting for a few seconds, and then enabling it again.
2. Check your internet connectivity
Your internet connection is another factor to inspect if your personal hotspot goes missing. Ensure that you have a stable cellular data connection available.
You may try running a speed test on your mobile data to assess whether it performs optimally. If the results show that your internet connection is slow, contact your service provider and ask for assistance.
However, if this doesn’t rectify the problem, you can choose from the below solutions.
3. Enable and disable Airplane mode on iPhone
If the personal hotspot still disappears, it’s time to take the matter into your hands. Starting off, let’s refresh your internet connection. A practical and straightforward way is to enable Airplane mode for a while.
- Launch Settings → Toggle on Airplane Mode.
- Alternatively, enable Airplane Mode from the Control Centre.
- After a significant duration, turn Airplane Mode off for your iPhone.
It temporarily disables all wireless connections, clearing any underlying software or network errors that might have caused the issue. This method proves helpful in fixing when your iPhone cellular data stops working.
4. Remove APN certificates
The Access Point Name (APN) settings define the network path for your data connection, and altering it incorrectly can disrupt certain features, including personal hotspots. So, try removing any previous APN changes.
- Launch Settings → Go to Cellular Data.
- Select Cellular Data Network.
- Now, type internet in the column next to APN.
- Finally, restart your device and check if the personal hotspot option has been restored.
Note: If you previously made modifications related to carrier unlocking or troubleshooting network issues, remove them by tapping each field and deleting the modified information.
5. Update carrier settings
When network configurations are outdated or not correctly set up, personal hotspots may berserk on your iPhone or iPad. So, updating carrier settings on your iPhone or iPad includes new network configurations and service-related fixes from your cellular carrier.
Before you begin, ensure your device has a stable internet connection. This will allow you to carry out the process seamlessly. Once updated, reboot your device and check if the personal hotspot reappears.
6. Change the hotspot’s name on iPhone
Although the chances are thin, changing the name of your hotspot may cause it to act up. So, it is advisable to revert your device’s name to its original if you have recently made any changes. To comply,
- Head to Settings → Go to General → About.
- Tap the Name section and rewrite it.
By changing the name of your hotspot, you can quickly regain access and ensure your personal hotspot shows up. Remember to make no changes and keep the title precisely like before.
7. Re-insert SIM card
If you find yourself missing the personal hotspot option on your iPhone or iPad, there is an alternate fix that you should try: re-inserting the SIM card. It re-establishes the connection between your device and network provider.
- Turn off your device and open the SIM card tray using a paper clip or SIM ejector tool.
- Carefully remove the SIM card and clean it if necessary.
- Re-insert the SIM card back into the tray, ensuring it is appropriately aligned.
- Close the tray and power on your device again.
8. Restart your iPhone
Regardless of the issue, one solution works for almost every glitch: restarting your iPhone or iPad. This quick and effective fix rectifies any temporary bugs or software inconsistencies affecting the personal hotspot feature. It also refreshes the device’s system, helping to restore the personal hotspot promptly.
9. Reset network settings
Despite all these solutions, if you still cannot find the hotspot on your device, there is a high chance that something is wrong with your network. In this situation, consider resetting your network settings. It will restore any misconfigured settings that may have caused your personal hotspot to go missing.
However, note that all saved Wi-Fi networks, passwords, and VPN or APN settings will be lost upon compliance. Once completed, return to Settings and check if the personal hotspot option has returned.
10. Restore your iPhone from a backup
Restoring a device from backup involves reverting your device to a previous state where the personal hotspot feature was functional. This step is highly beneficial for those who have just started facing the missing hotspot from an iPhone or iPad.
Remember to opt for the most recent backup file that pre-dates the disappearance of the personal hotspot option and follow the on-screen prompts carefully to initiate the restoration process.
11. Update iOS
The issue of a missing personal hotspot on your iPhone or iPad often occurs when the operating system becomes outdated or experiences glitches. In that case, a straightforward solution involves updating your device’s iOS software to the latest version.
The update will not only improve the overall performance of your iPhone or iPad but will also restore your missing personal hotspot feature. Ensuring a stable internet connection and sufficient storage space is essential before initiating the update process.
12. Contact Carrier and Apple support
Hypothetically, we could go at arm’s length to figure this issue out ourselves. However, if none of those mentioned above solutions have worked so far, there’s nothing left to do. As a result, it’s wise to call in the experts and hope for the best.
Reaching out to Apple support can provide further assistance and insight into resolving this problem. Their technical experts can help troubleshoot software-related issues causing the missing personal hotspot option.
You can also contact your service provider to ensure a comprehensive approach to finding a solution and getting your personal hotspot back.
FAQ
Check if the Wi-Fi password is entered correctly on the connecting device. If the issue persists, try restarting your iPhone or iPad, toggling your personal hotspot off and on, or resetting network settings.
And there you have it, fellow techies!
Say goodbye to the woes of a missing personal hotspot on your iPhone or iPad. We’ve navigated the troubleshooting terrain together with solutions to reclaim your mobile internet-sharing prowess.
Thank you for reading. Please take a moment to share your thoughts in the comment section below.
Read more:
- Personal Hotspot not working on iPhone? Ways to fix it!
- How to set up Personal Hotspot on iPhone and iPad: A complete guide
- How to use personal hotspot in Family Sharing on iPhone
Readers like you help support iGeeksBlog. When you make a purchase using links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Read Disclaimer.