Fix: Personal Hotspot Not Turning On After iOS 26
The Personal Hotspot feature is essential for staying connected on the go, but after updating to iOS 26, you might find it suddenly fails to turn on, is greyed out, or is completely unresponsive. This problem can be incredibly frustrating, especially when you rely on your iPhone’s internet connection for other devices. As users have reported in this Apple Community discussion, the feature can stop working without warning, indicating that the issue is likely a software glitch from the update rather than a problem with your cellular plan or carrier.
Why Personal Hotspot Fails to Turn On
Personal Hotspot works by sharing your iPhone’s cellular data connection with other devices over Wi‑Fi, Bluetooth, or USB. For this to happen, iOS must properly configure your phone’s network settings to act as a router, a process that requires a clean handshake between the operating system and your carrier’s network profile.
A major software update like iOS 26 can corrupt these crucial network settings. If your cellular connection is unstable, you may need to fix cellular data issues. This results in the toggle being unresponsive or the feature simply failing to activate, even though your cellular data works fine for browsing on the phone itself.
How to Fix Personal Hotspot Not Turning On
Before you begin, ensure you are in an area with a stable cellular data connection.
1. Restart Your iPhone
A simple restart is the first step for any software issue. It clears the device’s temporary memory and can resolve minor glitches that prevent system services like Personal Hotspot from starting correctly. Enabling the adaptive power feature can also help manage battery drain while using the hotspot.
- Press and hold either volume button and the side button until the power‑off slider appears.
- Drag the slider and wait 30 seconds for your iPhone to turn off.
- Press and hold the side button again until you see the Apple logo.
2. Reset Network Settings
This is the most common and effective fix for hotspot issues caused by an iOS update. It erases all current network configurations—including Wi‑Fi passwords and VPN settings—and forces your iPhone to download a fresh, uncorrupted set of network settings from your carrier.
- Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone.
- Tap Reset > Reset Network Settings.
- Enter your passcode to confirm. Your iPhone will restart.
If Wi‑Fi connectivity is also problematic, see how to fix Wi‑Fi issues.
3. Toggle Cellular Data Off and On
This action forces your iPhone to re‑establish its connection with your carrier’s data network, which is the foundation of the Personal Hotspot feature.
- Go to Settings > Cellular.
- Turn the toggle for Cellular Data off.
- Wait for 15 seconds, then turn it back on.
4. Enable “Maximize Compatibility”
For iPhone 12 models and later, this setting forces the hotspot to use a 2.4 GHz Wi‑Fi frequency, which is more broadly compatible and can sometimes bypass connectivity bugs affecting the default 5 GHz network.
- Go to Settings > Personal Hotspot.
- Turn the toggle for Maximize Compatibility on.
5. Re‑insert Your SIM Card
Physically resetting the connection to your carrier can resolve authentication problems that might be preventing the hotspot feature from being authorized on your account.
- Power off your iPhone.
- Use a SIM ejector tool to open the SIM tray.
- Remove the SIM card, wait a few seconds, and then place it back in the tray.
- Close the tray and turn your iPhone back on.
If the device gets hot during hotspot use, consider the fix iPhone overheating guide.
6. Check for iOS and Carrier Updates
If this is a widespread bug, Apple and your carrier will likely release a patch to fix it.
- To check for an iOS update: Go to Settings > General > Software Update.
- To check for a carrier update: Go to Settings > General > About. Wait on this screen for up to 30 seconds. A pop‑up will appear if an update is available.
7. Disable Any Active VPN
A VPN reroutes your internet traffic and can interfere with the network routing required for Personal Hotspot to function correctly.
- Go to Settings.
- If a VPN toggle is visible and on, turn it off.
- Alternatively, go to Settings > General > VPN & Device Management, tap VPN, and ensure the status is “Not Connected.”
If none of these solutions work, contact Apple Support.
