WiFi turns on by itself on my iPhone

Can anyone tell me why my iPhone turns WiFi on after an OS update? It was clearly, properly turned off (not the white logo but completely off) yet I update and it turns back on…..STOP IT APPLE!!

I have the same issue, and I turn WiFi off in the Settings (not from Control Center) but when I wake up I see that it’s on again. And it bothers me, as I am currently moved to a new place with many neighbours’ WiFis, and I am currently just using my phone’s internet, so it’s kind of weird when I see it in ON mode.

Haveagoodday111 wrote:

I have the same issue, and I turn WiFi off in the Settings (not from Control Center) but when I wake up I see that it’s on again.

Not possible. When you use the switch in Settings, it will stay off, until you manually turn it on again. If its turning on by itself in the morning, it means you are still using the switch in Control Center. Control Center is not Settings. Use the actual switch in the Settings App, not the icon in Control Center.

And it bothers me, as I am currently moved to a new place with many neighbours’ WiFis, and I am currently just using my phone’s internet, so it’s kind of weird when I see it in ON mode.

Nothing weird about. And what do your neighbors have to do with anything?

Just because the switch is on, does not mean its connected to anything.

it is true.

I just turned wifi off in settings off while sitting at my desk. I turn my wifi off manually off at work because I don’t want to use my jobs wifi that is not secure as the Healthcare patients at my job can use it also. Mind you my iPad is connected to my phone as I do not pay for the wifi on my IPad. I connect my iPad to my phone with my hotspot. My phone turns my wifi back on and my iPad disconnects as I am sitting here now watching it. I have not moved out of my office.and it is 2:25 pm.

You are way wrong about only having to turn it off in settings. My bluetooth is on 24/7 also and my iPhone still turns the wifi back on without me touching it.

I could make a video and show you.

Someone on here said NOT POSSIBLE. Well you are most definitely 100% wrong anything is possible and WiFi turning on and Off. no matter where it’s switched off from will and can come back on. Been there and still dealing with it. Took it to Apple Store multiple times did it in front of them. They had no answer especially the quick response of it’s not actually shut off control center this settings that BS that most believe they are some expert when they rattle off the most genetic answer their are and have no clue how to trouble shoot and realize a problem. They think apple is so grand it can’t have any type of flaw. If so we would not have to do security updates like we do. Someone with an open brain please looking into this problem.

Could you try Turning off Wifi Assist and disabling Location Services and check if its the same case

• Turn off Wi-Fi Assist: Go to Settings > Cellular > Wi-Fi Assist and turn off the switch.
• Check your location settings: Go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services -> Disable Location Services

1. An iPhone canot be hacked remotely. Not sure what you mean by VPN hacks. A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is sometihng that protects your internet traffic, not something used for hacking.
2. If you turn off Wi-Fi through Control Center it is set by design to turn back on, once you leave the location or its 5AM the next day. If you want to keep Wi-Fi turned off, turn it off through Settings ➜ Wi-Fi instead. click here ➜ Use Bluetooth and Wi-Fi in Control Center - Apple Support
3. Bluetooth acts in a similar manner. No privacy violation here, you agree to these functions by using the iPhone. If you don't accept these functions, then stop using the iPhone.
4. click here ➜ iPhone License Agreement - Apple Support

I have the similar problem on my iPhone. My phone always switch to Wi-Fi even though I have turned it off in setting and I did not leave the location for many days. I have been a victim of cyber attack for years and have experienced many type of attack, so I often keep great cautious on online security. Wi-Fi is an easy way to get hacked. During past 2 years, my iPhone , iPad and Mac had lots of strange behaviors, such as the Clear History button grey out or it completely did not genuinely clear search history, and the software update only lasted for seconds and the progress bar was struggling before it quickly finished. When I called for apple support last year for my disable Apple ID or password or for mass disappeared file, multiple times, they have inexperienced young team member to cut off the line and replaced the original one who sounded like older and more experienced. But those young ones often could not able to handle simple technical trouble and even to answer my questions, which is suspicious. Apple needs to look at this situation. I have be tracked by criminals through internet very often which have made my life in threaten.

Dear Phil0124,

can you please elaborate when (with which ios version) this feature was introduced: “If you turn off Wi-Fi through Control Center it is set by design to turn back on, once you leave the location or its 5AM the next day.” ?

And in which manner Apple informed the device owners about this change?

Background: I have gone through lots of surprises due to new ios versions contain new solutions, rules etc.

Your precise explanation was something that I missed somehow. I decided now to check proactively all the changes instead of being surprised and reactively asking always about them after my frustrations.

Please tell me how Apple provides the information about the very exact changes like this one.

Thanks a lot.

iPhone still turning on wifi even though turned off in settings and wifi assist turned off. iPhone 14 iOS up to date and phone turned off and restarted daily

Same issue. Turn WiFi off to later find out my phone connected to a public wifi. Unacceptable…. Soon Apple phones will automatically answer phone calls from blocked numbers lmao.

stevenc420 wrote:

thanks for letting me know that apple violates everyones privacy rights by design, it clicks on automatically no matter what at 5 AM turns back on automatically if I leave go anywhere location ect . not everybody can see that well and this dim little screen make it real difficult i bet-in order is verify with how do you even know somebody has proper eyesight anyways on can see for themselves ...-total violation of peoples privacy rights especially the visually impaired.

You can increase the screen brightness from control center. If its dimly lit, its because you have it set to a low brightness. Increase the brightness.

click here ➜ Adjust the screen brightness and color on iPhone - Apple Support

As I said, IF YOU WANT TO KEEP THE WIFI AND BLUETOOTH TURNED OFF, TURN THEM OFF FROM THE SETTINGS APP, not from Control Center.

You agree to these functions by using the phone and accepting the terms of service. There is no privacy violation when you agree to these things.

Also, nothing is going to happen because you have Wi-FI on. This is a fake assumption on your part.

What does your eye sight have to do with anything? You want something to stay off, use the correct option to keep it off.

What can't you see?, if you can operate the phone, one can assume you can see the phone's screen. If you can;t see the phone, then maybe get someone to help you use the correct switch.

iAye wrote:

Apparently the 'Control Panel' WiFi switch does not actually turn off WiFi as you would intuitively expect. It only disconnects from whatever 'remembered' network you are currently on.

Yes, that's what I have said multiple times already. The switch in Control Center DOES NOT TURN OFF WI-FI. IT ONLY DISCONNECTS FROM THE CURRENT NETWORK UNTIL 5AM THE NEXT DAY OR UNTIL ONE LEAVES THE CURRENT LOCATION. Whatever happens first.

To turn off WiFi (completely), you need to do so throught the settings menu.

Yes, that's what I have been saying all along.

I can see the appeal, but I believe it is a feature that should be the other way around. The control panel should turn off completely any form of connectivity (just like the settings toggle) like WiFi, Bluetooth and (please add) cellular at an instance as the users knows very well why they don't want WiFi, Bluetooth or cellular turned on. So respect that and have it turned off no matter where one arrives or leaves. (Navigating a settings menu for connectivity feel archaic in 2024).

Then if you want WiFi, Bluetooth or cellular to come on when you leave a particular place or arrive at a particular place (network), then that is usually more of a 'behavioural' and therefore a more 'set in stone' preference that can be fine tuned in the settings menu.

It is apparent that the control panel toggles do not behave as the user intuitively would expect, and that is what Apple was and should remain all about. Again, not disagreeing with the feature, but I think it should be implemented differently, as described above.

You can offer Feedback to Apple if you would like it changed.

click here ➜ Feedback - iPhone - Apple

I also believe WiFi Assist is possibly causing the problem. I recently started having this same issue.

Here's how it goes for me:

1. I disable WiFi in Settings--> WiFi
2. I disable Hotspot in Settings--> Hotspot
3. While Settings is open, usually within a minute, I watch them turn back on.

As LiveOnTheEdge suggested, I turned off WiFi Assist. The behavior stopped.

Here's what I think is going on (it's just an educated guess):

WiFi Assist monitors both your WiFi and Cellular connections. If your WiFi signal is weak, it will attempt to switch over to cellular.

My current situation is this:

My power has been out for 2 days because of a snow storm, so I have no WiFi. On top of that, the cellular signal is always poor. My suspicion is that WiFi Assist also works the other way. And when my devices think the cellular signal is to poor it turns on WiFi to try that option.

That conjecture could be totally wrong, however, turning off WiFi Assist in:

• Settings--> Cellular Data
• Scroll to the bottom of that page
• Disable (Turn Off) WiFi Assist

The problem has gone away.

When all of the possible, and even the improbable possibilities have been rule out, the impossible must be questioned.