WiFi turns on by itself on my iPhone

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

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.

So let's say you have a remembered network for both your home and work, and let's say you are at work and 'disconnect' WiFi at work through the control menu (not settings), it will remain 'on' in the background. Then when you get home and it recognizes your home network, WiFi 'connects' to your home network as it assumes you probably want your WiFi on at home. Or any other 'known' network for that matter. (This is the auto-join feature).

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

Your information is wrong. Apple has an auto-join feature, which turns WiFi on at regular intervals even when it is manually turned off by the user.

To disable auto-join and prevent your wifi from turning on by itself, go to settings>wifi>edit (at the top right of screen), then go through your auto-join networks and toggle auto-join off. This should prevent your wifi from toggling on, and you may need to change these settings manually again after software updates, as it seems auto-join is the default for Apple.

There are two sections/types of networks here. 1. Known networks, which is a surprisingly long list if you've never reviewed it before, and includes many wifis you may regularly join at hotels, salons, coffee shops, etc. 2. Managed networks which is your mobile carrier. This allows your carrier to join their own mobile hotspots, and you must opt in for a private wifi address in these settings, which will limit your carrier's ability to recognize you and switch to their wifi, but if you don't want to be switched to networks at all just toggle off auto join here too.

Notphil666 wrote:

Rulebreaker15, very helpful i was able to stop what is happening. Phil clearly doesnt understand and should stop responding to this thread

I just tested out. I turned off Wi-Fi yesterday from Settings on my iPhone, not Control Center. Woke up today, and its still turned off.

What exactly don't I understand?

Also, you have no right asking me to stop posting in this thread. I will continue to do so, as its a public forum where anyone can post in any thread as long as they adhere to the rules of the forum.

I stand by what I say, turning it off from Settings will keep it off regardless of what happens.

Nobody in this thread has proven it will not do so yet. Everybody keeps going on in these tangents about the auto-Joining and other unrelated stuff.

When Wi-Fi is actually turned off, you cannot even see the Auto Join option. If you see the Auto-Join option, Wi-Fi is not turned off.

I think people assuming I don't understand, are the ones not understanding.

konstantina148 wrote:

I have the same problem. I had an update and after this the iphone was automatically connected to wifi by the touch in the morning while at night i am turning it off. Any solution? Cheers

Turn if off in Settings and it will not turn on again.

Using the option in Control Center, does not and will not ever turn off Wi-Fi. It merely disconnects from the current Wi-Fi network and will not connect to it another network until after 5 AM the next day, or if you leave the current location. This has been the case for multiple iOS versions. This did not just change recently.

click here ➜ Use Bluetooth and Wi-Fi in Control Center - Apple Support

It's in Apple's description of the feature, always has been:

Use Bluetooth and Wi-Fi in Control Center - Apple Support

This particular document was first published October 13, 2023.

rulebreaker15 wrote:

Your information is wrong. Apple has an auto-join feature, which turns WiFi on at regular intervals even when it is manually turned off by the user.

No, your information is wrong.

If you turn the switch off from SETTINGS, it STAYS OFF and will not connect to anything anymore.

If you turn it off from Control Center, then yes, it set to turn on again as explained already after 5 AM the next day, or when you leave the current location.

CONTROL CENTER and the SETTINGS app are 2 different locations. Turn it off correctly and it will stay off.

To disable auto-join and prevent your wifi from turning on by itself, go to settings>wifi>edit (at the top right of screen), then go through your auto-join networks and toggle auto-join off.

This only applies when WI-FI is turned on. If its turned off, Auto-Join does nothing.

If Wi-Fi is already turned on, then Auto-Join makes the iPhone connect a Wi-Fi network it has previously connected to in the past if its in range of it, so you don't have to manually do it.

It has nothing to do with turning on or off Wi-Fi.

The switch in settings Turns OFF Wi-Fi and will not connect to any network whether known or unknown even if the Auto-Join switch is turned on.

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.

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

Hardtofinduniqueusername wrote:

I think the WiFi switch-on is associated with using phone as HotSpot then it defaults to WiFi and fires up the WiFi without being asked. It’s not obvious how to disable this.

The fact that Apple, a company that is extremely security-minded, does a lot of things to encourage you not to turn off WiFi might tell you something. Leaving WiFi on doesn't make your phone vulnerable. Leaving it on has a negligible effect on your battery. Turning it off, on the other hand, may have a noticeable effect on the accuracy of location services.

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Battery Drain and oth… - Apple Community

If there is no address it may be possible your Wi-Fi hardware has failed.

Make an appointment to have your phone examined:

Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple

or contact Apple Support directly:

Contact - Official Apple Support