Personal Hotspot is greyed out after upgrading to iOS 17!

Hi All,

Same issue happend to me. After i did follwing steps, i can now.

1. Goto Settings --> Cellular --> Cellular Data --> Cellular Data Network
2. at Personal Hotspot section, key in APN, Username and Password. (any should be fine)

Personal hotspot should show on Settings. you can change pw there and SSID is your device name.

Cheers.

This happens to me now to after upgrade to iOS 17.4.1. (iPhone11) Optus carrier.

I now lost the hotspot option (greyed out) and cannot turn on/off. I read forums it was carrier option so I swapped out sim between my other android phone (Vodaphone)

the issue remained in Iphone 11. and my android can hotspot on both Optus and Vodaphone simm. Definitely iOS related.

I could not find any way of setting it back. please help

Guys i discovered by accident how to fix this. Had this problem also.

Personal HotSpot was greyed out and also couldn't find it in settings.

Go to Cellular -> Cellular Data Network -> Scroll down to Personal Hotspot -> insert a username and password. The problem should be solved.

I’m using iPhone 14 plus after an update of 17.5.1, my hotspot button greyed out and i tried resetting my network settings but no result.

mine doesn’t work. It’s not a carrier issue, I had it on my iOS 16. I just did the upgrade to iOS 17 and I can’t find it anywhere.

the hotspot feature on the drop down wifi quick access menu is greyed out as well and I can’t find it on my MacBook anymore. It used to be automatic access.

Did you get the solution for this?

This is clearly an iOS defect. I ended up giving up on iOS. In India, no carrier is aware what settings iOS is expecting. Also on the same plan Hotspot works on Android clearly indicating that hotspot works on the carrier (Airtel, Jio) and apple is lying blaming the carriers.

My carrier Airtel told me they provide data quota to the device. What I do with the data is up to me and as this is working on other phones, they are not in control of this. Had this been not in my plan, Android would have stopped working. All above steps do not work.

I ended up buying a galaxy.

Personal hotspot is provided by your Cellular Service Provider and not by Apple Inc.

It's not always the iOS update's fault! Many things can cause phone problems. If you tell people you think it's an iOS update, it might make it harder to fix the real issue.

Remember, the right question often leads to the solution!

The Hotspot is a Carrier Specific feature. Contact your Carrier (Cellular Service Provider), the agency that issued the SIM / eSIM to you.

To activate this feature for the SIM card you are using, it is imperative to reach out to your respective mobile carrier. Contacting your carrier allows you to seamlessly enable the hotspot on your device, ensuring optimal compatibility and performance. Moreover, it is advisable to inquire about any potential limitations associated with using the hotspot feature.

Different carriers may impose specific restrictions or offer varying levels of accessibility, such as data usage caps or speed limitations. Understanding these nuances ensures a smooth and informed experience when utilizing the hotspot functionality on your iPhone. Therefore, for a comprehensive understanding of the capabilities and constraints related to your specific carrier, direct communication with them is highly recommended.

See the Pic below the Hotspot is made available based on the Mobile Data selected and the feature that is enabled by the Carrier

Please see the pic below to make it clearer that Hotspot is enabled by a Carrier on one SIM and not by the other Carrier in the same iPhone (Dual SIM).

Use these steps first

Restart the iPhone or iPad that provides Personal Hotspot and the other device that needs to connect to Personal Hotspot. Make sure that you have the latest version of iOS. On the iPhone or iPad that provides Personal Hotspot, go to Settings > General > Reset, then tap Reset Network Settings.

If Personal Hotspot is not working on your iPhone or iPad (Wi-Fi

Also, check the following

1. Network coverage and stability
2. Data Balance
3. On your windows (See if WiFi Auto Joins is enabled)
4. Also, check if you have any stronger WiFi signal around your computer.

Ask the Carrier to change the SIM if nothing works.

What I understand in this particular problem in ios 17 is that, until & unless we 'switch on' our cellular data the hotspot option remains greyed out. I think its not a glitch but a new ui development.

But i must say that the amount of bugs has increased in recent ios updates, some of my installed apps was not listed under the notifications list. I had to reinstall those apps. It is very surprising & unfortunate!

Same issue - no imessage facetime

no hotspot also since os upgrade

is there a fix

thanks but this didn't help me. Must be a bug within IOS 17 :(

iPhone 13 max pro, iOS 17.6.1

This is what resolved the issue for me (thanks to those providing the solution!): Go to settings -> Mobile Service -> Mobile Data Network, then scroll down to personal hotspot and set APN, username and password. The hotspot icon should be enabled afterwards.

This entailed copying all the APN details previously provided automatically by my carrier and putting them in manually again PLUS the hotspot details at the bottom of the frame (APN for hotspot is the same as the internet APN further up).

I had the same issue before. In iOS 17, Personal Hotspot remains greyed out unless Cellular Data is switched on. Make sure it’s enabled first.

Also, check your Carrier Settings to ensure your carrier supports Personal Hotspot and that your plan includes it. If necessary, manually enter the APN details:

1. Go to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Network.
2. Scroll down to Personal Hotspot and enter the APN, username, and password.

How to set up a Personal Hotspot on your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support

Hi bronzelee,

Thanks for posting in Apple Support Communities. Personal Hotspot is a carrier-provided feature so making sure that it's a part of your current wireless plan may be the best place to start. Additionally, the guidance from If Personal Hotspot is not working on your iPhone or iPad (Wi-Fi + Cellular) may help further. Start with the following section and check out the rest of the article if unresolved.

"Use these steps first

Try connecting to Personal Hotspot again after each step.

1. Check that Personal Hotspot is turned on in Settings > Personal Hotspot. If you can't find or turn on Personal Hotspot, check that your wireless carrier enabled it and that your wireless plan supports it.
2. Restart the iPhone or iPad that provides Personal Hotspot and the other device that needs to connect to Personal Hotspot. 
3. Make sure that you have the latest version of iOS or iPadOS.
4. On the iPhone or iPad that provides Personal Hotspot, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset [Device] > Reset, then tap Reset Network Settings. This also resets Wi-Fi networks and passwords, cellular settings, and VPN and APN settings that you've used before.

Use the following steps for more help with Personal Hotspot over Wi-Fi or USB."

Take care.

Hi, I believe if you follow this steps its gonna help.

1. Goto Settings --> Cellular --> Cellular Data --> Cellular Data Network
2. at Personal Hotspot section, key in APN, Username and Password. (any should be fine)