Personal Hotspot is greyed out after upgrading to iOS 17!

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

Did you get the solution for this?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Same issue - no imessage facetime

no hotspot also since os upgrade

is there a fix

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.

Try and see if you need to install a carrier settings update

1. Make sure that your device is connected to Wi-Fi or a cellular network.
2. Tap Settings > General > About.
3. Follow the onscreen instructions to install your carrier update.

I had the same Iphone and the same issue , moreover I had my phone number (which originally used when I first bought this Iphone associate with it) is unavailable for Imessage and Facetime

This has happened to me too. You may have to turn WiFi off. For some reason, you need mobile data to hotspot. Even if you have mobile connection and no WiFi connection, you must turn WiFi off, or disable it for one day in Control Center.

Your statement is irrelevant and false, it is an issue with the iPhone. I had the same sim in my Android before and have always turned on the hotspot with ease. I shifted to iPhone a few weeks back and just realised i can’t turn on my hotspot.

I just noticed the Update 17.5 today and applied it. And .. it fixed my greyed out HOTSPOT… it back to business working now.

I updated to latest iOS 17.5 now. All good since. I got my hotspot option back. (Don’t forget to turn on your mobile data before you can use the hotspot). Good luck!