iPad Pro 11-inch (4th generation) Personal Hotspot not working

Hello everyone,


Recently, the Personal Hotspot feature stopped working on my iPad—it simply doesn’t appear in the settings (see the attached photo).


The SIM card is inserted, and mobile data is working. Previously, Personal Hotspot was working fine, but I suspect this issue started after a recent update.


I tried using a different SIM card, but the same problem persists. On an iPhone with the same SIM cards, Personal Hotspot works fine.


In the Control Center, the Personal Hotspot icon appears greyed out, and tapping on it does nothing.


I already tried resetting network settings on the iPad—didn’t help. Then I performed a full reset from a Mac computer—still no luck.


The iOS version is the latest one: 18.3.1.


Can someone check if Personal Hotspot is working on their iPad running iOS 18.3.1?


Does anyone have any ideas?



Posted on Mar 4, 2025 5:46 AM

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Mar 4, 2025 7:51 AM in response to Fearas38

If your iPad is not operating as expected, begin with a forced-restart of your iPad - as this will often clear an isolated software issue:


Force restart iPad (models with Face ID or with Touch ID in the top button)

If your iPad doesn’t have the Home button, do the following:

  1. Press and quickly release the volume button nearest to the top button.
  2. Press and quickly release the volume button farthest from the top button.
  3. Press and hold the top button.
  4. When the Apple logo appears, release the top button.




If the problem persists after performing the restart, it may be necessary to reset your iPads Network settings:

Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPad > Reset > Reset Network Settings


If the problem remains unresolved, a full reset of your iPads setting may be necessary. While this reset will not cause any loss of data, as a precaution, it is always wise to ensure that you have a current iCloud or iTunes backup before performing the reset:

How to back up your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support


When you are happy to proceed, you can perform the reset from iPad settings:

Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPad > Reset > Reset All Settings


If the problem still doesn’t clear, the next step is to reset the iPad to factory settings:

Restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod to factory settings - Apple Support


Otherwise, you would be best advised to seek assistance directly from Apple Support. You can contact the Support Team using the Support link at top-right or bottom-left of this page. Alternatively and perhaps easier, you can initiate and manage your support cases using the excellent Apple Support App. If not already installed on your iPad, the App can be downloaded from the App Store:

https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-support/id1130498044


You might also visit the Genius Bar at your local Apple Store or Apple Authorised Service Provider (AASP) - where the technicians will be able to test and assess your iPad - and you can explore your available options:

Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple




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Mar 4, 2025 12:23 PM in response to LotusPilot

I already mentioned above that I have tried everything, including a full reset.

What I also found out is that I contacted other iPad users, and they are also experiencing the same issue with Personal Hotspot not working.

This is not a carrier issue, it's a problem with iOS itself.

I'm attaching a photo of another iPad—it has a SIM card inserted, but Personal Hotspot is missing.

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Mar 4, 2025 6:14 AM in response to LotusPilot

I have tested all the SIM cards in my iPhone running iOS 18.3.1, and they all support the Personal Hotspot feature.


I think that, it doesn’t make sense that Personal Hotspot works on an iPhone with the same SIM card, but doesn’t work on an iPad with the exact same SIM card.

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Mar 4, 2025 6:45 AM in response to Fearas38

The majority of mobile phone SIMs are not correctly provisioned for use with tablet computers. If they work at all, they may not provide access to the full range of cellular services. This is not a limitation of the iPad, but of the Cellular network provider.


If using a physical SIM with iPad, you will require a DataSIM explicitly provisioned for iPad or mobile broadband (a.k.a. MiFi).


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Mar 4, 2025 7:16 AM in response to LotusPilot

I spoke with my cellular provider, and they confirmed that there are no restrictions, and everything should work on the iPad.


The thing is, a couple of months ago, everything was working fine with the same SIM card, so I don’t think the issue is with the provider. So, yes, the cellular plan supports tethering.

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iPad Pro 11-inch (4th generation) Personal Hotspot not working

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