Why is Bluetooth have to be on for my Hotspot to work?

Ok i am lost here. I am using an Iphone 14 as a hot spot with my Macbook Air M1 connecting thru the Wifi to get internet. But when i turn off Bluetooth the internet stops working. Ive read turn off Bluetooth tethering ? But i cannot find any way on my up to date Iphone 14 to do this. Id love to turn off Bluetooth and still be able to use my Iphone as my hotspot as the battery lasts longer and im connecting with my macbook air M1 to Iphone via Wifi. So why do i have to have Bluetooth on ?

This is weird.

With the Bluetooth on and wifi on. It works perfect. My laptop works off the Iphones hotspot perfect. But i just dont get why I have to have the battery bleeding Bluetooth on at the same time.

iPhone 14

Posted on Jul 15, 2026 5:00 PM

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Lawrence Finch

Community+ 2026

Level 10

237,756 points

Posted on Jul 15, 2026 6:05 PM

You're are mistaken. There is no such thing as battery bleeding Bluetooth. Bluetooth uses practically no energy, and there never any reason to turn Bluetooth off. When not connected Bluetooth uses ZERO energy, and when connected it use 10 milliwatts or less. The cellular connection that you are using as the connection for your hotspot uses 500 milliwatts to 1,000 milliwatts, depending on signal strength. The Wi-Fi you are using consumes 30 milliwatts, so the reason the battery drains faster when using the hotspot is the cellular network connection, not Bluetooth, not Wi-Fi.

If you don’t leave Bluetooth on all the time your chance of finding a lost iPhone is pretty close to zero.

I suspect that Bluetooth is the control channel for the hotspot, which is why it must be on. But, as I said, you should leave it on all the time.

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19 replies

Bob Timmons

Level 10

191,954 points

Jul 15, 2026 7:49 PM in response to Scooby9261

Well so far the one thing ive been told is i need to turn off Bluetooth tethering.

Well, where in this thread has anyone told you to turn off Bluetooth tethering?

Jul 16, 2026 8:47 AM in response to Lawrence Finch

Lawrence Finch wrote:

Except he said it was one giant turtle stand on the backs of 4 elephants.

I thought it was four elephants on a turtle? Or am I getting Pratchett and Hinduism confused?

Jul 16, 2026 8:52 AM in response to IdrisSeabright

You are correct

Jul 16, 2026 9:16 AM in response to Lawrence Finch

Lawrence Finch wrote:

You are correct

Turtles all the way down.....

I was just thinking last night that I should really, finally, read some Pratchett.

Why is Bluetooth have to be on for my Hotspot to work?