WiFi in iOS 11 keeps turning on

They created another step to turn it off. Apple claims this change is "handy" and it is not.

That is your opinion and you are entitled to it. Ask Siri to turn off wifi and it's fewer steps than before.

Lots of others people claim it is handy. Now you can keep Bluetooth and wifi "on" for various other reasons without also being actively connected to a network or device. It's less effort to achieve more.

As noted, we care not about your opinion. We can't effect change. We are fellow users.

We have tried to explain why this changed and you don't care. So be it.

Feedback for Apple goes here >>> http://apple.com/feedback

lianafromjakarta wrote:

Off course wifi does not drains battery, what does, iis if the phone keeps searching for wifi all the time while there isnt any available.... That why I would like to turn wife off when I cant rely on any wifi at some moments or places

Even though you see a spinning wheel, the power used is simply insignificant. What really uses battery power is your cellular radio. But both Wifi and Bluetooth radios are extremely low power consumers, especially when not actively connected to a network or device. We're talking milliwatts. That's really nothing to be concerned about.

And if you want to turn them off as has been explained over and over and over and over and over, TURN THEM OFF. That function has not been taken from you in any way shape or form.

vbbr wrote:

Moreover, you cannot deny that turning it off completely saves some battery power. If it is disabled, iOS will keep searching for known wifi spots to reconnect to. For older iPhones, every ounce of processing power saved is a plus.

As Michael says, that battery savings is negligible. If your battery is running down so fast that turning off WiFi is crucial, it's time to replace your battery. Depending on your phone, that could be as low as $29 until the end of the year.

But, nothing is preventing you from turning off WiFi, if that's what you prefer to do. Prior to implementing this feature, however, there was no way to do what many people need to do: disconnect from a network without turning off WiFi (resulting in decreased location accuracy and a need to remember to turn WiFi back on) or deleting the network entirely (now, that was annoying!).

Actually, if you’re using the Control Center, it never went off. I highly recommend that you read the updated User Guide.

macOS Feedback

<https://www.apple.com/feedback/macos.html>

They will not reply, but it does get read.

if everyone that thinks this is annoying sends feedback, the weight of many similar reports will more likely have an effect. If only one person does it, it will be buried in the ton of other feedback.

Andrastay wrote:

Without a return to the old way it will affect my new phone purchas in 6 months. I just cant have my battery loosing power like this.

Neither WiFi nor Bluetooth use measurable amounts of power unless they are actively connected to a network or to devices. And then you want them on to take advantage of the connections. And, BTW, WiFi is turned off whenever the phone is asleep, so turning it off manually is redundant. So if the only reason you are giving up iPhones is because you think they do, you think wrongly. But enjoy whatever phone you get. I'm sure you will have zero problems with it.

Whether you did it that way before, or you like or don't like it now is not going to change reality. You have to option to provide feedback to Apple if you don't like it, however only Apple can change it. None of here have that ability, since we don't work for Apple. Given the current design of things, you are going to have to change your habits if you wish to turn wi-fi and/or Bluetooth off completely.

There is a misunderstanding. People are ranting and raving here that the switches don't do what they are supposed to do. Well, that is wrong. They are doing exactly what they were designed to do. However, it is the change that people don't like. They are making the assumption they are broken and not doing what they are supposed to do. While I am not faulting people for not liking the change, the fact is that ranting about it here does not affect anything, except to get everyone involved irritated. Apple does not participate here, and if you really wish to see a change, people should be going to the feedback page and ranting to Apple there. For right now, people's behavior has to change to get the same result they were used to. And as far as simplicity is concerned, I understand the philosophy that Apple has, and I also understand why they made the change. I also feel that the change made fits in with the former CEO's view of how things should operate. However, that is my opinion, and I don't expect you to accept it.

It's not a security concern.

If you want to shut it off, go to settings and shut it off.

It doesn't magically turn itself on, it's off.

Control Center now does the infinitely more useful job of disconnecting from the currently associated device; I must use this new functionality about four or five times a day.

Dr_Gorgeous wrote:

I also think it’s a stretch to suggest this is “infinitely more useful” - did you see the 900+ “me too” number associated with this post?

It’s not more useful to most people.

You can't possibly say that, as people don't come here to post that they love the new feature.

However everyone I personally know who knows about it loves it as we've all had to go into Settings and turn off Wi-Fi and turn it back on later because a store or restaurant has a flaky Wi-Fi router or one completely disconnected from the Internet. That's not "proof" of course, but it's a data point. (Also, if your earlier comment was referencing me, I never insulted your intelligence, I just stated the way the button works is very, very convenient for most as most people have experienced having to dump the current connection for the reason I mentioned.)

By the way, the 900+ count is for readers who had the same question, it isn't the number of people who don't like the new behavior.

Do you work overnight? It is now clear that Apple does turn both radios back on at 5 AM local time, even if you shut it off in "Settings."

generaluwf wrote:

Agreed, but the problem is if I jump on a network to download something then turn off WiFi, my phone still sees that connection as a safe network and remembers it.

And that's why the setting on CC is so useful. You don't have to turn off WiFi, you don't have to forget the network, you just disconnect. If the network is not secure, you should have never connected to it in the first place. Also, you're phone isn't connected to a captive portal network such as Starbucks until you go in and log in. It doesn't connect automatically.

My phone stays disconnected from a network until 5a the next morning. If your phone is reconnecting every two minutes, it's not working correctly.

You keep reiterating over and over how your experience is vastly greater due to the seemingly brilliant practicality of apples change, yet you fail to understand that the core function and what it used to be which is now gone. This does NOT enhance a product but rather detracts from progressing a great user experience. No. Instead you defend apple like a zealot without obsessing on how other customers are adversely being affected. I can't tell if you're blindly devote or a troll just trying to rack up *points by responding to everyone you disagree with on this forum.

The setting in CC used to shut wifi completely off. This functioned as expected and iOS never interfered with this change. iOS in itself isn't perfect. It's wifi functionality is sub-par. For example: the auto-join feature used to not exist. It does now. This is great! but it pales in comparison to simple granularities in MacOSX. Preferred networks is not an iOS feature and that lack of consistency across Apple devices frustrating, but I digress.

Apple has diminished the utility of a formerly functioning WiFi setting. We now have an option that could otherwise be separated. I mean, it SEEMINGLY is. How? I've noticed that the CC Wifi icon has 3 modes. Wifi Enabled (connected) \ Wifi disconnected \ Wifi shut-off (strike-through wifi icon). The fact that the latter was replaced with the second was a horrible mistake. As far as the utility of turning wifi ON via CC, it sure as **** is there, but It's beyond me why the **** apple (in their right mind) would **** up the reverse order. In order to to the strike-through, you must unlock and disable via settings.

If i'm commuting or otherwise riding my bicycle, I'd shut wifi off via CC. I now can no longer do this. I have to unlock, go to settings, and shut it off. Instead I'd assume (with this update) that it was indeed off, but I'd later find my battery drained more than expected. Turning radio's off saves battery life especially for folks who’re active outside and away from devices they need not to scan or connect to. Or perhaps Apple wants us to all be like you. Always connected to nearby non-cellular radio so we can rave about how great their product is in their forums…

But that's just it; having Wi-Fi on doesn't appreciably drain the battery any longer.

Yes, it no longer works how it used to, but dropping the current connection is something most users do much more often than completely disable Wi-Fi, plus there is still an easy way to shut off Wi-Fi, via Settings.

There was no way to just drop the current connection previously; you had to shut off Wi-Fi and remember to turn it back on later.

Can you point out anywhere here where Apple has officially commented?

As to why the change was made, my guess is that Homekit had a lot to do with it. As was previously pointed out, Apple provided NO way to disconnect from a WiFi site or Bluetooth device without either turning off WiFi or Bluetooth, which is overkill, or Forgetting the device/connection, also overkill. If one chose the option to turn off WiFi for instance then when you went home and tried to use the Home app to control your lighting, locks, thermostat, etc., nothing worked. Then people would call AppleCare or come here asking how to fix it. The fix was to turn it back on.

So isn't it much simpler if I go to a coffee shop that has WiFi but it is running slow that day due to the 55 students in there studying for their test to be able to just disconnect from their WiFi (I want to be able to use it later when there are no tests coming up so I don't want to Forget It) and when I get home I auto connect to my WiFi and all my Homekit devices work?

rbrylawski wrote:

It's perhaps the smartest move Apple has made with Wifi/Bluetooth functionality, like EVER!

Absolutely! It adds a valuable feature, without removing any existing capability.

• To disconnect from the current network, Swipe up for Control Center and tap Wi-Fi.
• To shut off Wi-Fi completely, either:
  • Tap Settings, Tap Wi-Fi, turn off
  • Say "Hey Siri, turn off Wi-Fi"
  • hold the HOME button and say "Turn off Wi-Fi"

It's about the same amount of effort for any operation the user wishes. And you get a choice of oerartions.