Wifi and bluetooth turns on after turning off airplane mode

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Level 1

8 points

Wifi and bluetooth turns on after turning off airplane mode

I only use my iPhone 5s device for data, so when i’m not using the internet i turn airplane mode on to save battery.

The problem began when i upgraded to ios 11.0.2! everytime i turn airplane mode off to use cellular data, wifi and bluetooth turns on with it!! even if they were off before turning airplane mode on!!!

so each time i turn airplane mode off from the control center, i have to turn off wifi and bluetooth too which is kind of annoying!!

I hope there is a reason for this and i expect apple to explain or fix this issue

i’ve also heard even when you turn off wifi and bluetooth they don’t comepletely turn off which is bad news for battery life and privacy!

Posted on Oct 9, 2017 6:44 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

rose_10

Community Specialist

Oct 10, 2017 11:27 AM in response to Bobback

Hello and welcome to Apple Support Communities Bobback,

I see that you're having an issue with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth turning on after updating to iOS 11.0.2. I can understand your concern and I'd be happy to help.

What you're experiencing with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth after the iOS 11 update, is expected behavior. If you turn off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth from the Control Center, it only disconnects you from the network you're currently connected to. If you want to disable Wi-Fi or Bluetooth you still would need to do that through your settings. The following article will help:

Use Bluetooth and Wi-Fi in Control Center with iOS 11
Thank you for using Apple Support Communities.
Have a great day!

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Answer 2

Philly_Phan

Level 7

20,737 points

Oct 17, 2017 10:11 AM in response to Bobback

Bobback wrote:

...now please turn airplane mode off again. what do you see?? the wifi and bluetooth turns on!!!

Oh, I misunderstood. Naturally, both WiFi and BT will turn on when Airplane Mode is turned off. That's by design and it's the only logical way to operate. You will not save any measurable power by keeping them off. However, if you still wish to do so, go to Settings > WiFi and Settings > Bluetooth and turn them off from there.

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Answer 3

Philly_Phan

Level 7

20,737 points

Oct 17, 2017 10:04 AM in response to Bobback

Well, first of all, WiFi and Bluetooth don't use any measurable battery power when they're simply on because the only thing that they're doing is listening. However, if you really want to use Airplane Mode in this manner, you need to turn it on once and then turn off WiFi/BT. The iPhone will remember that and now you can toggle Airplane off/on and each time it goes on, WiFi/BT will be off.

I'm not certain but you might have to go to 11.03.

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Answer 4

Philly_Phan

Level 7

20,737 points

Oct 17, 2017 1:06 PM in response to Bobback

Bobback wrote:

If by the "first touch" you mean swiping up the control center, its the same for both instances and therefore you can ignore it.

If that's valid, then we can also ignore the touch to access Settings and allege that procedure to be only two touches total.

Bobback wrote:

you mentioned :

" WiFi and Bluetooth don't use any measurable battery power when they're simply on because the only thing that they're doing is listening."

maybe for someone who has enough access to power, its no big deal, but for some other people that very little amount matters!

Then set a short "go to sleep" timer because WiFi turns off when the iPhone goes to sleep OR turn them off in Settings.

Bobback wrote:

Even if we ignore battery life, what do you say about security?

Also what about when i have both access to cellular data and WiFi but i want to use cellular data and not WiFi?

Well, cellular data transfer is much slower, significantly less secure and uses substantially more power. If that's what you want, keep WiFi off (via Settings) and go for it.

Bobback wrote:

with this logical situation IOS 11 created for us, when i switch airplane mode off, both cellular data and WiFi will be active!

Not if you've turned WiFi off in Settings.

Bobback wrote:

whats gonna happen do they fight with each other over which connects first?

They don't fight. If both are available, a WiFi connection has priority because it's faster, more secure and uses less power.

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Answer 5

Bobback Author

Level 1

8 points

Oct 17, 2017 10:35 AM in response to Philly_Phan

Dear Philly,

Before IOS 11 this was not an issue! When I turned off airplane mode from the control center since there was no cellular data toggle choice in control center , and cellular data was activated in settings from before and iPhone remembered that it was on, I could go straight to using the internet nice and easy and no WfFi/BT would toggle by itself!!

How come It was not the only logical way to operate back then and suddenly it is now ???!!!

I believe this issue relates to the fact that WiFi/BT don't turn off for real when you switch it off from the control center, just because some people might need to use airdrop or apple watch!!!

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Answer 6

Bobback Author

Level 1

8 points

Nov 4, 2017 1:47 AM in response to rose_10

Hello Sarah the specialist,

you did not answer the main question,

Maybe I didn't explain well enough or you didn't read my question carefully, or just maybe you don't have an answer for my question!

either way, I try to explain better :

I have two cell phones, one is only for making calls and sending text messages the other is an iPhone which i use just like an iPod with the difference of being able to use cellular data. so just like when you turn off your iPod's wifi when you don't need to use the internet, I turn my iPhone's airplane mode on when i don't use the internet. why should we do this? to save battery of course.

now if you have an iPhone with IOS 11.0.x , which i suppose you do since you are apple support, i ask you to first turn your wifi and bluetooth off from the control center and then turn cellular data off and finally turn airplane mode on. now please turn airplane mode off again. what do you see?? the wifi and bluetooth turns on!!!

This is my problem. why?? why do wifi and bluetooth turn on by turning airplane mode off?

Maybe I don't want them to be on!! I just want cellular data to be on so that i can use the internet but i don't want to use neither bluetooth or wifi.

Please give me a reasonable answer or tell them to fix it

Thanks

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Answer 7

Bobback Author

Level 1

8 points

Oct 17, 2017 11:22 AM in response to Philly_Phan

So ... Before, I could have access to the internet with ONE touch, Now I do it with THREE toggles and that's considered as improvement!!!

I did not ask you to describe your blind love for apple in one sentence, I asked for a reasonable explanation!

Since you are not even an apple employee, you don't have to answer for them.

I hope at least those fancy points has some benefit for you!

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Answer 8

Philly_Phan

Level 7

20,737 points

Oct 17, 2017 11:28 AM in response to Bobback

First, it could never be done in a single touch unless you’re not counting the first touch. Second, since there is no valid reason to ever turn WiFi and BT off, the 3-step procedure through Settings is no big deal.

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Answer 9

Bobback Author

Level 1

8 points

Oct 17, 2017 11:53 AM in response to Philly_Phan

If by the "first touch" you mean swiping up the control center, its the same for both instances and therefore you can ignore it.

there is a strongly valid reason which i mentioned before : saving battery

you mentioned :

" WiFi and Bluetooth don't use any measurable battery power when they're simply on because the only thing that they're doing is listening."

maybe for someone who has enough access to power, its no big deal, but for some other people that very little amount matters!

Even if we ignore battery life, what do you say about security?

Also what about when i have both access to cellular data and WiFi but i want to use cellular data and not WiFi?

with this logical situation IOS 11 created for us, when i switch airplane mode off, both cellular data and WiFi will be active! whats gonna happen do they fight with each other over which connects first?

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Answer 10

Philly_Phan

Level 7

20,737 points

Oct 17, 2017 11:11 AM in response to Bobback

Quite simply, Apple is continually improving its products and that’s why IOS-11 is much better than IOS-10.

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Answer 11

Nov 4, 2017 1:45 AM in response to Philly_Phan

Ha ha, hilarious. You’re being ironic, right? It’s totally inefficient and it takes all these extra steps. And it actually is a huge issue for both security, and yes, actual battery life.

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Answer 12

deggie

Level 10

167,559 points

Nov 3, 2017 6:00 PM in response to bk_oakland

1. It doesn't take a "lot" of extra steps and you can easily do so in less than a second.

2. It is even faster if you go "Hey Siri turn off WiFi"

3. Or you can hold down the home button then say, "Turn off WiFi"

4. It is not a security issue at all and is a marginal battery impact. Both of those arguments are Old Geeks Tales.

5. For those of us that use HomeKit devices (something Apple is pushing for the future) or happen to be at a place where the router isn't working up to snuff it is nice to be able to disconnect rather than turn WiFi off and then back in. A huge improvement.

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