Personal Hotspot Not Working on iPhone 11? Try These 7 Fixes (Settings, Resets + More)

1. Restart Both Phones

If your iPhone 11’s Personal Hotspot isn’t working, first perform a soft reset as follows:

1. Press and hold the Side and Volume Up buttons until the ‘Slide to Power Off‘ bar appears.
2. Swipe the bar to turn off your device.
3. Wait 30 seconds, then press the Side button until the Apple logo appears.

Next, enable Personal Hotspot:

1. Go to Settings > Personal Hotspot.
2. Toggle ‘Allow Others to Join‘ to ON.
3. Note or change the default hotspot password.

Alternatively, activate the hotspot through Settings > Cellular > Personal Hotspot. Now your hotspot should be working, and you can choose your preferred connection type: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or USB.

2. Turn Wi-Fi off and on.

Minor flaws affecting the phone’s wireless feature can also be the underlying cause and therefore must be ruled out as well. The easiest way to clear out random Wi-Fi connection errors on an iPhone is by turning the Wi-Fi switch off for a few seconds and then back on again.

1. Tap Settings from your Home screen.
2. Select Wi-Fi.
3. Tap the Wi-Fi switch to the OFF position.
4. After about 30 seconds, tap the switch again to turn Wi-Fi back ON.

If the other device is a smartphone, then you should do the same thing to refresh its wireless function.

3. Change the name of your iPhone.

Check for network naming conflicts by changing your iPhone 11’s name. This helps ensure your other device connects to the correct Wi-Fi network.

1. From the Home screen, tap Settings.
2. Tap General.
3. Tap About.
4. Next, tap the first line that shows the name of your device.
5. Change the name of your device to your desired name then tap Done when finished. 

The recent changes and the new name of your iPhone will then be saved.

4. Reset network settings to fix Personal Hotspot that’s not working on your iPhone 11.

Reset the network settings on your iPhone 11 to resolve potential configuration issues affecting the Personal Hotspot feature. This will erase your network configurations but won’t affect internal data. No need to back up files beforehand.

1. From the Home screen, tap on Settings.
2. Select General.
3. Scroll down and tap on Reset.
4. Tap Reset Network Settings from the given options.
5. Enter your passcode if prompted to continue.
6. Confirm action by tapping on Reset Network Settings again. 

When the reset is finished, your phone restarts automatically and then loads up the default network configurations. This denotes the need for you to set up and enable your Wi-Fi networks and other relevant features including cellular data and personal hotspot.

5. Update your iPhone software to the latest version available.

System bugs and malwares can also affect your phone’s wireless connectivity features and may be the main reason why personal hotspot isn’t working on your device. To address bug-inflicted issues, updating the device software is usually needed. That said, follow these steps to check for available iOS update to download and install on your iPhone:

1. From the Home screen, tap Settings.
2. Select General.
3. Tap Software Update.

You will see an iOS update notification if a new version is available. Be sure to review the information to determine what the update is for and what new features it brings. Then follow the onscreen prompts to proceed with the iOS update downloading and installation process.

6. Erase your iPhone and set it up as new.

Perform a factory reset to eliminate complex system errors affecting the Personal Hotspot feature. This will erase all data, so ensure you back up important files before proceeding.

1. From the Home screen, tap Settings.
2. Select General.
3. Scroll down and tap on Reset.
4. Select the option to Erase all content and settings. This will erase everything from your iPhone system including all saved data on the internal memory.
5. Enter your device passcode if prompted to continue.
6. Then tap the option to confirm that you want to erase your device.

Software-related issues, particularly major system errors are usually addressed by a factory reset. To find out if that fixes your iPhone’s personal hotspot problem, retry sharing internet from your iPhone 11 to your other device using personal hotspot. Be sure to enable personal hotspot and cellular features on your iPhone and Wi-Fi feature on your other device.

7. Is Personal Hotspot still not working on your iPhone 11?

If the hotspot still isn’t working, consult your carrier or internet service provider for potential network issues or restrictions on hotspot services. Be aware of possible data charges and discuss terms with your carrier. For advanced troubleshooting, contact Apple Support.

How to Turn on Hotspot on iPhone 11

Turning on the Personal Hotspot feature on an iPhone 11 involves a series of steps. Below is a step-by-step tutorial to guide you through the process:

Step 1: Unlock Your iPhone 11

• Start by unlocking your iPhone 11 to access the home screen.

Step 2: Open Settings

• Locate and tap the “Settings” app, usually represented by a gear icon.

Step 3: Access Cellular Data Options

• Scroll down and tap on “Cellular” or “Mobile Data,” depending on your region.

Step 4: Tap on “Personal Hotspot”

• In the Cellular or Mobile Data menu, tap on “Personal Hotspot.”

Step 5: Toggle On Personal Hotspot

• You’ll see a toggle next to “Allow Others to Join.” Flip the switch to turn it green, activating the Personal Hotspot feature.

Step 6: Configure Hotspot Settings

• Optionally, you can tap on “Wi-Fi Password” to set a custom password for your Personal Hotspot. This makes sure that only users who know the password can connect to your Hotspot.

Step 7: Confirm Your Action

• A message may pop up, confirming your decision to turn on Personal Hotspot. Accept and proceed.

Step 8: Verify the Activation

• Once activated, you’ll notice a blue bar at the top of your iPhone’s screen, indicating that the Personal Hotspot is on and functioning.

Step 9: Connect Other Devices

• On the device you want to connect, go to the Wi-Fi settings, find your iPhone’s name in the list of available networks, and connect by entering the password you set.

Step 10: Test the Connection

• Once the other device is connected, try browsing or performing some online activity to ensure the Personal Hotspot is functioning as expected.

And that’s it! You’ve successfully set up and activated the Personal Hotspot feature on your iPhone 11.