Having Wi-Fi and Bluetooth disabled on your iPhone can be incredibly frustrating. This issue prevents you from connecting to the internet and using wireless accessories. In this article, we’ll walk through the most common reasons why Wi-Fi and Bluetooth become stuck in the off position and provide step-by-step troubleshooting to get connectivity back up and running.
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Greyed Out
If the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth toggles are greyed out in Settings, this indicates there is a software issue preventing activation of your wireless radios. Here are a few things to try:
- Force restart your iPhone. This will restart your device and clear any software bugs.
- Reset network settings. This will erase all Wi-Fi networks and passwords but often resolves software issues.
- Update to the latest version of iOS. Apple may have fixed bugs affecting Wi-Fi and Bluetooth in a software update.
- Erase all content and settings. This will wipe your iPhone clean and reinstall iOS. Back up your device first.
Wi-Fi Connecting But No Internet Access
If your iPhone is able to turn Wi-Fi on and connect to networks but you can’t access the internet, try these steps:
- Forget the Wi-Fi network. This will clear any connection issues.
- Reset network settings.
- Make sure the router has a working internet connection. Test with another device.
- Try manually configuring the IP address.
Bluetooth Not Finding Accessories
If your Bluetooth is on but not detecting accessories like speakers or a car kit, try these steps:
- Forget the Bluetooth connection on the accessory.
- Reset network settings.
- Make sure the accessory is turned on and in pairing mode.
- Confirm the accessory’s firmware is up to date.
- Keep the accessory and iPhone close together.
- Erase all content and settings.
Redditor’s Relatable Story
One redditor described doing a network reset, total reset, and restarting their phone to try to fix their Wi-Fi and Bluetooth issues. This is a relatable experience for many iPhone owners. We rely on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth so much that when they stop working, it can be incredibly frustrating.
Troubleshooting malfunctioning Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on an iPhone can be tedious, but usually the issue can be resolved through resetting network settings, updating iOS, unpairing and repairing accessories, and erasing and restoring the iPhone to factory defaults if necessary.
If you’ve tried all of the above steps and your Wi-Fi or Bluetooth is still not working, you may need to contact Apple support for further assistance.
Additional Tips
- Check that other devices can connect to the same Wi-Fi router and Bluetooth accessories to isolate the issue to your iPhone.
- If you’re using a VPN, try disabling it to see if that resolves the issue.
- If you’re using a case or other accessory on your iPhone, try removing it to see if that makes a difference.