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Auto-connect iPad to iPhone personal hotspot. How?

return2sendai

return2sendai

Suspended
Original poster
Oct 22, 2018
1,199
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iPad (WiFi only) and iPhone, both running 17.4. No tethering “connection“ issue. This is a tethering “auto-connection” issue.

I have tried multiple variations of the confusing Settings on both my iPhone and iPad to get my iPad to auto-connect to my iPhone’s Personal Hotspot.

But regardless, my iPhone just sits there in my iPad Settings waiting for me to tap on it.

Sometimes, my iPhone does auto-connect to my iPad without me tapping on it in Settings on my iPad, but only the very moment I open Settings on my iPad to tap on it myself. Grrrr….

If this is user error, please walk me through the Settings on both devices to get my iPad to auto-connect to my iPhone.

I have Goggled, YouTubed, even Reddited, for solutions. From which I have learned that I am clearly not alone in my user-error-prone world.

However, I am yet to divine the secret of this mystery of mysteries.
 
Perhaps the highlighted step:
Apple said:

Wi-Fi​

On the device you want to connect to, go to Settings > Mobile Data > Personal Hotspot or Settings > Personal Hotspot and make sure it’s turned on. Then verify the Wi-Fi password and name of the phone. Stay on this screen until you’ve connected your other device to the Wi-Fi network.

On the device you want to connect, go to Settings > Wi-Fi and look for your iPhone or iPad in the list. Then tap the Wi-Fi network to join. If asked, enter the password for your Personal Hotspot.

Bluetooth​

To make sure your iPhone or iPad is discoverable, go to Settings > Bluetooth and stay on that screen. Then on your Mac, follow the manufacturer directions to set up a Bluetooth connection. Learn more about using Personal Hotspot with Bluetooth.

Personal Hotspot supports Bluetooth connections with Mac and other third-party devices. To connect another iOS device, use Bluetooth.
Click to expand...

How to set up a Personal Hotspot on your iPhone or iPad – Apple Support (AU)

A Personal Hotspot lets you share the mobile data connection of your iPhone or iPad (Wi-Fi + Cellular) when you don’t have access to a Wi-Fi network.
support.apple.com support.apple.com

Other than that, restart both iDevices.
 
MacCheetah3 said:
Perhaps the highlighted step:

How to set up a Personal Hotspot on your iPhone or iPad – Apple Support (AU)

A Personal Hotspot lets you share the mobile data connection of your iPhone or iPad (Wi-Fi + Cellular) when you don’t have access to a Wi-Fi network.
support.apple.com support.apple.com

Other than that, restart both iDevices.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the effort. But, even with the highlighted step, it’s just about CONNECTING, which works. Not AUTO-connecting, which doesn’t.
 
Do you by any chance have two separate Apple IDs for your iPhone & iPad and got them linked via Family Share? I have noticed in the Family Sharing settings (under Personal Hotspot) that you can toggle between Automatic/Ask For Approval.
Also, if you have ever restored either one of your devices using each other's backup, I'd make sure that they are named differently (i.e. Jack's iPhone and Jack's iPad), instead of Jack's iPhone (8) and Jack's iPhone (8); triggering a random unforeseen bug.
 
I am not sure if my issue is related but my iPhone SE(2020) is still on iOS 17.3 as I am using it as a hotspot for my MacBooks and had issues ever since upgrading to iOS 17.3.1.
 
Both of my devices are hit and miss. Sometimes it auto connects sometimes it doesn’t. When it does it takes 10-30 seconds. Sometimes I close the app I am using for work (that needs the connection) and reopen and it connects without going into settings.
 
someoneoutthere said:
Do you by any chance have two separate Apple IDs for your iPhone & iPad and got them linked via Family Share? I have noticed in the Family Sharing settings (under Personal Hotspot) that you can toggle between Automatic/Ask For Approval.
Also, if you have ever restored either one of your devices using each other's backup, I'd make sure that they are named differently (i.e. Jack's iPhone and Jack's iPad), instead of Jack's iPhone (8) and Jack's iPhone (8); triggering a random unforeseen bug.
Click to expand...
I have never used Family Sharing or restored either device using the other’s back up. I only have one Apple ID, signed into on both devices, and both devices have always been named differently.
 
Mike330R said:
Both of my devices are hit and miss. Sometimes it auto connects sometimes it doesn’t. When it does it takes 10-30 seconds. Sometimes I close the app I am using for work (that needs the connection) and reopen and it connects without going into settings.
Click to expand...
Yeah, but closing the app you are using and then opening it again once your iPad auto-connects, OR going into iPad Settings and tapping on your iPhone to connect, are much of a muchness. The iPad should just auto-connect.
 
avz said:
I am not sure if my issue is related but my iPhone SE(2020) is still on iOS 17.3 as I am using it as a hotspot for my MacBooks and had issues ever since upgrading to iOS 17.3.1.
Click to expand...
I’ve always had issues. My iPhone SE2 is three years old and my iPad Pro 12.9 is two years old. I have upgraded both as and when new OS versions have been released, so both have always been up to date. But auto-connect has always been an issue.
 
return2sendai said:
Yeah, but closing the app you are using and then opening it again once your iPad auto-connects, OR going into iPad Settings and tapping on your iPhone to connect, are much of a muchness. The iPad should just auto-connect.
Click to expand...
I think you’re expecting too much from auto-connect. It’s not going to try for a connection until there’s a reason to - and the connection will take time to establish. The alternative would be “connect whenever in range” and that would have a deleterious effect on battery life.
 
FreakinEurekan said:
I think you’re expecting too much from auto-connect. It’s not going to try for a connection until there’s a reason to - and the connection will take time to establish. The alternative would be “connect whenever in range” and that would have a deleterious effect on battery life.
Click to expand...
Well, it is called “auto-connect”. How about “Connect when iPad is active” - cover open, screen on, go! Really, expecting too much? When the iPad connects automatically to home WiFi the moment I walk in the door.
 
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In my case, when I tether my iPad to iPhone, it auto-connects, as it would do with any WiFi network, provided the iPhone is detectable as sharing connection in the Control Center, as in the image below. For some reason, after a period of time of inactivity, this detection turns off by itself and needs to be re-enabled (turned-on). 🤷🏻‍♂️

IMG_9365.jpeg

Update: ok, if I simply unlock an iPhone close to my iPad after a period of being disconnected, the connection actually reestablishes itself automatically without me having to do anything special in Control Centre, etc.
 
Last edited:
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