Leaving Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on (When You Don’t Need It)

Wireless connections are convenient, but they can also decrease your battery life during the day, especially if your iPhone is older.

While Wi-Fi or Bluetooth are on, your iPhone is constantly scanning for nearby networks and accessories — quietly draining battery in the background. This drain is usually negligible, but can be more noticeable on older devices or in areas with lots of Wi-Fi networks.

Leaving these on can also make you more vulnerable if someone wants to hack into your iPhone and access your personal information. 

There are a couple of ways to turn Wi-Fi and Bluetooth off. First, you can do it from the Control Center. Simply swipe down from the top-right corner of your screen, then turn off Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. However, doing this won’t turn them off completely. They’ll be temporarily disabled and automatically turn back on the next day, and will also remain active to support features like AirDrop and connect to accessories like your Apple Watch or AirPods.

If you want to fully and permanently turn them off, go to the Settings app, then tap Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, and toggle them off individually.