As an owner of a television who has recently been frustrated while trying to connect it to an iPhone hotspot, I am here to share the research I have done and the tips and tricks I have picked up along the way. In this post, I will be discussing the various causes that can lead to a TV not connecting to an iPhone hotspot, as well as how to fix the issue. I hope that by reading this post, you will be able to diagnose and solve whatever issue you may be having.
So what could be the problem? There are a few potential causes for this issue, from incompatible TVs to weak signal strength. But don’t worry, these problems are easy to fix.
| Reason/Issue | Explanation | How to Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Insufficient Bandwidth | Not enough internet bandwidth available for the TV to connect to the iPhone hotspot | Disconnect other devices using the iPhone hotspot |
| Weak or Marginal Signal | Signal strength between the iPhone and TV is weak due to distance or obstacles like walls | Move devices closer together (less than 15 feet apart) and remove obstacles |
| Hotspot Not Enabled on iPhone | The iPhone’s hotspot feature is not turned on | Enable the hotspot and “Allow Others to Join” option on the iPhone |
| Device Restart | A simple restart might fix the connection issue | Restart both the iPhone and TV |
| Outdated Operating System | iPhone or TV is not running the latest software | Update the software on both devices |
| Factory Reset | Network settings on both devices need to be reset to default to potentially solve the connection problem | Perform a factory reset on both the iPhone and TV, and then try reconnecting |
3 Reasons Why a TV Won’t Connect to an iPhone Hotspot
As long as your TV supports connecting to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, it should connect to your iPhone hotspot without issues. Still, sometimes your TV might not connect to the iPhone hotspot, let’s take a closer look at some of the most common reasons for this issue.
Insufficient Bandwidth
One common reason your TV might not be connecting to your iPhone hotspot is that there isn’t enough internet bandwidth.
If you’re trying to connect to a hotspot that you’re already using for other things, like browsing the internet or streaming music, likely, there isn’t enough bandwidth to also support a TV.
Weak or Marginal Signal
One of the most common causes of this issue is weak or marginal signal strength. If your iPhone isn’t close enough to your TV, it can cause the signal to be too weak for your TV to pick up.
This happens in case there are walls or other obstacles between your devices.
The Hotspot Isn’t Enabled on iPhone
The third common reason your TV won’t connect to your iPhone hotspot is that the hotspot feature isn’t enabled on your phone.
How to Fix a TV That Won’t Connect to iPhone Hotspot
Here’s everything you can do to deal with your iPhone hotspot connectivity problems.
Check That iPhone Hotspot Is Enabled
On your iPhone, go to Settings > Cellular > Personal hotspot.
Then, make sure your iPhone hotspot is on and turn on the “Allow Others to Join” option.
Disconnect Devices Connected to the iPhone Hotspot
It’s crucial to have enough internet bandwidth for your smart TV. That’s why you should disconnect any other devices that might be using your iPhone hotspot.
To do this, navigate to General and tap on “Cellular data,” then “Personal hotspot.” You’ll see a list of all devices connected to your iPhone hotspot.
Disconnect all the devices and then try to connect your TV again.
Make Sure Your Devices Are Close to Each Other
Your TV and iPhone should be in close proximity to provide good signal strength. Try moving your iPhone closer to your TV—the max distance between the two devices should be less than 15 feet.
Plus, it’s better to keep both devices in the same room as having walls between them can highly affect the signal quality.
Restart Your Devices
Sometimes, restarting your devices can fix the problem. To restart your iPhone, go to Settings, then select General and shut down your iPhone.
Turn your iPhone back on by holding your power button.
Every TV has a unique system, but most smart TVs have the restart option in the Settings menu. If you can’t find it, you can manually switch off your TV, unplug it from the power outlet, then turn it on again.
Finally, try connecting your TV to your iPhone hotspot again and see if the issue is fixed.
Update the Operating System
Make sure your iPhone and TV are both running the latest software. Check for new updates, if you find any, install them and try connecting again.
To update your iOS system, go to Settings > General, then tap Software Update. If there are any updates available, wait for your device to download and install them.
For your TV, navigate to your TV settings menu and look for the software update option. Remember that every TV model is different and no one method works for all TV models.
To avoid the hassle, you can check your TV’s manual for methods to update your firmware. Or, simply search the internet for your TV model so that you can learn how to update its software.
Factory Reset Your Devices
The last thing you can do is reset your TV and iPhone to factory settings.
This means getting back all the network settings for both devices to default, which might help solve the connection problem.
To Wrap Up
There are various reasons your TV won’t connect to an iPhone hotspot. Common causes for this issue include low bandwidth, wrong credentials, and weak signal.
To fix this, double-check that you’ve entered the correct credentials and disconnect any other devices that might be using your iPhone’s hotspot. Also, ensure your devices are near each other for a successful connection.
If your TV still won’t connect to the hotspot, restart your devices and make sure that they’re both using the latest software. If all else fails, you might need to reset the network settings of your devices to factory defaults.
