iPhone User Guide
- Welcome
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- iPhone models compatible with iOS 18
- iPhone XR
- iPhone XS
- iPhone XS Max
- iPhone 11
- iPhone 11 Pro
- iPhone 11 Pro Max
- iPhone SE (2nd generation)
- iPhone 12 mini
- iPhone 12
- iPhone 12 Pro
- iPhone 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 13 mini
- iPhone 13
- iPhone 13 Pro
- iPhone 13 Pro Max
- iPhone SE (3rd generation)
- iPhone 14
- iPhone 14 Plus
- iPhone 14 Pro
- iPhone 14 Pro Max
- iPhone 15
- iPhone 15 Plus
- iPhone 15 Pro
- iPhone 15 Pro Max
- iPhone 16
- iPhone 16 Plus
- iPhone 16 Pro
- iPhone 16 Pro Max
- Setup basics
- Make your iPhone your own
- Take great photos and videos
- Keep in touch with friends and family
- Share features with your family
- Use iPhone for your daily routines
- Expert advice from Apple Support
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- What’s new in iOS 18
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- Change sounds and vibrations
- Use and customize the Action button
- Create a custom Lock Screen
- Change the wallpaper
- Adjust the screen brightness and color balance
- Keep the iPhone display on longer
- Use StandBy
- Customize the text size and zoom setting
- Change the name of your iPhone
- Change the date and time
- Change the language and region
- Use and customize Control Center
- Change your default web browser or email app
- Rotate your iPhone screen
- Customize sharing options
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- Use the Camera Control
- Use the Camera Control to open another app
- Adjust the shutter volume
- Adjust HDR camera settings
- Record videos
- Take spatial photos and record spatial videos for Apple Vision Pro
- Change sound recording options on iPhone 16 models
- Record ProRes videos
- Record videos in Cinematic mode
- Change video recording settings
- Save camera settings
- Customize the Main and Fusion camera lens
- Change advanced camera settings
- View, share, and print photos
- Use Live Text
- Scan a QR code
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- Create and edit events in Calendar
- Send invitations
- Reply to invitations
- Change how you view events
- Search for events
- Change Calendar settings
- Schedule or display events in a different time zone
- Keep track of events
- Use multiple calendars
- Use reminders
- Use the Holidays calendar
- Share iCloud calendars
- Compass
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- Get started with FaceTime
- Create a FaceTime link
- Take a Live Photo
- Turn on Live Captions in a FaceTime call
- Use other apps during a call
- Make a Group FaceTime call
- View participants in a grid
- Use SharePlay to watch, listen, and play together
- Share your screen in a FaceTime call
- Request or give remote control in a FaceTime call
- Collaborate on a document in FaceTime
- Use video conferencing features
- Hand off a FaceTime call to another Apple device
- Change the FaceTime video settings
- Change the FaceTime audio settings
- Change your appearance
- Leave a call or switch to Messages
- Block and silence FaceTime calls from unknown callers
- Report a call as spam
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- Get started with Freeform
- Create a Freeform board
- Draw or handwrite
- Solve handwritten math problems
- Add text in sticky notes, shapes, and text boxes
- Add shapes, lines, and arrows
- Add diagrams
- Add photos, videos, and other files
- Apply consistent styles
- Position items on a board
- Navigate and present scenes
- Send a copy or PDF
- Print a board
- Share boards and collaborate
- Search Freeform boards
- Delete and recover boards
- Change Freeform settings
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- Intro to Home
- Upgrade to the new Home architecture
- Set up accessories
- Control accessories
- Control your home using Siri
- Use Grid Forecast to plan your energy usage
- View Electricity Usage and Rates
- Set up HomePod
- Control your home remotely
- Create and use scenes
- Use automations
- Set up security cameras
- Use Face Recognition
- Unlock your door with a home key
- Configure a router
- Invite others to control accessories
- Add more homes
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- View maps
- Explore 3D maps
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- Get travel directions
- Change or add stops to your route
- View a route overview or a list of turns
- Change settings for spoken directions
- Get driving directions
- Get directions to your parked car
- Set up electric vehicle routing
- Report traffic incidents
- Get cycling directions
- Get walking directions
- Save walks or hikes
- Get transit directions
- Get traffic and weather info
- Book rides
- Estimate travel time and ETA
- Download offline maps
- Look around places
- Take Flyover tours
- Clear location history
- Delete recent directions
- Choose a default travel mode and units
- Report an issue with Maps
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- Set up Messages
- About iMessage
- Send and reply to messages
- Text via satellite
- Send later
- Unsend and edit messages
- Keep track of messages
- Search
- Forward and share messages
- Group conversations
- Share screens
- Collaborate on projects
- Use iMessage apps
- Take and edit photos or videos
- Share photos, links, and more
- Send stickers
- Create and send Memoji
- React with Tapbacks
- Style and animate messages
- Draw and handwrite messages
- Send and save GIFs
- Request, send, and receive payments
- Send and receive audio messages
- Share your location
- Turn read receipts on or off
- Change notifications
- Block, filter, and report messages
- Delete messages and attachments
- Recover deleted messages
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- Get music
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- Play music
- Use the music player controls
- Use Siri to play music
- Play lossless audio
- Play Spatial Audio
- Listen to radio
- Play music together using SharePlay
- Play music together in the car
- Adjust the sound
- Queue up your music
- Shuffle or repeat songs
- Sing along with Apple Music
- Show song credits and lyrics
- Tell Apple Music what you enjoy
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- Get started with Notes
- Create and format notes
- Use Quick Notes
- Add drawings and handwriting
- Enter formulas and equations
- Add photos, video, and more
- Record and transcribe audio
- Scan text and documents
- Work with PDFs
- Add links
- Search notes
- Organize in folders
- Organize with tags
- Use Smart Folders
- Share and collaborate
- Export or print notes
- Lock notes
- Add or remove accounts
- Change the Notes view
- Change Notes settings
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- Use passwords
- Find your password for a website or app
- Change the password for a website or app
- Remove a password
- Recover a deleted password
- Create a password for a website or app
- Use passkeys to sign in to apps and websites
- Sign in with Apple
- Share passwords
- Automatically fill in strong passwords
- Change weak or compromised passwords
- View your passwords and related information
- Find and share your Wi-Fi password
- Share passwords securely with AirDrop
- Make your passwords available on all your devices
- Automatically fill in verification codes
- Automatically fill in SMS passcodes
- Sign in with fewer CAPTCHA challenges
- Use two-factor authentication
- Use security keys
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- Make a call
- Change your Phone settings
- View and delete the call history
- Answer or decline incoming calls
- While on a call
- Have a conference or three-way call on iPhone
- Set up voicemail
- Check voicemail
- Change voicemail greeting and settings
- Select ringtones and vibrations
- Make calls using Wi-Fi
- Set up call forwarding
- Set up call waiting
- Block or avoid unwanted calls
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- Get started with Photos
- View photos and videos
- See photo and video information
- Customize the Photos app
- Filter and sort the photo library
- Back up and sync your photos with iCloud
- Delete or hide photos and videos
- Search for photos and videos
- Get wallpaper suggestions
- Make stickers from your photos
- Duplicate and copy photos and videos
- Merge duplicate photos and videos
- Import and export photos and videos
- Print photos
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- Browse the web
- Search for websites
- See highlights
- Customize your Safari settings
- Change the layout
- Create multiple Safari profiles
- Use Siri to listen to a webpage
- Bookmark a website
- Save pages to a Reading List
- Find links shared with you
- Annotate and save a webpage as a PDF
- Automatically fill in forms
- Get extensions
- Clear your cache and cookies
- Enable cookies
- Shortcuts
- Tips
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- Work across devices using Continuity
- Use your iPhone from your Mac
- Receive iPhone Notifications on your Mac
- Use AirDrop to send items to nearby devices
- Hand off tasks between devices
- Copy and paste between devices
- Stream video and audio from your iPhone
- Allow phone calls and text messages on your iPad and Mac
- Share your internet connection with Personal Hotspot
- Use iPhone as a webcam
- Insert sketches, photos, and scans on Mac
- Start SharePlay instantly
- Connect iPhone and your computer with a cable
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- Intro to CarPlay
- Connect to CarPlay
- Use Siri
- Use your vehicle’s built-in controls
- Get turn-by-turn directions
- Report traffic incidents
- Change the map view
- Make phone calls
- Play music
- View your calendar
- Send and receive text messages
- Announce incoming text messages
- Play podcasts
- Play audiobooks
- Listen to news stories
- Control your home
- Use other apps with CarPlay
- Rearrange icons on CarPlay Home
- Change settings in CarPlay
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- Get started with accessibility features
- Use accessibility features during setup
- Change Siri accessibility settings
- Quickly turn accessibility features on or off
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- Overview of accessibility features for vision
- Zoom in
- View a larger version of text you’re reading or typing
- Change display colors
- Make text easier to read
- Reduce onscreen motion
- Use iPhone more comfortably while riding in a vehicle
- Customize per-app visual settings
- Hear what’s on the screen or typed
- Hear audio descriptions
- Adjust CarPlay settings
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- Turn on and practice VoiceOver
- Change your VoiceOver settings
- Use VoiceOver gestures
- Operate iPhone when VoiceOver is on
- Control VoiceOver using the rotor
- Use the onscreen keyboard
- Write with your finger
- Keep the screen off
- Use VoiceOver with an external keyboard
- Use a braille display
- Type braille on the screen
- Customize gestures and keyboard shortcuts
- Use VoiceOver with a pointer device
- Get live descriptions of your surroundings
- Use VoiceOver in apps
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- Overview of accessibility features for mobility
- Use AssistiveTouch
- Adjust how iPhone responds to your touch
- Back tap
- Use Reachability
- Auto-answer calls
- Turn off vibration
- Change Face ID and attention settings
- Use Voice Control
- Use Voice Control commands with CarPlay
- Adjust the side or Home button
- Adjust accessibility settings for the Camera Control
- Use Apple TV Remote buttons
- Adjust pointer settings
- Adjust keyboard settings
- Control iPhone with an external keyboard
- Adjust AirPods settings
- Turn on Apple Watch Mirroring
- Control a nearby Apple device
- Control iPhone with the movement of your eyes
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- Overview of accessibility features for hearing
- Use hearing devices
- Use Live Listen
- Use sound recognition
- Set up and use RTT and TTY
- Flash the indicator light for notifications
- Adjust audio settings
- Play background sounds
- Display subtitles and captions
- Show transcriptions for Intercom messages
- Get live captions of spoken audio
- Play music as taps, textures, and more
- Get notified about car horns and sirens in CarPlay
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- Control what you share
- Turn on Lock Screen features
- Keep your Apple Account secure
- Create and manage Hide My Email addresses
- Protect your web browsing with iCloud Private Relay
- Use a private network address
- Use Advanced Data Protection
- Use Lockdown Mode
- Use Stolen Device Protection
- Receive warnings about sensitive content
- Use Contact Key Verification
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- Important safety information
- Important handling information
- Find more resources for software and service
- FCC compliance statement
- ISED Canada compliance statement
- Ultra Wideband information
- Class 1 Laser information
- Apple and the environment
- Disposal and recycling information
- Unauthorized modification of iOS
- Copyright
Share your internet connection from your iPhone with Personal Hotspot
You can share the internet connection from your iPhone with other devices using a feature called Instant Hotspot. Instant Hotspot uses your iPhone device’s Personal Hotspot, and is useful when your other device doesn’t have internet access from a Wi-Fi network.
There are several ways to connect other devices to your Personal Hotspot:
Connect your other device to your iPhone through Wi-Fi settings.
Pair your two devices with Bluetooth®.
Connect your other device to your iPhone with a cable.
You can share the Personal Hotspot on your iPhone with another iPhone, an iPad, a Mac, a Windows device, and more.
Note: Personal Hotspot isn’t available with all carriers. Additional fees may apply. The number of devices that can join your Personal Hotspot at one time depends on your carrier and iPhone model. Contact your carrier for more information.
Before you begin
Make sure of the following:
The devices are within 30 feet (10 meters) of each other.
Both devices meet minimum system requirements for Instant Hotspot.
If you’re sharing your Personal Hotspot with your Apple devices, it’s faster to connect if you sign in to the same Apple Account on both devices.
Note: You can only use Personal Hotspot by sharing your iPhone device’s cellular internet connection. You can’t connect your iPhone to a Wi-Fi network, and then share that network with another device.
Set up Personal Hotspot on iPhone
On your iPhone, go to Settings > Personal Hotspot, then tap Allow Others to Join.
Optionally, you can change the Wi-Fi Password. Your Wi-Fi network name is your device name, which you can change in Settings > General > About.
If you set up your iPhone to use two SIMs, Personal Hotspot uses the line you select for cellular data. See Set up Dual SIM.
Note: If Cellular Data is turned on in Settings > Cellular, but you don’t see Set Up Personal Hotspot as an option, contact your carrier about adding Personal Hotspot to your plan.
Turn Personal Hotspot on and off on iPhone
On your iPhone, open Control Center. Tap to make your Personal Hotspot discoverable.
You can choose who is allowed to use your Personal Hotspot, set a password, and—if you’re in a Family Sharing group—decide if you want to automatically share your Personal Hotspot with specific family members.
Connect to a Personal Hotspot with Wi-Fi
You can connect another device to the Personal Hotspot on your iPhone using Wi-Fi settings. You can connect another iPhone, an iPad, a Mac, a Windows device, and many other devices that are able to connect to a Wi-Fi network.
On the device that you want to connect to your iPhone device’s Personal Hotspot, do any of the following:
On an iPhone with Touch ID: Swipe down from the top-right edge to open Control Center. Tap to turn Wi-Fi on, then choose your iPhone.
On an iPhone with Face ID: Swipe up from the bottom to open Control Center. Tap to turn Wi-Fi on, then choose your iPhone.
On an iPad: Swipe down from the top-right edge to open Control Center. Tap to turn Wi-Fi on, then choose your iPhone.
On a Mac; Click in the menu bar, then choose your iPhone.
On a Windows device or other device: Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to connect to a Personal Hotspot.
Enter the password you set up for your Personal Hotspot to connect. If you’re connecting another Apple device and you’re signed in to the same Apple Account on both devices, you don’t need to enter a password.
Note: When a Mac is connected to your Personal Hotspot, a blue band appears at the top of your iPhone screen, and appears in the status bar of the connected Mac.
When you’re not using using the hotspot, your devices automatically disconnect to save battery life.
Connect to a Personal Hotspot with Bluetooth
You can connect a Mac or Windows device to the Personal Hotspot on your iPhone using Bluetooth instead of Wi-Fi. Both devices must have Bluetooth turned on.
On your Mac, choose Apple menu > System Settings, then click Bluetooth in the sidebar. (You may need to scroll down.)
Note: If your Mac has macOS 12.5 or earlier, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Bluetooth.
On your iPhone, go to Settings > Bluetooth to make it discoverable.
On your Mac, select your iPhone when it appears. (It may take a moment.)
As soon as it’s connected by Bluetooth, your Mac is able to use your iPhone device’s cellular connection.
To connect your Windows device to your iPhone using Bluetooth, follow the manufacturer’s directions to set up a Bluetooth network connection.
Connect to a Personal Hotspot with a USB cable
You can connect a Mac or Windows device to the Personal Hotspot on your iPhone using the USB cable that came with your iPhone (or another cable that matches the ports on your iPhone and other device).
Note: If you see an alert on your iPhone that says Trust This Computer? tap Trust. You may be asked to enter your device passcode to proceed. If you see an alert on your Mac that says “Allow accessory to connect?” click Allow.
As soon as it’s connected by a cable, your Mac or Windows device is able to use your iPhone device’s cellular connection.
If your Personal Hotspot isn’t working
Make sure that your devices have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth turned on.
Your devices must be within 30 feet (10 meters) of one another.
See the Apple Support article If Personal Hotspot is not working on your iPhone or iPad (Wi-Fi + Cellular) for additional troubleshooting steps.
Maximize compatibility in Settings > Personal Hotspot, then enable Maximize Compatibility. Maximize Compatibility may reduce performance for devices connected to your Personal Hotspot when turned on.
When you share a Personal Hotspot from your iPhone, it uses cellular data for the internet connection. To monitor your cellular data network usage, go to Settings > Cellular. See View or change cellular data settings on iPhone.
If you use Family Sharing, you can share your Personal Hotspot with any member of your family. See Set up Family Sharing on iPhone.