Have you noticed that when you disable Bluetooth on your iPhone or iPad via Control Center, it tells you that it will only disable it until tomorrow?
This can be both confusing and frustrating – after all, if you choose to turn it off, perhaps you want it to stay off until you decide to turn it back on again.
So, how can you disable it completely, and why does Apple automatically turn it back on in the first place?
In this article, I’ll be answering all of these questions and more!
How To Turn Off Bluetooth Permanently, Until You Decide To Turn It Back On Yourself
To disable Bluetooth permanently (or until you decide to turn it back on), you must disable it from the Settings app, rather than from the Control Center.
Thankfully, once you know where to look, this is almost as quick! However, it does require a few extra steps.
To disable Bluetooth via the Settings app, follow these steps:
- Open the ‘Settings’ app.
- Tap on ‘Bluetooth.’
- Toggle Bluetooth off.
If you disable Bluetooth this way, it won’t automatically turn itself back on tomorrow, or after 24 hours have passed.
Instead, you’ll be able to reenable it whenever you choose, either by returning to the Settings app, or by using Control Center.
Why Does Apple Automatically Re-Enable It, Anyway?
It’s kind of annoying that you have to go through extra steps to turn Bluetooth off permanently, when many people agree that this is how the Control Center should handle it anyway.
So, why does Apple automatically turn Bluetooth back on tomorrow? Why don’t they just leave it off until you decide to turn it back on again?
There are a few theories.
The first is that Apple ran user experience tests, and found that most people benefited from having Bluetooth turned back on automatically. After all, when most people turn Bluetooth off, they only intend for it to be temporary anyway.
Having it turned back on automatically saves them the hassle, and leads to a more seamless experience for users.
Perhaps more importantly however, is that many iPhone and iPad features rely on Bluetooth for their functionality.
It does this by connecting to other enabled devices via the Find My network, and then using that device’s information to update your lost device’s location.
Additionally, several Apple products – including AirTags and AirPods rely on Bluetooth in order to work correctly. Even software related features like AirDrop require Bluetooth to operate correctly.
After all, ‘it just works’ has been a principle that Apple has stood by since the launch of the original iPhone. They want your accessories to connect seamlessly, without you having to diagnose or troubleshoot any issues – even if it’s as simple as Bluetooth being turned off.
So, by only disabling it temporarily via Control Center, you can turn it off when you really need to – but still ensure your accessories work when that period has passed.
Benefits Of Leaving Bluetooth Off
That being said, there are some benefits of leaving Bluetooth turned off.
The first – and perhaps the most obvious one, is that it saves a small amount of battery life.
When Bluetooth is turned on, your device is constantly scanning for other authorized devices to connect to. This is why your Bluetooth headphones automatically connect when you turn them on for example, without having to open the Settings app and manually connect them.
Having your iPhone or iPad automatically do this all the time does cost you a bit of battery.
Another benefit of disabling Bluetooth however is privacy.
Just like your device can find others, other people can find your iPhone via the AirDrop feature if Bluetooth is turned on.
So by disabling it, you make your iPhone or iPad completely undiscoverable to others.
Conclusion
If you don’t want Bluetooth to turn back on tomorrow, simply disable it from the Settings app rather than from the Control Center.
Apple automatically reenables it so your accessories (and other features that rely on it) will work seamlessly. However, there are benefits to leaving Bluetooth turned off, so you may consider leaving it disabled if you have no intention of using it.
I hope that you’ve found this article helpful, and that it’s answered all of your questions.
If you have any other questions about Bluetooth or Apple devices, ask them below and I’ll be happy to help.
Wishing you the best,
– James McAllister