PSA: Turning off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth in Control Center doesn't actually do that

Remember how we told you to turn off your Bluetooth? iOS 11 just made that a lot harder.
 By 
Monica Chin
 on 
PSA: Turning off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth in Control Center doesn't actually do that
Close-up of a Bluetooth wireless headset in use. Credit: Getty Images

Remember how we told you to turn off your Bluetooth? Well, iOS 11 just made that a lot harder.

Turning off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth used to be as simple as swiping upwards and pressing two buttons on your control panel. Those buttons still exist in your new and improved (but slightly more confusing), Control Center, but pressing them doesn't fully turn the features off anymore.

Instead, it disconnects your phone from its existing Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections.

The features are also likely to turn themselves back on before too long. Both will turn back on at 5 a.m., and your Wi-Fi will turn back on as soon as you move to a new location.

If this creeps you out, don't worry: You can turn them off (for real) the old-fashioned way. Go to Settings > Wifi and Settings > Bluetooth to completely disable the features.

While it's easy to see Apple as a bit sleazy for this move, it's not out of line with the image they've been pushing over the past few years. With an increasing emphasis on an interconnected web of products and the necessity of collaboration between devices, it makes sense that Apple would encourage you to keep your Wi-Fi and Bluetooth (and consequently Airdrop, Airplay, Location Services, and the like) enabled.

That said, exercise caution, and be aware of which features are enabled on your device. We've learned that a flaw in Bluetooth can allow hackers to gain access to your device and those it's connected to, and keeping Wi-Fi on can let hackers see what networks you've connected to and make it easier for them to scam you. Digging into your settings will take a few seconds out of your day, but it's probably worth it.

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Monica Chin

Monica wrote for Mashable's Tech section with a focus on retail, internet of things, and the intersections of technology and social justice. She holds a degree in creative writing from Brown University, and has previously written for Dow Jones Media, the New York Post, Yahoo Finance, and others. In her free time, she can be found attempting to cook Asian food, buying board games, and looking for new hobbies.

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