How to Turn Off Your Phone's Bluetooth Permanently

Try these tips if Bluetooth keeps popping back on unexpectedly

By
Michael Archambault
Michael Archambault
Michael Archambault
Writer
  • New York Institute of Technology
Michael Archambault is a technology writer and digital media specialist. His work has appeared in Mobile Nations, Amazon’s Digital Photography Review, PetaPixel, and other outlets.
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Updated on July 27, 2021
Reviewed by
Michael Barton Heine Jr
Michael Heine headshot
Reviewed by Michael Barton Heine Jr
    Michael Heine is a CompTIA-certified writer, editor, and Network Engineer with 25+ years' experience working in the television, defense, ISP, telecommunications, and education industries.
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    Android

    What To Know

    • To temporarily turn off on iOS: Go to Control Center and tap the Bluetooth icon.
    • To permanently turn off on iOS: Go to Settings > Bluetooth, and toggle Bluetooth off.
    • On Android: Go to Settings > Connected Devices > Connection Preferences > Bluetooth. Toggle Bluetooth off.

    This article explains how to turn off Bluetooth on your Android device or an iPhone. This information applies to iOS 14 through iOS 12 and Android 10 and later.

    How to Turn Off Bluetooth on iPhone Temporarily

    If you only want to disconnect a pair of headphones or another Bluetooth accessory from your iPhone, you can do so via Control Center.

    To access Control Center on the iPhone, slide your finger downward from the upper-right corner (in iOS 12 and later) or upward from the bottom of the screen (in earlier versions of the iOS).

    The Control Center displays some quick settings for screen brightness, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and a Do Not Disturb function. Tap the Bluetooth icon to disconnect all non-Apple devices.

    iPhone Control Center with Bluetooth icon highlighted

    The resulting screen shows the Bluetooth icon in a white background and displays the message "Disconnecting Bluetooth Devices Until Tomorrow," so this option is not permanent.

    While this toggle switch may achieve your end goal of disconnecting a pair of headphones, it leaves the Bluetooth radio on for some additional functions and services, such as the Apple Watch, Apple Pencil, and Mac Handoff feature.

    How to Turn Off Bluetooth Permanently in iOS

    If you want to shut off Bluetooth entirely, you do so in the iPhone Settings app. While most users will be satisfied with shutting off partial Bluetooth functionality via the Control Center, those who don't use any Bluetooth devices or the Mac Handoff functionality may want to turn the radio off entirely in exchange for a little more battery life.

    In the Settings app, select Bluetooth and then tap the toggle switch next to Bluetooth to shut it off entirely. The resulting screen warns that AirPlay, AirDrop, Find My, Location Services, and Exposure Notifications use Bluetooth.

    iPhone Settings showing the Bluetooth settings

    How to Turn Off Bluetooth on Android

    Due to the variety of different Android smartphone manufacturers, turning off Bluetooth varies between devices. However, when you choose to toggle off Bluetooth on an Android device, it's shut off permanently until you decide to reengage it.

    One option for deactivating Bluetooth on an Android device is via the Status Bar. Swipe down from the top of the screen to display the Status Bar and swipe down again to locate and tap Bluetooth to switch it on or off.

    Status Bar open to show Bluetooth icon

    Another option for turning off your Android device's Bluetooth is via the Settings app. Launch it and go to Connected Devices > Connection Preferences > Bluetooth. Tap the toggle switch to deactivate your device's Bluetooth functionality.

    In addition to helping extend battery life, shutting off Bluetooth can prevent possible hacking schemes. One common Android Bluetooth hack is known as BlueBorne; it can allow users to gain unauthorized access to your device. Turning off Bluetooth when it isn't in use improves overall security.

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