Tech - News
Why You Need To Turn Off Your iPhone's Bluetooth When It's Not Being Used
By BARNELL ANDERSON
Though it may not hurt your devices to leave Bluetooth on, there is a major reason why you may want to make a habit of turning it off when you're not connecting to your AirPods, smartwatch, or trying to send files wirelessly to other devices. Remembering to turn the setting off is a hassle, but that may still be better than the potential consequences of leaving it on.
On its website, the FCC says that Bluetooth — as with Wi-Fi — can potentially be used by cybercriminals to steal someone's identity and other sensitive information. For that reason, the agency advises the public to turn off Bluetooth when they're not using it; this will help prevent hackers from spoofing other devices that have already been paired with your iPhone.
Besides turning off Bluetooth on your iPhone when it's not needed, it's also a good practice to make sure you have the most up-to-date version of iOS installed. With the latest version, you'll be better protected, but remember that attackers are always finding new ways to target devices.
Ultimately, turning off Bluetooth on an iPhone is very simple and takes only a couple of seconds. To do this, head into Settings, tap Bluetooth, and then toggle off the switch. Alternatively, you can swipe down from the top right corner of the screen to open the Control Center, then tap the button with the Bluetooth logo to turn off the communication feature.