Here's How To Turn Wifi Off Using iOS 11, Because You're Probably Doing It Wrong

Now that the dust has settled from the barrage of iPhone X and iOS 11 update news, there's some time to really get into it. One of the first changes that you'll notice when you download Apple's iOS 11 update is the look of your Control Center. Some of it has remained the same, but there are a few features that don't function the same way that they used to. For instance, you'll have to learn how to turn WiFi off on iOS 11 without the Control Center to ensure your phone's cyber-safety.

According to Wired, you used to be able to completely turn off your WiFi when you toggled off the WiFi symbol from your handy Control Center. With the iOS 11 update, it might seem like you're achieving the same result when you toggle off the WiFi symbol, but you're actually still more connected than you think -- the same goes for toggling the Bluetooth symbol off and on. Don't worry, though, because with a couple of extra steps, you can avoid this Apple trickery.

In iOS 11, when you toggle off your WiFi and Bluetooth, your phone will disconnect you from whichever WiFi network you're on and disconnect your Bluetooth headphones. Your phone will also stop searching for new devices or networks to join. Once again, this might seem like you're disconnected, but WiFi features like AirDrop, Continuity, and Handoff will remain active.

If you want to completely shut off WiFi and Bluetooth, you'll have to go to your Settings app and manually switch off WiFi and Bluetooth to completely turn off the radios -- so it wasn't exactly a Nancy Drew case, but at least now you know. Also, as Wired reports, if you're into the one-button shut-off, you can always use Airplane mode to kill all wireless communication, which includes WiFi and Bluetooth (perfect for those nobody-dare-talk-to-me days).

One of the many changes that came along with the iOS 11 update was the look of the Control Center. The bottom half of the new Control Center is customizable, while the top half is unchangeable and remains pretty similar to the old look. That's exactly how you can fall into the trap of thinking that you're performing the same actions with the same results.

It's important to know how to completely turn off these features because leaving them on could make your phone vulnerable to attacks. Wired reports that the Bluetooth is an especially important feature to keep an eye on when it comes to the safety of your smartphone. They write:

By leaving Bluetooth on all the time, you're exposing yourself to attacks through any vulnerabilities in your device's software.

It sounds like it's probably best to take the extra step to make sure that your Bluetooth is totally turned off when you're not using it. Hey, you have a lot of important information stored on your smartphone that you wouldn't want getting in someone else's hands -- not to mention hundreds of photos of your precious pup (OK, you would share pics of your pup, but you don't want them stolen).

So, in order to ensure that your phone is as secured as it can be to possible software intrusion, make sure you take the extra steps to fully turn off your WiFi and Bluetooth. Don't let this slight hassle of navigating outside of the new Control Center get you down, though. Maybe you'll become such a pro at swiping these features on and off that you'll never again fall victim to accidentally swiping left on that Bumble cutie you were positive could be your soulmate. OK, that was a stretch, but seriously, it is worth a couple seconds of annoyance to make sure your phone is safe from intruders.

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