Guide To Icons and Symbols on iPhone Status Bar

iOS status bar icons explained

iOS 6	iOS 12		What it means
		Mobile/Cell signal	Shows whether you’re in range of the cellular network and can make and receive calls. The more bars, the stronger the signal. If there’s no signal, the bars are replaced with “No service.”
		Airplane mode	Shows that airplane mode is on—you cannot use the phone, access the Internet, or use Bluetooth® devices. Non-wireless features are available.
		LTE	Shows that your carrier’s LTE network is available, and iPhone can connect to the Internet over that network. (iPhone 5. Not available in all areas.)
		UMTS	Shows that your carrier’s 4G UMTS (GSM) network is available, and iPhone can connect to the Internet over that network. (iPhone 4S or later. Not available in all areas.)
		UMTS/EV-DO	Shows that your carrier’s 3G UMTS (GSM) or EV-DO (CDMA) networkis available, and iPhone can connect to the Internet over that network.
		EDGE	Shows that your carrier’s EDGE (GSM) network is available, andiPhone can connect to the Internet over that network.
		GPRS/1xRTT	Shows that your carrier’s GPRS (GSM) or 1xRTT (CDMA) network is available, and iPhone can connect to the Internet over that network.
		Wi-Fi	Shows that iPhone is connected to the Internet over a Wi-Fi network. The more bars, the stronger the connection.
		Do Not Disturb	Shows that “Do Not Disturb” is turned on.
		Personal Hotspot	Shows that iPhone is connected to another iPhone providing a Personal Hotspot.
		Syncing	Shows that iPhone is synchronising with iTunes.
		Network activity	Shows network activity. Some apps also use the icon to show an active process.
		Call Forwarding	Shows that Call Forwarding is set up on iPhone.
		VPN	Shows that you’re connected to a network using VPN.
	Not used	Lock	Shows that iPhone is locked. This icon is not used in iOS 11.
		TTY	Shows that iPhone is set to work with a TTY machine.
	Not used	Play	Shows that a song, audiobook, or podcast is playing. This icon is no longer used in iOS 11.
		Portrait orientation lock	Shows that the iPhone screen is locked in portrait orientation.
		Alarm	Shows that an alarm is set.
		Location Services	Shows that an item is using Location Services.
		Bluetooth	Blue or white icon: Bluetooth is on and paired with a device. Gray icon: Bluetooth is on and paired with a device, but the device is out of range or turned off. No icon: Bluetooth is turned off.
		Bluetooth battery	Shows the battery level of a supported paired Bluetooth device.
		Battery	Shows battery level or charging status.

Status bar icons and symbols on the iPhone

There are a whole set of icons that appear along the top of your iPhone on the status bar.

Some symbols you may be aware of as you see them every day – such as the mobile/cell signal.

But others are more obscure.

I have put together a full list of icons and symbols you can expect to see on an iPhone.

It should explain what those odd-looking iPhone symbols mean.

iOS 6 and earlier

Which iPhone models are likely to have these icons?

The iPhones that may have iOS 6 or earlier and will show these icons are:

iPhone 3G:

This model can only be upgraded to iOS 4.2.1 and will definitely display the icons shown in the table above.

iPhone 3GS:

Can only be upgraded to 6.1.6 and will also definitely show the symbols above.

iPhone 4:

Shipped with iOS 4 but can be upgraded to iOS 7.1.2. So if your phone hasn’t been upgraded to the latest operating system it may show the icons above.

iPhone 4S:

This model shipped with iOS 5 but can be upgraded to iOS 9. Like the iPhone 4 it may show the symbols above if it hasn’t been upgraded.

iPhone 5:

The iPhone 5 shipped with iOS 6 but can be upgraded to iOS 10. This may show the icons in the table if not updated to latest iOS.

You will see the icons listed in the leftmost column of the table.

iOS 7 and later

Which iPhone models are likely to have these icons?

If you have an iPhone 5S or newer you are going to see the icons listed in the middle column of the table.

Any changes made to the icons or symbols since iOS 7?

There are no changes in the status bar symbols on the Apple iPhone between iOS 7 and iOS 12.

As mentioned above, there was a major change between iOS 6 and iOS7.

One of the interesting things to note is that the lock and play symbols were removed from the status bar when Apple redesigned iOS 7. Apart from that, the other major change is in the design which has been flattened and simplified.

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