I had the same issues since February 2020.
The System I have now: iPhone 11, (ios 13.7); Macbook Pro 2015, 15" (10.14.6); iPad 9.7 Pro (latest ios)
What I did before Saturday (did not work):
Reconnect the mac with my icloud
Reset wifi and bluetooth through deleting files in the library (check google)
What I did Saturday to solve the issue:
What I think was the turning point to solve this problem, because after I did it, I had no failures anymore and it worked instantly (within 1-2 seconds after selecting the priviledged iPhone)!
Pref>Network> Delete (all) Bluetooth Pan Connections in the left sidebar
Pref>Bluetooth> Forget the Connection with my iPhone
iPhone> "Forget This Device" (My macbook pro)
Switch on/off bluetooth on both devices. After this measure, last saturday it works without any problems. That means I dont have to touch my iPhone at all anymore. If bluetooth is enabled on my iPhone, my Mac can comminacte with the iPhone and can turn on personal hotspot itself. However when I had the problem a workaroud was always to open my iPhone, turn on manually prsonal hotspot (sometimes turn off bluetooth) and then directly connect to my ipHone from my Mac. Now it is all like its supposed to be and I dont have to get my iPhone out.
My assumption is: It all has to do with the bluetooth settings. There might be a conflicht with the bluetooth between the mac and the iPhone. Maybe the mac tries to connect to the internet over a bluetooth-pan (which is also possible besides a cable or a wifi connection if you read the personal hotspot descriptions). So probably the mac tried to connect over bluetooth to internet, but this lead to conflicts.
Also very helpful to identify problems: If you have an iPad or an iPhone try to connect them to the personal hotspot after your mac has a problem connecting.
While I was having a problem with my Mac, I could connect with my ipad pro 9.7 (latest ios) without any problems!!!
This let me to the idea that "all was fine with my iphone and other devices like my ipad" but there must have been a problem with my Mac or with the mac settings etc.
So now I am happy it works again and I will see how long it will go like this and will try to identify the real failure reasons more and more. My verdict for now is: it is a bluetooth conflict between the mac and the iphone.
I remember having had some connection problems with hotspot (like airdrop etc) in the past and I could solve it by logging unlogging from iCloud from my devices in the past.
So therefore it would be nice if others could tell whether the actions I took only on saturday solved their problem regarding personal hotspot. This would be very nice as I assume that we might run into connection problems in the future as well and then we can force a fast fix for that. Also I hope Apple could pay more attention to tethering, because more people use it with ongoing unlimited data programs etc.
The System I have now: iPhone 11, (ios 13.7); Macbook Pro 2015, 15" (10.14.6); iPad 9.7 Pro (latest ios)
What I did before Saturday (did not work):
Reconnect the mac with my icloud
Reset wifi and bluetooth through deleting files in the library (check google)
What I did Saturday to solve the issue:
What I think was the turning point to solve this problem, because after I did it, I had no failures anymore and it worked instantly (within 1-2 seconds after selecting the priviledged iPhone)!
Pref>Network> Delete (all) Bluetooth Pan Connections in the left sidebar
Pref>Bluetooth> Forget the Connection with my iPhone
iPhone> "Forget This Device" (My macbook pro)
Switch on/off bluetooth on both devices. After this measure, last saturday it works without any problems. That means I dont have to touch my iPhone at all anymore. If bluetooth is enabled on my iPhone, my Mac can comminacte with the iPhone and can turn on personal hotspot itself. However when I had the problem a workaroud was always to open my iPhone, turn on manually prsonal hotspot (sometimes turn off bluetooth) and then directly connect to my ipHone from my Mac. Now it is all like its supposed to be and I dont have to get my iPhone out.
My assumption is: It all has to do with the bluetooth settings. There might be a conflicht with the bluetooth between the mac and the iPhone. Maybe the mac tries to connect to the internet over a bluetooth-pan (which is also possible besides a cable or a wifi connection if you read the personal hotspot descriptions). So probably the mac tried to connect over bluetooth to internet, but this lead to conflicts.
Also very helpful to identify problems: If you have an iPad or an iPhone try to connect them to the personal hotspot after your mac has a problem connecting.
While I was having a problem with my Mac, I could connect with my ipad pro 9.7 (latest ios) without any problems!!!
This let me to the idea that "all was fine with my iphone and other devices like my ipad" but there must have been a problem with my Mac or with the mac settings etc.
So now I am happy it works again and I will see how long it will go like this and will try to identify the real failure reasons more and more. My verdict for now is: it is a bluetooth conflict between the mac and the iphone.
I remember having had some connection problems with hotspot (like airdrop etc) in the past and I could solve it by logging unlogging from iCloud from my devices in the past.
So therefore it would be nice if others could tell whether the actions I took only on saturday solved their problem regarding personal hotspot. This would be very nice as I assume that we might run into connection problems in the future as well and then we can force a fast fix for that. Also I hope Apple could pay more attention to tethering, because more people use it with ongoing unlimited data programs etc.
