Chain link icon at the top of an iPhone: what does it mean?
On an iPhone it means the phone is getting internet through another device’s Personal Hotspot.
What Apple says
- iPhone (Apple) — Personal Hotspot connection. iPhone is connected to the internet through the Personal Hotspot of another device.
Source: Apple Support: Learn the meaning of iPhone status icons (iPhone User Guide) (checked 2026-09-29)
- What it looks like
- Two interlocking oval chain links.
- Shown by
- iPhone (Apple)
Telling it apart
The same links inside a green pill behind the clock mean the opposite: this iPhone is providing a Personal Hotspot to others.
Icons to compare
Sources
Each meaning above is taken from the maker’s own support page, fetched and read on the date shown. The drawing is ours; the real icon on your phone may be drawn a little differently and can change with software updates.
- iPhone (Apple) — Apple Support: Learn the meaning of iPhone status icons (iPhone User Guide). OS: iOS 27, the version the guide opened on; not dated on the page. Checked 2026-09-29.