
Wondering how to turn on Airplane mode on Macbook laptops? you can’t. But you can do other things to get the same results. Let’s see how.
There is no Airplane mode on Macbooks, the device doesn’t work the same as an iPhone or any other mobile phones for that matter. If you still want to turn off all communications of your Macbook, you can simply turn off the Wifi, and also the Bluetooth. Below we will explain how to do that.
What does Airplane mode do anyway?
Airplane mode is a feature on all mobile phones that basically shuts off all the communication features of the device. So for a mobile phone like an iPhone that’s:
- Cellular data transmissions
- WiFi
- Bluetooth
- GPS
Airlines are asking the passengers to turn off their electronic devices to be on the safe side of the signals to cause issues with the plane’s own communication systems, although it has never really happened, the risk of something go wrong during a flight is too high, so this is a safety measure.
Besides the obvious advantage of NOT potentially crashing, there are other benefits of turning your airplane mode on, when you are so high in the air flying, if you use cellular data, your phone will work extra hard to try and get a signal and find a cell tower, it will drain your battery faster.
How to turn on Airplane mode on Macbook
As mentioned prior, your Macbook doesn’t have an airplane mode, but if you still want to turn off communications features of your Macbook, you need to turn off the Wifi and Bluetooth features.
How to turn off WiFi on Macbook
There are two ways to turn off your WiFi, a simple and quick way, and a simple and longer way.
The simple and quick way:
- Open your macbook and click on the WiFi icon on the top right corner of your screen
- Click, Turn WiFi OFF


The simple and longer way:
- Open your Macbook and click the apple icon on the top left corner of your screen.
- Click System Preferences
- Click Network
- Click Turn off WiFi




Both ways are pretty easy and will take you less than 10 second, the first way will take you roughly 4 seconds, which is way faster. Use the first way.
How to turn off Bluetooth on Macbook
If your Bluetooth is already working ( currently working ):
- Click the Bluetooth icon on the top right corner of your Macbook Screen ( next to the WiFi icon )
- Click Turn Bluetooth OFF.


If the Bluetooth is currently not working:
- Click the apple icon on the top left corner of your Macbook screen
- Click System Preferences
- Click Bluetooth
- Click Turn Bluetooth OFF


Is it actually illegal to keep your phone on during flights?
According to the Federal Communications Commission ( FCC ) – it is prohibited to use your cell phone during flights in the United States as a whole. You can read their regulations regarding this here:
Cellular telephones installed in or carried aboard airplanes, balloons or any other type of aircraft must not be operated while such aircraft are airborne (not touching the ground). When any aircraft leaves the ground, all cellular telephones on board that aircraft must be turned off.
FCC
However there is a separate law enforced by the Federal Aviation Association
( FAA ) that says people can use their cell phones on certain flights and carriers, which pretty much says the opposite from the FCC
The ruling is, in general that the airlines can decide if cell phones can be kept on or must be turned off. Some flights today allow on-board WiFi and even calls.
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