How to Use Your Phone as a Personal Hotspot

A personal hotspot lets a laptop, tablet, or another device get online through your phone’s mobile-data connection. It can be useful while traveling or when your usual Wi-Fi is unavailable.

Before you start, check that your phone plan allows hotspot use. Connecting a device this way uses mobile data, and your carrier may apply limits or charges. Menu names vary between phones, but the steps below cover common iPhone and Android options.

What you’ll need

• A phone with mobile data and hotspot sharing enabled by its carrier.
• The phone’s hotspot name and password.
• A second device with Wi-Fi, such as a laptop or tablet.

For a first try, put both devices near each other and make sure the phone has a cellular signal. You do not need to connect the phone to home Wi-Fi first: in the usual setup, the phone shares its mobile-data connection.

Turn on a hotspot on an iPhone

1. Open Settings and tap Personal Hotspot. If you don’t see it there, look under Cellular.
2. Turn on Allow Others to Join.
3. Check the Wi-Fi password shown on the screen. Tap the password if you want to change it, then enter a password that is difficult for others to guess.
4. Leave the Personal Hotspot screen open while the other device connects, especially if this is your first connection.

The hotspot’s Wi-Fi name is generally the name of your iPhone. If you don’t recognize it in the other device’s Wi-Fi list, check the iPhone’s name in Settings under General and About.

Turn on a hotspot on an Android phone

1. Open Settings and look for Hotspot or Hotspot & tethering. On many Android phones, the setting is under Network & internet. On Samsung Galaxy phones, it is commonly under Connections, then Mobile Hotspot and Tethering.
2. Tap Wi-Fi hotspot or Mobile Hotspot to see its name and password. You may be able to edit both there.
3. Turn on the Wi-Fi hotspot. If your phone offers a choice of band or compatibility setting and the other device cannot find the hotspot, try the compatibility option described in your phone’s settings.

Android menus differ by phone maker and software version. If the steps don’t match your screen, use the Settings search box and search for hotspot. The phone may also offer a hotspot button in Quick Settings, the panel you open by swiping down from the top of the screen.

Connect a laptop, tablet, or other device

1. On the device you want to connect, open its Wi-Fi settings.
2. Choose your phone’s hotspot name from the list of available networks.
3. Enter the hotspot password shown on the phone, then select Join or Connect.
4. Wait for the device to show that it is connected. Open a webpage to check that it can reach the internet.

A connected device may show a Wi-Fi symbol even if the phone has no usable cellular connection. If a webpage will not load, check the phone’s cellular signal and try opening a page on the phone itself.

Tips and things to know

• Watch your data use. Video calls, streaming, large downloads, and computer updates can use mobile data quickly. Check your phone or carrier account for data usage, and consider pausing automatic downloads on the connected device.
• Keep the password private. Anyone who has it may be able to join while the hotspot is on. Change the password if you have shared it more widely than intended.
• Expect battery use. Sharing a mobile connection can use more battery. If you are using the hotspot for a long session, keep the phone charged when practical.
• Turn it off when finished. Switch off Personal Hotspot or Wi-Fi hotspot in Settings. Some phones also turn it off automatically after a period with no connected devices; check the setting rather than relying on that behavior.
• If it doesn’t work, try the basics. Confirm hotspot sharing is on, re-enter the password, and check that the phone has mobile data service. If the option is missing or a connection is blocked, your carrier plan may not support hotspot use. Restarting both devices can also help with a temporary connection problem.

A phone hotspot is a convenient backup, not a substitute for checking your plan’s limits. Once you know where the setting is and how to connect a second device, you can get online in a few steps when regular Wi-Fi isn’t available.