How to Use Your Smartphone as a Wi-Fi Hotspot: iPhone and Android Steps

A smartphone hotspot lets another device, such as a laptop or tablet, connect to the internet through your phone’s cellular connection. It can be useful when your home Wi-Fi is unavailable, but it uses mobile data and may depend on your carrier plan.

Here’s how to turn on a Wi-Fi hotspot on an iPhone or Android phone, connect another device, and check a few common issues. Menu names can vary by phone model and software version.

Before you start

Check that your phone has cellular service and that your mobile plan supports hotspot use. Your carrier may limit hotspot access or data, or charge extra; check your plan if you are unsure. A hotspot shares your phone’s mobile internet, not its connection to a nearby Wi-Fi network.

Have the device you want to connect ready, and keep your phone nearby. Hotspot use can consume mobile data and battery. Choose a password you can enter on the other device, but avoid sharing it with people you do not trust.

Turn on a hotspot on an iPhone

1. Open Settings. Look for Personal Hotspot. If it is not shown, check under Cellular or Mobile Service.
2. Allow other devices to join. Turn on Allow Others to Join. If the option is unavailable, check cellular service and your carrier plan.
3. Check the Wi-Fi password. On the Personal Hotspot screen, find the password. You can use the one displayed or set a different one that is easy to enter accurately and not easy for others to guess.
4. Keep the Personal Hotspot screen open if needed. If the other device does not find your iPhone, leave this screen visible while it searches and tries to connect.

Turn on a hotspot on an Android phone

Android settings differ among manufacturers. On many phones, you can start with the Settings search box and search for hotspot or mobile hotspot.

1. Open the hotspot settings. On many Android phones, go to Settings, then Network & internet, and Hotspot & tethering. On some Samsung phones, look under Connections for Mobile Hotspot and Tethering.
2. Open the Wi-Fi hotspot options. Review the hotspot name and password shown on the screen. The name is what you will look for on the laptop or other device.
3. Set or confirm the password. Use the phone’s displayed password or set one you can enter correctly. Avoid an obvious password that someone nearby could guess.
4. Turn on Wi-Fi hotspot. Use the switch on that screen. Some Android phones also offer a hotspot button in Quick Settings; the full settings page is helpful for checking the name and password.

Connect a laptop, tablet, or another phone

1. Open Wi-Fi settings on the device you want to connect. On a laptop or tablet, select the Wi-Fi network list.
2. Choose your phone’s hotspot name. On an iPhone, the network name is generally the name assigned to the phone. On Android, use the hotspot name shown in its settings.
3. Enter the hotspot password. Type it exactly as shown on your phone. Passwords are case-sensitive.
4. Check that the device is online. Open a webpage or app that needs internet access. If it does not load, see the troubleshooting steps below.
5. Turn the hotspot off when you are finished. Return to the hotspot settings or use the phone’s hotspot control. This stops other devices from joining and helps avoid leaving the feature on by mistake.

If the hotspot does not work

• The hotspot option is missing or unavailable: Confirm that cellular data is on, your phone has service, and your mobile plan includes hotspot access. If the setting remains unavailable, ask your carrier whether the plan or account needs attention.
• The other device cannot see the network: Make sure the hotspot is on and the devices are close together. On iPhone, keep the Personal Hotspot screen open while the other device searches. On Android, check the hotspot settings for the current network name.
• The password is rejected: Check the password on the phone and enter it again carefully, including capital letters. On the connecting device, you may need to forget the saved network and then join it again.
• The device connects but has no internet: Check that the phone itself can load a webpage using cellular data. If it cannot, the issue may be cellular service, data settings, or your plan rather than the Wi-Fi connection between devices.
• The connection drops: Keep the phone near the connected device, check its battery, and look for a hotspot setting that turns the feature off automatically when no devices are connected.

Things to know

A hotspot can use data quickly when a connected device downloads large files, streams video, or installs updates. If your plan has a data limit, check usage on your phone or with your carrier. A password helps control who can join, but only share it with people you trust. If you are using a public place, avoid announcing the password or leaving the hotspot on after your device is done.

Once you have connected a device successfully, the process is usually simple: turn on the hotspot, select its network on the other device, and enter the password. If a setting is missing or the connection will not reach the internet, check your cellular service and plan before changing more advanced options.