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To stop the usual Windows 11 internet sharing, open Settings > Network & internet > Mobile hotspot and switch Mobile hotspot off. If you need to prevent Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) more broadly, Windows also provides an administrative service control and a device policy for managed PCs; those options have wider effects and are not the same as turning off one hotspot session.

Turn off Mobile hotspot in Windows 11

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Select Network & internet > Mobile hotspot.
  3. Turn off the Mobile hotspot toggle at the top of the page.

This stops sharing through the Mobile hotspot control. Microsoft documents that the feature can share a Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or cellular connection over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth; if the source is cellular, the shared connection uses data from that cellular plan. You can also toggle Mobile hotspot from Quick Settings. Microsoft’s Mobile hotspot instructions describe selecting a source connection and sharing method before enabling it, so switching the toggle off reverses that action.

If the toggle is already off, sharing is not enabled through that Mobile hotspot control. That does not by itself establish whether another ICS configuration is in use.

Choose the right scope for disabling ICS

What you need to stop Control Scope and trade-off
One active Windows hotspot Settings > Network & internet > Mobile hotspot toggle Stops sharing through Mobile hotspot; it does not disable other sharing features.
The SharedAccess service Elevated Command Prompt: net stop sharedaccess Administrative service stop; may affect other sharing behavior, including hotspot functionality.
ICS on a managed organization device Device policy AllowInternetSharing Restricts ICS configuration and service operation on supported managed editions; deployment is for an administrator.

Stop the SharedAccess service (administrative option)

Microsoft’s technical documentation associates ICS with the SharedAccess service and documents stopping it from an elevated Command Prompt:

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  1. Open Command Prompt with administrator privileges.
  2. Run net stop sharedaccess.

This is a service stop, not a documented universal, permanent disable for every Windows 11 sharing scenario. SharedAccess can also operate in standalone mode for Wireless Hosted Network DHCP functions, and stopping it may affect other sharing behavior, including Mobile hotspot. Use this route only when you intend to stop the service and understand those consequences. Microsoft Learn’s ICS documentation describes the service and command.

Prevent ICS on a managed Windows device

For organization-managed devices, administrators can use the Wi-Fi Policy CSP setting AllowInternetSharing. Microsoft’s documentation says this device-scoped policy can prevent administrators from enabling or configuring ICS and prevent the ICS service from running. The documented supported editions are Windows 10 and later Pro, Enterprise, Education, and IoT Enterprise. Policy configuration is an administrator task; if you use a managed PC and need this restriction, contact your IT department rather than attempting to apply organization policy yourself. Microsoft’s Wi-Fi Policy CSP reference lists the policy details.

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Microsoft’s unattended setup documentation also identifies the Microsoft-Windows-SharedAccess component and its EnableICS setting. That reference is for configuring Windows images, not a consumer Settings walkthrough. See Microsoft’s unattended SharedAccess reference.

Do not confuse ICS with Nearby sharing

Nearby sharing sends documents, photos, and links between nearby PCs; it does not share an internet connection. Its separate controls are under Settings > System > Nearby sharing. Turning off Mobile hotspot does not turn Nearby sharing off. Microsoft’s Nearby sharing instructions cover that feature.

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What about the adapter Sharing tab?

Windows configurations may expose a Sharing control for an individual network connection, but the available adapters and interface can vary. Microsoft’s current consumer instructions reviewed here do not establish a complete Windows 11 click-path for disabling sharing on a specific adapter, so use the documented Mobile hotspot toggle for the common case or ask your administrator about a managed restriction.

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