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To connect another device to your phone’s internet, turn on hotspot sharing on the phone, then select the phone’s network on the other device’s Wi-Fi list and enter the password the phone displays. The phone’s cellular data carries the traffic, and whether hotspot is included, limited, or charged extra depends on your carrier and plan. The steps below cover iPhone and Android, the Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and USB options, and the checks to run when the connection fails.
Before you start
- Cellular service on the phone. The hotspot only shares a connection the phone already has. Confirm the phone shows a signal and can load a page on its own.
- Hotspot on your plan. Apple states that Personal Hotspot isn’t available with all carriers. Additional fees may apply. Google also notes that some carriers limit or charge extra for tethering. Check your plan before troubleshooting a missing option.
- Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on both devices. Required for Wi-Fi sharing, and for Bluetooth sharing as well. Apple recommends keeping both devices within 30 feet (10 meters) of each other.
- Menu labels may differ. Look for “Personal Hotspot,” “Hotspot,” or “Tethering” in Settings. Names change with operating system version, manufacturer, and region.
Turn on the hotspot on an iPhone
- Open Settings > Personal Hotspot. On some iOS versions the path is Settings > Cellular (or Mobile) > Personal Hotspot.
- Turn on Allow Others to Join. Apple describes this as the step for devices that are not signed in to the same Apple Account.
- Note the Wi-Fi password shown on the Personal Hotspot screen.
- On the receiving device, open its Wi-Fi settings, choose the iPhone’s name from the list, and enter that password.
If another Apple device is signed in to the same Apple Account, Apple says it can join without entering a password. Apple’s connection guide also lists Bluetooth and cable options, and says Personal Hotspot can share with iPhone, iPad, Mac, Windows computers, and other Wi-Fi-capable devices. The Apple support article on connecting to a Personal Hotspot covers joining and disconnecting in more detail.
Turn on the hotspot on an Android phone
Most Android phones can share mobile data over Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or USB, according to Google’s Android Help guide to hotspot and tethering. Menu placement varies by Android version and manufacturer, so search the phone’s Settings for “hotspot” or “tethering.”
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- Open Settings and search for “hotspot” or “tethering,” then open the hotspot option.
- Turn on the mobile hotspot and note the network name and password the phone shows.
- On the receiving device, join that network using the displayed credentials.
Samsung Galaxy phones list a mobile hotspot along with USB, Bluetooth, and Ethernet tethering in their connection options guide. The options that appear depend on the specific Galaxy model and how you plan to use it.
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Connect a Windows computer or another phone
Wi-Fi (works for most devices)
On the Windows computer, open the Wi-Fi menu, select the phone’s hotspot network, and enter the password shown on the phone. This is the same workflow for a second phone or tablet: pick the network from the device’s Wi-Fi list and enter the password.
Bluetooth
Microsoft documents connecting a Windows PC to a phone that shares its connection over Bluetooth, through the Bluetooth network connection feature described in its guide to connecting to a Bluetooth network in Windows. Pair the devices first, then enable the phone’s Bluetooth tethering option. Microsoft’s page notes that Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025, so if you are on Windows 10, expect its steps to differ from what the current support pages describe.
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Choose a connection method
| Method | What it needs | Documented limits |
|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi on both devices; the receiving device must be able to join a Wi-Fi network | Connection range is limited, and Apple’s guidance favors devices within 30 feet (10 meters) |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth support on both devices; Apple documents Mac and Windows connections, and Google lists Bluetooth tethering on most Android phones | Compatibility differs by device, so confirm your model supports it |
| USB | A cable that fits both devices’ ports; on Windows with an iPhone, Apple Devices or iTunes installed | Android USB tethering does not work with Mac computers, according to Google |
Pick based on the devices you have and whether a suitable cable is in reach. Wi-Fi is the most general route. The sources do not establish speed, battery, or security differences between the three methods for any particular pair of devices, so this guide does not rank them on those points.
USB tethering on an iPhone
- Connect the iPhone to the computer with a cable that fits both devices.
- On the iPhone, accept the Trust This Computer? prompt if it appears.
- On Windows, install Apple Devices or iTunes if they are not already installed. Apple says this is required for USB tethering on Windows.
Troubleshooting when the connection fails
- The hotspot option is missing or does not turn on. Confirm the phone has cellular service, then check your carrier. Hotspot may not be included on every plan, and fees may apply.
- The network does not appear on the receiving device. Make sure hotspot sharing is on and that Wi-Fi is enabled on the phone for Wi-Fi tethering. Keep both devices within about 30 feet (10 meters).
- The receiving device will not connect on iPhone. Open Personal Hotspot settings and try Maximize Compatibility. Apple warns this setting may reduce performance for connected devices, so turn it off once you no longer need it.
- Wrong password. Re-read the password from the phone’s hotspot screen, since it can differ from your Wi-Fi password at home.
- USB does not work. Check that the cable fits both ports, accept the Trust prompt on iPhone, install Apple Devices or iTunes on Windows, and remember that Android USB tethering does not work with a Mac.
These steps cover the checks documented by Apple and Google. They do not fix every device-specific fault, and some manufacturers need their own troubleshooting steps.
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Data use and plan limits
A hotspot uses the phone’s cellular data for everything connected to it, so a laptop streaming video draws from the same allowance as the phone. Apple says the number of devices that can connect at once depends on the carrier and the iPhone model. Google notes that some carriers limit tethering or charge extra for it. Check your plan’s hotspot allowance, speed limits, and fees before relying on the connection for work.
Setup is complete once the receiving device shows a connected status and loads a web page. If the phone’s data is used up or throttled, the connection will still appear but may be slow or stop loading, which points to your plan rather than the setup.
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