How to Set Up a Personal Hotspot on Your Phone

What you will learn

You will learn how to turn your phone into a Wi-Fi hotspot so that other devices like a laptop, tablet, or another phone can use your mobile internet connection. This is useful when there is no Wi-Fi available.

What you need

• A smartphone (iPhone or Android) with mobile data
• A mobile data plan that allows hotspot use
• The device you want to connect (laptop, tablet, or another phone)

Step 1: Open the hotspot settings (iPhone)

Open the Settings app. Tap Personal Hotspot. If you do not see this option, tap Mobile Data first, then tap Personal Hotspot. You will see a switch to turn the hotspot on or off and a Wi-Fi password.

Step 2: Open the hotspot settings (Android)

Open the Settings app. Tap Connections or Network and Internet (the name varies by phone). Tap Mobile Hotspot and Tethering or Hotspot and Tethering. Tap Mobile Hotspot to see the settings.

Step 3: Set a password

Before turning on the hotspot, check the password. On iPhone, tap the Wi-Fi Password field to change it. On Android, tap Configure or the hotspot name to see and change the password. Choose a password that is easy for you to remember but hard for others to guess. Use at least 8 characters.

Step 4: Turn on the hotspot

Turn on the switch next to Allow Others to Join (iPhone) or Mobile Hotspot (Android). Your phone is now broadcasting a Wi-Fi network that other devices can connect to. The name of the network is usually your phone’s name.

Step 5: Connect your other device

On the device you want to connect (laptop, tablet, or another phone), open the Wi-Fi settings. Look for your phone’s name in the list of available networks. Tap it and enter the password you set in Step 3. The device should connect within a few seconds.

Step 6: Turn off the hotspot when done

When you no longer need the hotspot, go back to the hotspot settings and turn off the switch. This saves battery and prevents others from using your mobile data. On iPhone, the hotspot turns off automatically when no devices are connected for a few minutes.

Tips

• Keep your phone charged while using the hotspot because it drains battery quickly
• Use a strong password to prevent strangers from connecting
• Check your data usage in Settings after using the hotspot to see how much data was used
• If the connection is slow, try moving to a location with better mobile signal
• Some phone plans charge extra for hotspot use — check with your provider first

Useful links

• Apple Personal Hotspot guide
• Android hotspot guide