Your Android phone can share its cellular data connection with other devices by broadcasting itself as a personal hotspot. This is a quick and easy way to access the internet when you don’t have access to regular Wi-Fi. ..

However, setting up your Android device as a mobile hotspot comes at a cost to battery life, so you may want to use it sparingly. For longer sessions, it’s best to explore less conventional methods such as USB and Bluetooth tethering. ..

If you’re unsure whether your cellular carrier allows tethering, be sure to ask before you start. ..

To share your Android’s internet connection with other devices, you can use a hotspot, USB, or Bluetooth connection.

Activate Mobile Hotspot on Android

  1. Open the Settings app and tap on Wi-Fi.

  2. Scroll down to the bottom and select Hotspot.

  3. Change the name of your hotspot to something you prefer, such as “My Network” or “Cellular Hotspot”.

  4. Set the security level to high if you want to keep your hotspot private or set it to low if you want others to be able to connect but not use it (this is useful if you have a family member who wants to use your hotspot but doesn’t want them connected).

  5. Note the Wi-Fi password for your hotspot so that you can connect when needed without having to remember it each time.

  6. Navigate to the “Wireless & Networks” section and tap on it.

  7. Under the “Wi-Fi” heading, you will see a list of networks that are currently connected to your device.

  8. Tap on the network that you want to connect to and then enter your password if prompted.

  9. Once connected, you will be able to browse the internet as usual. ..

If you have a mobile hotspot, you can now use it to tether your device to the internet. To do this, open the Hotspot and Tethering settings page on your mobile device. Then, select Wi-Fi hotspot.

  1. On your phone, open the Settings app.
  2. Under Wireless & networks, tap Wi-Fi.
  3. Under the “Wi-Fi” section, tap the switch next to Use Wi-Fi hotspot.
  4. If you’re using a mobile data plan, turn on the toggle next to Use mobile data instead of Wi-Fi hotspot.
  5. If you’re not using a mobile data plan, turn on the toggle next to Use Wi-Fi hotspot (and connect to a wireless network). ..
  • Choose an available Wi-Fi security protocol such as WPA3-Personal, WPA2/WPA3-Personal, and WPA2-Personal.
  • Stick to the default WPA2/WPA3 setting or select WPA2 if you encounter connectivity issues.
  • Note down the default hotspot password.
  • However, don’t use an easy-to-guess password.
  • Turn off hotspot automatically: Let your Android automatically switch off the mobile hotspot to conserve battery life when no devices are connected.
  • Allows older devices to detect and use your Android hotspot as a Wi-Fi connection. However, that may cause the battery to drain faster.

You can now connect to your Android phone’s hotspot from another device. The process is similar to joining a typical Wi-Fi network. On your PC or Mac, select the Wi-Fi icon on the system tray or menu bar, select the mobile hotspot name, and enter its password.

It is possible to join a Wi-Fi hotspot on an iOS or iPadOS device by head over to the Wi-Fi selection screen and scanning the QR Code button within the “Wi-Fi hotspot” screen. You can also tap the QR Code button within the “Wi-Fi hotspot” screen and scan it using the iPhone or iPad camera.

To turn your Android device’s hotspot on or off, open the Quick Settings pane and swipe down from the top of the screen. Tap the Hotspot icon to toggle the functionality or long-press it to access the “Wi-Fi hotspot” settings screen. ..

If you haven’t configured your Android device to turn off the hotspot automatically when no devices are connected, don’t forget to do that and avoid battery drain. ..

Activate USB Tethering on Android

If you have a USB cable at hand, you can tether your Android to a desktop or laptop device via USB and share your cellular data plan that way. That speeds up the internet and stops the phone’s battery from draining. However, USB tethering prevents you from connecting additional devices and could eat away the battery life on laptops.

  1. Tap on the Hotspot & tethering icon and select your desired connection.

  2. Tap on the blue “Tether” button to start tethering your device to the specified hotspot or network.

  3. If you have a cellular data plan, you will be able to use that data to tether your device; otherwise, you will need to use your data plan’s 3G or 4G connection.

  4. To stop tethering, tap on the “End Hotspot & Tethering” button.

  5. Turn on the switch next to USB tethering so that you can use your computer’s USB port to connect to the internet.

To connect your Android to your PC or Mac and disconnect from other wireless networks (or disable the Wi-Fi module), follow these steps:

  1. Open the Settings app on your Android device.
  2. Scroll down to the bottom and select “Wireless.”
  3. Toggle “Mobile Data” off.
  4. Connect your Android to your PC or Mac using a USB cable.

USB tethering is a feature that allows you to use your phone’s internet connection as if it were a Wi-Fi hotspot. Unlike mobile hotspots, which require you to turn off USB tethering when you aren’t actively using it, USB tethering stays on even when the phone is inactive. This means that you can continue to use your phone’s internet connection even if you are not near a Wi-Fi network. ..

Activate Bluetooth Tethering on Android

Android users can share their internet connection with other devices by using Bluetooth. This results in slower internet speeds, but it is more efficient for the battery and is easier to set up than using a hotspot network. ..

  1. Now, you can use your Android device as a hotspot to connect to the internet and tether to your computer.

Android devices can be paired with a computer using either Microsoft Windows or the Mac. On Microsoft Windows, you can open the Start menu and select Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Add a device. On the Mac, open the Apple menu and go to System Preferences > Bluetooth. Make sure to put your Android into discovery mode during the pairing process (just go to Settings > Connected devices). ..

To configure your computer to use Bluetooth, open the Windows Control Panel and select Hardware and Sound > Devices and Printers. Next, highlight your Android device and select Connect to > Access Point. ..

On the Mac, go to System Preferences > Network and select the Plus icon. Then add a Bluetooth PAN.

Apple has removed the ability to set up a Bluetooth personal area network on Macs running macOS 12 Monterey and later. You shouldn’t have any trouble using Bluetooth tethering on older versions of macOS.

Uninterrupted Internet Connectivity

If you’re looking for a way to stay connected while on the go, using a portable Wi-Fi hotspot can be a great option. However, be sure to use USB or Bluetooth tethering when battery life is an issue. If you run into issues following the instructions above, learn how to fix your Android mobile hotspot and get back online.