Share your Internet connection

About hotspots and tethering

Want to use the Internet on a laptop computer or tablet but don't have a connection? You can share your phone's mobile data connection with multiple devices by turning your phone into a Wi‑Fi hotspot. You can also share your Internet connection with a single device using USB tethering or Bluetooth tethering.

NoteYour mobile plan must support data sharing. If you don't know, contact your carrier.

Set up Wi‑Fi hotspot

  1. Check that mobile data is on. If mobile data is off, your phone doesn't have an internet connection to share.
  2. Go to Settings > More > Tethering & mobile hotspot.

  3. Touch Set up Wi‑Fi hotspot and do any:

    • To make it easier to identify your hotspot when connecting to it, change the network name for your hotspot.
    • To see the current password, check Show password.
    • If the hotspot signal is experiencing interference, change the broadcast channel/band to 5 GHz. If the hotspot signal seems weak, change it to 2 GHz. (This feature is not available in all countries.)
  4. Touch Save.

Connect devices to hotspot

  1. Check that mobile data is on. If mobile data is off, your phone doesn't have an internet connection to share.
  2. Go to Settings > More > Tethering & mobile hotspot.

  3. Turn Portable Wi‑Fi hotspot on and plug in your phone to charge. Using the hotspot really drains the battery!

    When your hotspot is active, you'll see in the status bar.

  4. To connect a device, open the device's Wi-Fi settings, select your phone's hotspot and enter the hotspot password. Learn how to find the hotspot's password.

Manage hotspot connections

By assigning a password for your hotspot, you ensure that people can't connect to your hotspot without your knowledge or permission.

To disconnect all devices and prevent users from reconnecting:

  1. Turn the hotspot off.
  2. Change the password.
  3. Turn the hotspot back on to continue using it.

View or change hotspot password

  1. Go to Settings > More > Tethering & mobile hotspot.
  2. Touch Set up Wi‑Fi hotspot.
  3. To see the current password, check Show password.
  4. To change the password, type over the current password.
NoteAlthough you can turn off passwords for your hotspot, keeping a password prevents unauthorised usage of your mobile data.

USB tethering

To connect a device to the Internet using your phone's mobile data and a USB cable:

  1. Check that mobile data is on. If mobile data is off, your phone doesn't have an internet connection to share.

  2. Connect your phone to your computer with a USB cable.

  3. On your phone, go to Settings.
  4. Make sure Wi‑Fi is off.
  5. Touch More > Tethering & mobile hotspot.

  6. Turn on USB tethering to start the connection.

    You'll see in your notifications.

To stop the connection, touch the notification and turn off USB tethering, then disconnect your phone and computer.

Bluetooth tethering

To connect a device to the Internet using your phone's mobile data and a Bluetooth connection:

  1. Check that mobile data is on. If mobile data is off, your phone doesn't have an internet connection to share.
  2. Turn on Bluetooth on your phone and pair with the other device.
  3. Set up the other device to get its network connection via Bluetooth.
  4. On your phone, go to Settings.
  5. Touch More > Tethering & mobile hotspot.

  6. Turn on Bluetooth tethering to start the connection.

    You'll see in your notifications.

To stop the connection, touch the notification and turn off Bluetooth tethering.

Fix a problem

If you're having problems, try these troubleshooting steps: