How to turn on a Wi-Fi hotspot on Android
2 min read · 5 steps · Updated 2 October 2026
Open Settings, tap Network & internet, then Hotspot & tethering, then Wi-Fi hotspot, and switch it on. On the other device, pick the hotspot name in the Wi-Fi list and enter the password shown on that page.
A hotspot shares your phone's mobile data with a laptop, tablet or another phone. It uses your data allowance, and some mobile plans limit or charge for it.
Menu names below are from Google Pixel phones on a recent Android version. Samsung, Xiaomi and other brands rename some of them, so the Samsung name is given where it differs. The pictures are simplified diagrams of the screen, not screenshots.
Step by step
Open Settings and tap Network & internet
On Samsung, tap Connections.
Tap Hotspot & tethering
On Samsung it is called Mobile Hotspot and Tethering.
Tap Wi-Fi hotspot and switch it on
Tap the row to open its settings, then switch on Use Wi-Fi hotspot.
Set the name and password
Tap Hotspot name to change what other devices see, and Hotspot password to choose your own. Keep security on WPA2 or WPA3.
Connect the other device
On the laptop or tablet, open the Wi-Fi list, choose your hotspot and type the password. Many phones also show a QR code that another phone can scan.
Good to know
The quick way: swipe down twice from the top of the screen and tap the Hotspot tile.
Hotspot uses a lot of battery. Plug the phone in for long sessions, and leave "Turn off hotspot automatically" switched on.
USB tethering, on the same page, shares the connection through a cable. It is faster and charges the phone at the same time.
In short: Settings, Network & internet, Hotspot & tethering, Wi-Fi hotspot, switch it on.
- Google Android Help: Share a mobile connection by hotspot or tethering on Android
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