A phone hotspot appears to Windows 11 much like another Wi-Fi network. You need hotspot service enabled on the phone and the hotspot name and password.
How to do it
- Turn on Personal Hotspot on iPhone or Mobile Hotspot on Android and note the Wi-Fi password.
- On the PC, click the network/volume/battery area of the taskbar and open the Wi-Fi list.
- Select the phone’s hotspot name, choose Connect, and enter the password.
- Open a website to confirm internet access.
- When finished, disconnect or turn off the phone hotspot to reduce battery and cellular-data use.
When the hotspot does not appear
Keep the phone’s hotspot settings screen open during initial pairing, toggle Wi-Fi on the PC, and move the devices closer together. Some phones offer a compatibility setting that uses 2.4 GHz for PCs that cannot see a 5 GHz hotspot. Carrier plans can also restrict tethering.
What to know
Hotspot traffic normally uses the phone’s cellular data allowance. Use a strong hotspot password and avoid leaving the hotspot open to nearby devices.
Practical details
If the PC connects but says No internet, check whether the phone itself has cellular data, airplane mode is off, and the carrier signal works. VPNs on either device can complicate troubleshooting. USB tethering can be more stable and may charge the phone, while Bluetooth tethering is generally slower.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.