How to Connect Your PC to Your Mobile Hotspot: Windows & Mac (2024)

Co-authored byNaseem Speachand Rain Kengly

Last Updated: July 29, 2024Fact Checked

Quick Steps

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1. 1

   Turn on your mobile hotspot. This process will differ depending on your device.

   • On iPhone: Open Settings and tap Personal Hotspot. Toggle on Allow Others to Join and set a password.
   • On Android: Open Settings and tap Connections. Tap Mobile hotspot & tethering and toggle the switch on.
2. 2

   On your PC, click the

   icon. It's in the taskbar near the clock, which is usually at the bottom-right corner of the screen. This opens a list of available wireless networks.

   • You may need to click the text bubble icon to expand the side menu.
   • If you're not connected to a network right now, you'll see an asterisk (*) at the top-left corner of this icon.

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3. 3

   Click the name of the hotspot. In most cases, this is the name of your device.

   • If you want your PC to always connect to this hotspot automatically when it's in range, check the box for Connect automatically.
4. 4

   See Also

   How to force a public Wi-Fi login page to openWhat is a hotspot? How to connect to a public Wi-Fi hotspot, or set up your own personal hotspot

   Click Connect. If the hotspot requires a network security key, you'll be prompted to enter it now.

   • Some public hotspots (e.g. airports or cafes) require an extra step. Open a web browser and navigate to www.wikihow.com. If you're redirected to a page that tells you to agree to rules or sign up for an account, follow the instructions to get online. If you see wikiHow's homepage, you're good to go.
     • Never log into secure platforms or enter any sensitive information while connected to a public Wi-Fi network or hotspot.
5. 5

   Enter the security key and click Next. As long as you entered the correct password, you should be able to connect to the internet through this hotspot.

6. 6

   Use a wired connection (optional). If you don't want to connect via Wi-Fi, or if you're having trouble connecting, you can use a wired connection instead. Do the following:

   • Plug your phone into your computer via USB.
     • If you're using an iPhone, you must have iTunes installed on your computer.
   • Enable hotspot on your phone.

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Download Article

1. 1

   Turn on your mobile hotspot. This process will differ depending on your device.

   • On iPhone: Open Settings and tap Personal Hotspot. Toggle on Allow Others to Join and set a password.
   • On Android: Open Settings and tap Connections. Tap Mobile hotspot & tethering and toggle the switch on.
2. 2

   Click the

   button. It's in the menu bar at the top-right side of the screen. A list of available wireless networks will appear.^[1]

3. 3

   Click the hotspot you want to join. If you're using your phone's hotspot, select your phone.

   • Some public hotspots (e.g. airports or cafes) require an extra step. Open a web browser and navigate to www.wikihow.com. If you're redirected to a page that tells you to agree to rules or sign up for an account, follow the instructions to get online. If you see wikiHow's homepage, you're good to go.
     • Never log into secure platforms or enter any sensitive information while connected to a public Wi-Fi network or hotspot.
4. 4

   Type the password and click Join. As long as you entered the correct password, you should be able to connect to the internet through this hotspot.

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