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Windows 11 Mobile Hotspot: Share Your PC's Internet Safely
Written by Windows 11 Field Guide Editorial Team · Updated
A hotel that allows one device per room, a train with wired power but patchy Wi-Fi, a tablet that needs to get online through your laptop: Windows 11 mobile hotspot turns your PC into a small Wi-Fi access point that shares its internet connection. It takes a minute to set up. This guide covers turning it on, choosing what to share, setting a safe password and band, connecting devices, and what to do when the hotspot will not start or devices cannot see it.
The steps apply to Windows 11 version 24H2, 25H2 and 26H2.
Turn on Mobile hotspot
Microsoft’s support article gives these steps:
- Open Start > Settings > Network & internet > Mobile hotspot.
- In Share my internet connection from, choose the connection to share: Wi-Fi, Ethernet or cellular, depending on what the PC has.
- In Share over, choose Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. Microsoft notes Wi-Fi is usually faster and is the default.
- Optionally, under Properties, select Edit to change the network name, password and band, then Save.
- Switch Mobile hotspot on.
From Quick Settings
Once set up, open Quick Settings (Windows logo key + A) and select Mobile hotspot. Microsoft says you may need to go to the second page of quick actions. Right-click (or press and hold) the button and select Go to Settings to reach the settings page.
Set a strong name and password
Windows creates a random network name and password. Change them to something you will recognise and a password that is long and not reused elsewhere. Anyone with the password can use your connection and, potentially, see shared resources on the PC, so:
- Use at least 12 characters.
- Turn the hotspot off when you are done.
- Do not share the password on public channels.
If the PC’s network is set to Private and you share files, consider turning the hotspot off around people you do not know. Our network discovery checklist explains sharing settings.
Choose the band
The Network band option offers 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz or Any available, depending on the adapter.
| Band | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| 2.4 GHz | Works with almost every device, longer range | Slower, busier |
| 5 GHz | Faster, less interference | Shorter range; some older devices cannot see it |
| Any available | Windows chooses | Can pick one your device does not support |
If a phone or games console cannot find the hotspot, switch to 2.4 GHz first.
Connect a device
On the phone, tablet or laptop, open its Wi-Fi settings, select your hotspot’s name and enter the password. Microsoft notes that some devices can scan a QR code shown on the PC instead. Connected devices appear on the Mobile hotspot page with their name, IP address and physical address.
If you shared over Bluetooth, pair the device with the PC first; see Windows 11 Bluetooth settings.
Data and power
- Cellular data: Microsoft notes that sharing a cellular connection uses data from your plan. Watch for large updates and video on the connected devices.
- Metered connections: if you share a metered connection, set it as metered so Windows limits its own background downloads.
- Battery: running a hotspot uses extra power. Keep a laptop plugged in where possible; our battery drain guide has other tips.
- Power saving: there may be an option to turn the hotspot off automatically when no devices are connected. Leave it on to save power.
Hotspot will not turn on or devices cannot connect
Work through these in order:
- Check the shared connection works. If the PC itself has no internet, there is nothing to share. Fix that first with Windows 11 no internet.
- Turn airplane mode off and make sure Wi-Fi is on.
- Change the band to 2.4 GHz and the network name to plain letters and numbers.
- Restart the PC, then try again.
- Update the Wi-Fi driver. Hotspot support depends on the adapter and driver. See update drivers in Windows 11.
- Check VPN software. Some VPN clients block or reroute shared connections; pause the VPN and test.
- Check for a policy. On a work or school PC the hotspot may be disabled by the organization.
- As a last step, reset network settings, which reinstalls adapters with defaults.
If the hotspot keeps dropping, the cause is often the same as Wi-Fi instability on the PC; see Wi-Fi keeps disconnecting.
Hotspot vs other ways to share a connection
A mobile hotspot is not always the best option:
| Need | Better option |
|---|---|
| Give a guest access to your home internet | Share your home Wi-Fi password; see find the Wi-Fi password |
| Get a phone online while travelling | Usually the other way round: the phone’s own hotspot shares mobile data with the PC |
| Connect a desktop with no Wi-Fi card | A USB Wi-Fi adapter, or a cable to the router |
| Several devices in a hotel room | A travel router is more reliable than a laptop hotspot |
A PC hotspot shines when the PC has the only good connection, such as a hotel’s wired Ethernet port or a laptop with a built-in cellular modem. Keep the laptop plugged in and the lid open if closing it would put the PC to sleep; when the PC sleeps, the hotspot stops. If you want the hotspot to keep running with the lid closed, change the lid action under the power settings, and remember the laptop will stay warm in a bag.
Related guides
To give someone your home Wi-Fi password instead of using a hotspot, see find the Wi-Fi password in Windows 11. For the rest of the network settings page, see Windows 11 Wi-Fi settings.
Frequently asked questions
How do I turn on Mobile hotspot in Windows 11?
Open Settings > Network & internet > Mobile hotspot, choose the connection to share and whether to share over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, then switch Mobile hotspot on.
Where do I find the hotspot password?
On the Mobile hotspot settings page, under Properties, alongside the network name. Select Edit to change it.
Can I share a Wi-Fi connection over Wi-Fi?
Microsoft lists Wi-Fi, Ethernet and cellular data as connections a PC can share. Whether Wi-Fi to Wi-Fi works depends on the Wi-Fi adapter and driver.
Why does my hotspot not appear on my phone?
Check the band. Some older phones and devices cannot see 5 GHz networks; set the band to 2.4 GHz or Any available. Also make sure the PC is not in airplane mode.
Does the hotspot use my data?
If you share a cellular connection, yes; Microsoft notes it uses data from your plan. Sharing Ethernet or Wi-Fi uses whatever that connection's provider allows.
Sources
Windows 11 Field Guide Editorial Team
Editorial team
The Windows 11 Field Guide team writes and updates independent Windows 11 guides and checks each step against Microsoft's documentation and the current Settings app.
