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How to Turn a Windows PC into a Mobile Hotspot

Tap through the steps to see how to set it up.

  1. Open Network & Internet in Settings

    Press Windows key + I to open Settings, then select 'Network & internet' from the left-hand menu.

  2. Go to the Mobile Hotspot menu

    Click 'Mobile hotspot' on the Network & Internet screen to open the related settings.

  3. Choose which internet connection to share

    If you have more than one internet connection, choose which one to share with other devices from the 'Share my internet connection from' list.

  4. Set a network name and password

    Click Edit, enter the network name and a password of at least 8 characters you'd like to use, then save.

  5. Turn on sharing with other devices

    Switch the toggle on and your PC starts acting as a mobile hotspot, letting other devices join the Wi-Fi network using the name and password you set.

  6. Turn it on or off from Quick Settings

    Press Windows key + A to open the Quick Settings panel, then click the Mobile Hotspot button to toggle it the same way.

Handy when you have several devices to connect

When you have a tablet or a handheld game console nearby that only connects over Wi-Fi, sharing your PC's existing internet connection lets you get them online without a separate router -- especially useful while traveling or working in a temporary space.

A few things worth checking before you rely on it

Since a hotspot shares one connection across multiple devices, it works best as a temporary solution rather than a permanent setup, and it's worth periodically changing the password if several people know it. If your network adapter is older, hotspot performance and range can also be noticeably weaker than a dedicated router.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does turning on the mobile hotspot slow down the internet I'm already using?

It can, since bandwidth gets split across every connected device based on how many are connected and how much data they use. The slowdown becomes more noticeable if several data-heavy devices, like ones streaming video, connect at once.

What if the Mobile Hotspot option doesn't appear in Settings at all?

This can happen if your network adapter doesn't support hotspot functionality or its driver is out of date. Updating the network adapter driver to the latest version resolves this in many cases.