What iPhone hotspot does and how to set it up
Personal Hotspot turns your iPhone into a wireless router. When you turn it on, other devices — laptops, tablets, other phones — can connect to your iPhone and use its cellular data to browse the internet, just as if they were connected to Wi-Fi at home. Your carrier charges data against your plan, the same way it does when you use data on the phone itself.
To set up hotspot on an iPhone, you go to Settings, tap Personal Hotspot, and turn it on. Other devices then see your iPhone's name in their Wi-Fi list and connect using the password shown on your phone. The whole process takes about two minutes the first time.
Not every carrier allows hotspot, and some charge extra for it or count it differently against your data limit. Check your plan details before you turn it on for the first time, or call your carrier to confirm hotspot is included.
Key Takeaways
- Personal Hotspot is found in Settings under the Wi-Fi section and turns on with a single toggle.
- Other devices connect to your iPhone the same way they connect to any Wi-Fi network, using the password your phone displays.
- Your carrier must allow hotspot on your plan, and data used by connected devices counts against your monthly limit.
- You can connect up to five devices at once on most iPhones, though speed slows as you add more.
- Turning off hotspot when you are not using it saves battery life and prevents accidental data use by other devices.
Step-by-step: turning on Personal Hotspot
Step 1: Open Settings on your iPhone. This is the gray gear icon on your home screen.
Step 2: Scroll down and tap Personal Hotspot. On some iPhones, it appears directly in the main Settings menu. On others, you may need to tap Wi-Fi first, then look for Personal Hotspot below it.
Step 3: Tap the toggle next to "Allow Others to Join" to turn it on. The toggle will turn green.
Step 4: Look at the Wi-Fi Password field. This is the password other devices will need to type in. You can change it by tapping the field and typing a new one, but the default password works fine.
Step 5: Leave Settings open or go back to your home screen. Your iPhone is now broadcasting a hotspot. The name of the hotspot is your iPhone's name — usually something like "Marcus's iPhone" — and other devices will see it in their Wi-Fi list.
How to connect a device to your iPhone hotspot
On the device you want to connect — a laptop, tablet, or another phone — open Wi-Fi settings. You will see a list of available networks. Find your iPhone's name in that list and tap it.
A password prompt will appear. Type the Wi-Fi Password from your iPhone's Personal Hotspot screen. If you changed the password, use the one you set. If you used the default, it is usually printed on the Personal Hotspot screen in Settings.
Once you type the password correctly, the device will connect. You will see a blue bar at the top of your iPhone showing that a device is using the hotspot. The connected device can now browse the internet using your iPhone's cellular data.
To connect a second device, repeat the same steps on that device. You can connect up to five devices at once on most iPhones, though the more devices you connect, the slower the internet will be for each one.
Why your hotspot might not show up or work
If other devices cannot see your iPhone's hotspot name in their Wi-Fi list, the most common reason is that Personal Hotspot is not actually turned on. Go back to Settings, tap Personal Hotspot, and make sure the toggle next to "Allow Others to Join" is green. If it is already green, try turning it off and back on again.
If the hotspot is on but devices still cannot see it, restart your iPhone. Hold the power button until you see the "slide to power off" screen, slide it, wait 10 seconds, then hold the power button again until the Apple logo appears. This fixes most connection problems.
If a device connects but has no internet, check that your iPhone itself has a strong cellular signal. If the signal bars are very low or grayed out, move to a location with better coverage. You can also try turning Airplane Mode on and off: swipe down from the top right corner of your iPhone, tap the airplane icon to turn it on, wait three seconds, then tap it again to turn it off.
If your carrier does not allow hotspot on your plan, you will see a message in Personal Hotspot settings saying you need to contact your carrier or add it to your plan. Call your carrier's customer service number — it is on the back of your bill or on your carrier's website — and ask them to turn on Personal Hotspot.
Managing hotspot battery drain and data use
Using hotspot drains your iPhone battery faster than normal use because the phone is working harder to broadcast the signal and handle data from multiple devices. If you are using hotspot away from a charger, keep an eye on your battery percentage. Turn off hotspot as soon as you are done using it.
Data used by connected devices counts against your monthly data limit the same way data on your phone does. If you have a 10 GB plan and use 2 GB through hotspot, you have 8 GB left for your phone. Check your carrier's website or app to see how much data you have used this month before you connect other devices.
If you have an unlimited data plan, hotspot usually works the same way — but some carriers slow down hotspot speeds after you use a certain amount of data in a month. Check your plan details or call your carrier to see if there are any limits on hotspot speeds.
Using hotspot on older iPhones and different iOS versions
Personal Hotspot works on iPhone 6 and newer. If you have an older iPhone, hotspot is not available. You can check which iPhone model you have by going to Settings, tapping General, then About. The model name appears at the top.
The steps to turn on hotspot are the same on all recent iOS versions, but the exact location in Settings can vary slightly. On iPhone 14 and newer, Personal Hotspot sometimes appears under Settings > General > Personal Hotspot instead of under Wi-Fi. If you cannot find it in the Wi-Fi section, check under General.
If you recently updated your iPhone to a new iOS version and hotspot stopped working, restart your phone. Most iOS updates fix themselves with a restart, and hotspot usually comes back on right away.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use hotspot if I do not have unlimited data?
Yes. Data used through hotspot counts the same way as data on your phone, so if you have a 5 GB plan, you can use hotspot until you reach 5 GB total. Once you hit your limit, your carrier may slow your speeds or charge overage fees, depending on your plan. Check your plan details to see what happens when you run out of data.
Why is my hotspot so slow?
Hotspot speed depends on your cellular signal strength and how many devices are connected. If you have only one device connected and the speed is still slow, move to a location with better cell signal — look for more bars at the top of your screen. If multiple devices are connected, disconnect the ones you are not using. Each device you add slows the connection for all the others.
Does hotspot work on Wi-Fi, or only on cellular data?
Hotspot only works using your iPhone's cellular data. If your iPhone is connected to Wi-Fi, hotspot will not broadcast. You must be on cellular data for hotspot to work. If you need to share a Wi-Fi connection instead, you would need to use a different method — most Wi-Fi networks do not allow you to create a hotspot from them.
Can I use hotspot while I am on a phone call?
On most iPhones and carriers, yes. You can use hotspot while on a call, and the call will stay connected. However, if you are on an older iPhone or with certain carriers, the call may drop when you connect a device to hotspot. Test it once to see if it works with your phone and carrier.
How do I know if my carrier charges extra for hotspot?
Check your plan details on your carrier's website or app, or call their customer service number. Some carriers include hotspot for free, some charge a monthly fee, and some include it only on certain plan levels. Your bill or plan summary will show whether hotspot is included or what it costs.