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How to Set Up and Use Personal Hotspot on iPhone
The Download
- Turn on the hotspot on iPhone through Settings > Personal Hotspot. Remember the Wi-Fi password!
- Connect from a Mac: open the Wi-Fi menu and select the hotspot.
- Connect from other Apple devices: open Settings > Wi-Fi and choose the hotspot from the list.
This article explains how to turn on the hotspot on an iPhone, how to use it with Instant Hotspot for password-free connectivity, and more on how hotspots work. Instructions apply specifically to iOS 12 but should work with other recent iOS versions as well.
How to Turn on the Hotspot on iPhone
After Personal Hotspot is enabled on your data plan, turn it on:
Open the Settings app.
Tap Personal Hotspot.
Expert Tip: Note
Make sure you've enabled Cellular, which is right above Personal Hotspot on the Settings screen. If the Personal Hotspot option is missing, there are a few fixes you can try.
Turn on the Personal Hotspot toggle switch, and ensure that Allow Others to Join is switched on.
Expert Tip: Note
If you don't have Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or both enabled when you turn on Personal Hotspot, you're prompted to turn them on or only use USB.
Remember the Wi-Fi Password. You'll use this password to connect other devices to this hotspot.
Featured Link: How to Resolve iPhone Personal Hotspot Issues Effortlessly
Enable Instant Hotspot Using Continuity
With Instant Hotspot, the Personal Hotspot on your iPhone (or cellular iPad) shares online access to any Mac, iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch without entering the password.
First, verify that the iOS device you want to use as the hotspot is signed in to iCloud with the same Apple ID/Apple Account as the device to which you want to provide internet access. Each device will also need to have Bluetooth and Wi-Fi turned on.
Expert Tip: Note
Instant Hotspot requires the following: iPhone 5 or newer running OS 8.1 or later, iPad (4th gen and newer, or iPad Pro, iPad Air, or iPad mini (all models).
You can use Instant Hotspot to connect to the above devices running at least iOS 8, as well as an iPod touch (5th generation) or newer. Macs running OS X Yosemite or later, and Vision Pro, are also compatible.
To connect a Mac to the hotspot device, go to the menu bar, select Wi-Fi, then choose the name of the iPhone or iPad providing the hotspot.
To connect an iPad, iPod touch, Vision Pro, or another iPhone to the hotspot device, go to Settings > Wi-Fi, then tap the name of the device with the hotspot.
Your third device connects to the hotspot without having to enter the password.
Personal Hotspot Explained
Personal Hotspot is a feature of iOS that lets compatible iPhones share a cellular data connection with other nearby devices through Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or USB. This feature is known as tethering.
When you use Personal Hotspot, your iPhone acts a bit like a wireless router for the other devices, transmitting and receiving data for these devices. If you have the available data on your cellular plan, it's an excellent alternative to using public Wi-Fi hotspots.
Personal Hotspot Requirements
You can turn on the hotspot on your iPhone if it's running iOS 8 or later, or a cellular-model iPad with iPadOS 8 or later. Also required is:
- A data plan that supports tethering or Personal Hotspot.
- A USB cable, if you want to connect devices that way.
Add Personal Hotspot to Your Data Plan
Most major phone companies include Personal Hotspot by default as part of their data plans for the iPhone. AT&T and Verizon include it in many of their plans, while T-Mobile offers it on several plans, including Experience More, Experience Beyond, and Go5G plans.
Most regional carriers and pay-as-you-go carriers support Personal Hotspot as part of their data plans, as well. If you're not sure whether you have Personal Hotspot on your data plan, check with your phone company.
Another way to know if you have Personal Hotspot is to check in the Settings app. Look for the Personal Hotspot option. If it's there, you likely have the feature.
Personal Hotspot Connection Established
Connecting other devices to your Personal Hotspot using Wi-Fi is easy. Tell the people who want to connect to turn on Wi-Fi on their devices and look for the name of your phone (as shown on the Personal Hotspot screen). They should select that network and enter the password shown on the Personal Hotspot screen on the iPhone.
From the other device's perspective, connecting to a hotspot works the same way it connects to any Wi-Fi network. And this isn't limited to Apple devices—an Android can connect to the hotspot, too.
Related: What to Do When Your Mobile Hotspot Isn't Working
How to Know When Devices Are Connected to Your Personal Hotspot
When other devices are connected to your iPhone hotspot, a blue bar appears at the top of the screen and on the lock screen. In iOS 7 and up, the blue bar shows a number next to a lock or an interlocking loops icon that indicates how many devices are connected to the phone.
Related: How to Kick People off Your Wi-Fi
Changing Your Personal Hotspot Name
Want the name of your Personal Hotspot to be something of than "[yourname]'s iPhone?" You need to change the name of your iPhone, which is easy to do through Settings > General > About > Name.
Data Use With Personal Hotspot
Personal Hotspot uses data from your iPhone data plan. Unless you have an unlimited plan, your monthly data allowance could be used up quickly when streaming video or doing other bandwidth-intensive tasks.
All data used by devices connected to your iPhone counts against your data plan, so be careful if your data plan is small. Learn how to check your data usage so you don't accidentally go over your limit.
Frequently asked Questions
How much data does a personal hotspot use?
The amount of data your personal hotspot uses is determined by what you use it for. Downloading a song can use up three to four megabytes, while a video call can use anywhere from around 500 MB to over 1.5 GB per hour. However, it is possible to tether your phone to a Wi-Fi signal instead, to avoid using up data.
How much does a personal hotspot cost?
Personal hotspots are usually a free feature with most call carriers, though you will be on the hook for data usage when using cellular data. However, some carrier plans may charge $10 or more per month for a hotspot.
