How to Set Up a Windows 11 Mobile Hotspot

A laptop can be online while the phone or tablet beside it has no connection of its own. Windows 11’s Mobile hotspot can pass the PC’s existing internet connection to nearby devices. It works with Wi-Fi, Ethernet or cellular as the source and can share over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. This guide walks through connecting a client over Wi-Fi; Bluetooth is another option, but its connection steps vary by device. The distinction is simple: Share my internet connection from chooses what the PC is connected to; Share over chooses how the other device connects. Microsoft documents these controls and sharing routes .

If the PC shares cellular data, connected devices use that same data plan. Before sharing cellular data or paid hotel, airline or venue Wi-Fi, check the plan or network terms. Microsoft notes that sharing paid access can depend on the provider or venue in its Windows 11 laptop hotspot guide .

This guide reflects Microsoft’s Windows 11 Mobile hotspot guidance available by 2 October 2026. Menu labels and choices can vary with the PC, its network adapter and Windows build. The Microsoft instructions archived on 29 September 2026 show the sharing options available before this date.

Choose the source and connection method

The two selectors answer different questions:

• Share my internet connection from picks the connection the PC is already using. Choose Ethernet when the PC is online through a wired connection, or cellular when it is using a SIM connection.
• Share over picks how another device connects to the PC. Choose Wi-Fi for the steps below. Bluetooth is also available, but the client-side connection steps vary by device; follow that device’s instructions if you choose it.

For most phone and tablet setups, Wi-Fi is a good starting point. Microsoft says it is usually faster than Bluetooth and selected by default. A laptop can use Ethernet as its internet source and share it over Wi-Fi; those are two separate choices.

Set up a Windows 11 hotspot

1. Connect the PC to the internet using the connection you want to share. Open a web page on the PC to confirm that this source connection works.
2. Open Start > Settings > Network & internet > Mobile hotspot.
3. Under Share my internet connection from, select the active connection you want to share. Under Share over, choose Wi-Fi for the steps in this guide.
4. To change the hotspot details, expand Properties, select Edit, and set a network name, password and network band. Use a password you can share with the intended devices without reusing an account password. Select Save.
5. Turn on Mobile hotspot. You can also toggle it from the Mobile hotspot quick action in Quick Settings.
6. On the phone, tablet or other client, open its Wi-Fi settings, choose the hotspot’s network name, then enter the password or scan the QR code.

Microsoft’s Windows 11 laptop guide documents the Settings route and network-name and password controls. Its mobile-hotspot instructions cover the source, sharing method, network band and client connection options.

Check that the connection works

The client device should show that it joined the hotspot and be able to load a web page. In Windows 11 Quick Settings, the Mobile hotspot action shows how many devices are connected.

If the hotspot name does not appear, check that Mobile hotspot is on and that the client’s Wi-Fi is enabled. As a compatibility check, try another network band in Properties if Windows offers one, then scan again.

If the client joins but has no internet, test the PC’s source connection first. A hotspot shares the PC’s connection; it cannot repair an internet connection that is already down. If the PC can browse, a simple first retry is to turn Mobile hotspot off and on, then reconnect the client with the current network name and password.

When you finish sharing, turn Mobile hotspot off from Settings or Quick Settings. A working setup has three checks: the PC is online through the selected source, Mobile hotspot is on, and the other device is connected to the displayed network and can reach the internet.