How to Set Up a Mobile Hotspot in Windows 11

Download Article

Plus, how to view and change your hotspot's name and password

Co-authored by Mobile Kangaroo and Nicole Levine, MFA

Last Updated: January 5, 2026 Fact Checked

Download Article

• Creating the Hotspot
|
• Editing the Hotspot
|
• Toggle Hotspot On & Off
|
• Connecting to a Hotspot
|
• Expert Interview
|
• Tips

|Show more |Show less

Windows 11 makes it easy to turn your computer into a Wi-Fi hotspot. As long as your computer is connected to the internet, you can share your connection with other computers, phones, and tablets over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. Here's how to set up and configure a mobile hotspot on a Windows 11 PC.

Quick Steps

1. Click the Start menu and select Settings. 2. Click Network & Internet. 3. Toggle on the "Mobile hotspot" switch. 4. Click Mobile hotspot to find the hotspot name and password.

Steps

Section 1 of 4:

Setting Up the Mobile Hotspot

Download Article

1. 
   1
   Open your Windows Settings

   

   . The computer repair specialists at Mobile Kangaroo say it's easy to set up a mobile hotspot in Windows 11. To get started, just open up your Settings by clicking the Start menu, then selecting the Settings gear icon.
2. 
   2
   Click Network & Internet in the left sidebar. This opens your internet settings.
   Advertisement
3. 
   3
   Toggle on the "Mobile hotspot" switch. This turns on your mobile hotspot with some basic settings.
4. 
   4
   Click Mobile hotspot. Some basic information about your mobile hotspot will appear.
5. 
   5
   Find the Wi-Fi connection info on the "Properties" panel. The name of your Wi-Fi hotspot appears next to "Name," and the password needed to connect appears next to "Password."

   • To connect to Wi-Fi quickly from your phone, just scan the QR code on the Properties panel.
   • To customize your hotspot's name and password, jump to Editing the Mobile Hotspot.
   • To turn your hotspot off, return to Settings > Network & Internet and turn off the "Mobile hotspot" switch. Or, jump down to the Quick Settings section to learn a shortcut.
Advertisement

Section 2 of 4:

Editing the Mobile Hotspot

Download Article

1. 
   1
   Open your Windows Settings

   

   . To do so, click the Start menu, then click the Settings gear icon.
2. 
   2
   Click Network & Internet in the left sidebar. This opens your internet settings.
3. 
   3
   Click Mobile hotspot. This opens the mobile hotspot's settings.
4. 
   4
   Choose how to share your connection. Now, Mobile Kangaroo explains, you can choose how to share your hotspot. The default options at the top of the window are typically the best settings for most people, but you can make changes as needed:

   • If your Windows 11 computer is connected to the internet via Wi-Fi, select Wi-Fi from the "Share my internet connection from" menu.
   • If you want others to connect to your hotspot via Wi-Fi, select Wi-Fi from the "Share over" menu. Alternatively, you can select Bluetooth to share your internet connection via Bluetooth.
5. 
   5
   Click Edit under "Properties." You can change your mobile hotspot's name and password here.
6. 6
   Change the hotspot's name and/or password. To create a custom name for your mobile hotspot, replace the default name in the "Network name" field with the one you want others to connect to. You can also change the password by replacing the value of the "Network password" field–just make sure to use 8 characters or more.

   • For the network band, the default option, Any available, should be fine. However, if you want to broadcast your mobile hotspot over just 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz, you can select one of those options.
     • 2.4 GHz is slower, but has a broader range. 5 GHz is faster, but cannot reach as far, and older devices may not be able to connect to it. If you decide to choose a band, keep this in mind.
7. 7
   Click Save to save your hotspot settings. The changes will take effect immediately.
Advertisement

Section 3 of 4:

Turning On and Off in Quick Settings

Download Article

1. 1
   Click the Quick Settings icons in the system tray. The system tray is the area of the taskbar that contains the clock, date, and icons. You can use the Quick Settings to quickly toggle your Windows 11 hotspot on and off.
2. 2
   Click the down arrow on the right side of the Quick Settings panel. Only a few settings tiles appear at first–to expand the options, click the downward-pointing arrow next to "Project" in the panel. This should display the Mobile Hotspot tile.

   • When the Mobile Hotspot tile is active, you'll see your computer's name beneath it instead of "Mobile Hotspot." If it's turned off, it'll just say "Mobile Hotspot."
3. 3
   Click the Mobile Hotspot tile to toggle the hotspot on and off. You can use this at any time to turn your hotspot on and off with its current settings.
Advertisement

Section 4 of 4:

Connecting to a Hotspot

Download Article

1. 1
   Others can connect to your Windows 11 hotspot like any Wi-Fi network. If you're sharing your internet connection over Wi-Fi, people nearby can scan for Wi-Fi networks, click or tap your PC's name (or the custom name you created), and enter the password.
2. 2
   You can also connect to a Windows 11 hotspot via Bluetooth. If the Wi-Fi network card isn't working on a nearby Windows 11 computer, you can still connect to the hotspot via Bluetooth. Here's how:

   • On the computer acting as a hotspot, make sure Bluetooth sharing (also known as Bluetooth tethering) is enabled in Settings > Network & Internet > Mobile Hotspot > Share over.
   • On the computer that's connecting, go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Devices.
   • Select the hotspot under "Other devices."
   • When you see the "Bluetooth Personal Area Network" window, select Access Point from the drop-down menu and click Connect.
Advertisement

Expert Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Advertisement

Tips

• You can also share your connection over Ethernet.
  Thanks

  Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Your PC's Wi-Fi card likely does not have the same power output as a router does, so the signal will not travel as far.
  Thanks

  Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

Submit a Tip

All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published

Name

Please provide your name and last initial

Submit

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

Advertisement

You Might Also Like

3 Ways to Share an Internet Connection from a Windows PC

How to

Connect PC Internet to Mobile via WiFi

Windows 10 Mobile Hotspot: Easy Setup Guide

Set Up a Wireless Hotspot on Windows with Command Prompt

How to

Turn On a Virtual Wi-Fi Hotspot on a Windows PC

The Easy Way to Share an Internet Connection over Ethernet or WiFi

3 Easy Ways to Share Your Internet Connection From iPhone

How to

Connect a Computer to a Hotspot: Beginner's Guide

Share Ethernet As Wi-Fi on Windows and macOS Easily & Quickly

Use Your Bluetooth to Share Your Phone’s Internet Connection

3 Easy Ways to Activate Internet Tethering on the iPhone: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, & USB

How to

Share Your Smartphone’s Internet Connection With Your Laptop

A Complete Guide to Making an Internet Hotspot on iPhone

How to

Create a Free Virtual Wifi Hotspot on Your Laptop

Advertisement