How to Enable or Disable Mobile Hotspot in Windows 11

Option 1Use Local Group Policy Editor (🪟 Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, or Education)

Editions like Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, and Education include the Local Group Policy Editor (a tool for managing system settings). This interface handles network policies directly.

1. Press Win + R on your keyboard to open the Run box.
2. Type gpedit.msc and press Enter. This opens the Local Group Policy Editor.
3. In the left sidebar, go to:
   
   Computer Configuration › Administrative Templates › Windows Components › Network › Network Connections
   
4. In the right pane, find and double-click Prohibit use of Internet Connection Sharing on your DNS domain network.

To Enable Mobile Hotspot (Default Setting):

• Select Not Configured.
• Click OK.

To Disable Mobile Hotspot:

• Select Enabled.
• Click OK.

The Local Group Policy Editor window closes upon completion.

Example screenshot:

Option 2Use Registry Editor (All Windows Versions)

Windows editions lacking the Local Group Policy Editor utilize the Windows Registry for mobile hotspot modifications.

Incorrect edits can cause system instability, so always back up the Windows Registry (a hierarchical database storing low-level operating system settings) before proceeding.

To Enable Mobile Hotspot (Default Setting)

reg delete "HKLMS\OFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Network Connections" /v NC_ShowSharedAccessUI /f

To Disable Mobile Hotspot

You can turn off the Windows 11 mobile hotspot feature on any edition of Windows 11 by using the Registry Editor. This involves opening Notepad, copying a specific code to disable the hotspot, saving it as a .reg file, and then running that file to apply the change.

1. Open Notepad.
2. Copy and paste the code for enabling or disabling above into Notepad.
3. Save the file with a .reg extension, for example, mobile_hotspot_enable.reg or mobile_hotspot_disable.reg.
4. Double-click the saved file and confirm any prompts to add the information to your Registry.
5. Restart your PC to apply the changes.

Summary

• You can turn on or off the mobile hotspot feature in Windows 11 using two main ways: the Local Group Policy Editor or the Registry Editor.
• The Local Group Policy Editor method works only on Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, or Education.
• The Registry Editor method works on all Windows 11 editions.
• Make sure you're an administrator to make these changes.
• Always back up your Registry before making any changes to avoid problems.
• Sharing your internet is useful, but be careful if you use cellular data since it can use up your data plan quickly.

You can manage the mobile hotspot using either the Local Group Policy Editor or the Registry Editor. Group Policy applies to Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, and Education variants, whereas the Registry functions across all Windows 11 releases. Administrative credentials and a registry backup remain prerequisites for implementation.