How to Turn On or off Mobile Hotspot in Windows 11

How to Connect Other Devices to Your Hotspot

Once the hotspot is on, connect from the device that needs internet (a phone, a tablet, or another PC):

1. Open the Wi-Fi 📶 settings on that device. You should see a list of nearby networks.
2. Look for the network name (SSID) you set on your Windows PC’s hotspot. The hotspot is not hidden, so it appears in the list like any other network.
3. Select it and enter the password you created.
4. Connect. The device should show as connected, and you can open a web page to confirm it has internet access.

New Features in 🪟 Windows 11

Windows 11 added a few helpful features:

• Show a QR code for your hotspot password. Scan it with a phone camera to connect quickly instead of typing the password.
• Share your hotspot over the faster 6 GHz Wi-Fi 📶 band. This works only if your PC’s wireless adapter supports 6 GHz. If the option is missing, your adapter does not support it.

Quick Ways to Turn Mobile Hotspot On or Off

Option 1Using Quick Settings

This is the fastest way to switch the hotspot on or off once you have set it up.

1. Press Win + A to open Quick Settings. A panel with tiles for Wi-Fi 📶, Bluetooth 🔷, and other options appears above the taskbar 🖥️.
2. Click the Mobile hotspot button to turn it on or off. The tile is highlighted while the hotspot is on.

If the tile is greyed out, the PC has no internet connection to share yet, or the adapter does not support hotspot.

Option 2Using Settings

1. Press Win + I to open Settings.
2. Click Network & internet on the left menu.
3. Click Mobile hotspot on the right side. The hotspot page opens with the on/off switch at the top.
4. Toggle the switch to turn the hotspot on or off. No restart is needed. Turning the switch off again undoes the change.

How to Set Up Your Mobile Hotspot

You can set up your Windows 11 mobile hotspot to share your computer's internet connection with phones, tablets, or other laptops. Open Settings by pressing the Windows key and I, go to Network & internet, and select Mobile hotspot. From there, pick the internet source you want to share and turn the switch on.

1. Open Settings by pressing Win + I.
2. Go to Network & internet › Mobile hotspot.
3. Choose the Internet connection you want to share from the dropdown menu (like Wi-Fi or Ethernet). If the list is empty or the switch is greyed out, the PC is not connected to anything it can share.

4. Choose how you want to share your connection, via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. Wi-Fi is the usual choice because it is faster.
5. To change your hotspot name and password, click Edit. A panel with the network properties opens.
6. Type a name for your hotspot network (SSID).
7. Set a password (at least 8 characters).
8. Choose the Wi-Fi band (6 GHz, 5 GHz, 2.4 GHz, or Any available). 2.4 GHz has the best range and works with older devices. 5 GHz and 6 GHz are faster but cover less distance. Only the bands your adapter supports are offered.
9. Click Save. The panel closes and the new name and password show on the page.
10. Turn on the Mobile hotspot switch if it's not already on.

You can now share your hotspot network name and password with friends or other devices. If you would rather not type them, use the QR code option to let a phone scan the details.

Extra Tips

• Your hotspot network will show up openly in Wi-Fi lists on other devices (not hidden).
• If you shut down or restart your PC, the hotspot will turn off automatically. Turn the switch back on after you sign in.
• Before using hotspot, make sure your PC's wireless adapter supports this feature. To check, open Command Prompt [admin privileges required] and type:

Your Windows 11 mobile hotspot turns off automatically when you restart your computer, and it shows up openly in nearby Wi-Fi lists. Before you try to share your connection, make sure your computer's wireless adapter supports this feature by checking your network settings or running a quick command.
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netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow

And disable it with:

netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=disallow

More Help

For more details, visit the official Microsoft guide: Use your Windows device as a mobile hotspot - Microsoft Support

Summary

• You can easily share your Internet with other devices using Mobile Hotspot on Windows 11.
• Share Internet from Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or cellular data.
• Use Quick Settings or Settings to turn the hotspot on or off.
• Customize your hotspot's name, password, and Wi-Fi band.
• New Windows 11 features include QR codes to share your hotspot quickly.
• Hotspot turns off automatically when you restart or shut down your PC.

The Windows 11 mobile hotspot lets you share your Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or cellular data with nearby devices using either Quick Settings or the main settings menu. You can change your network name, view a QR code for quick connections, and manage your shared internet without needing extra software.