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Welcome to the 'How to hotspot on an Android phone' video course. In this video, you'll learn how to share your phone's mobile internet connection with other devices, such as a tablet or computer, when Wi-Fi isn't available. This is called hotspotting and is useful for when you're on the go and as backup for your home Wi-Fi network. For this demonstration, we'll hotspot from an Android phone to an Android tablet, and the steps will be similar for other devices.
Hotspotting means your phone and any connected devices will use mobile data instead of Wi-Fi. This could affect your data allowance, so check your plan and monitor usage to avoid extra costs. You can hotspot to multiple devices at once, but it can slow internet speeds and drain your phone's battery. Starting from the Apps screen, tap the Settings app to open it. From the menu that appears, tap Connections, then tap Mobile Hotspot and Tethering. Now, tap Mobile Hotspot. At the top of the screen, tap the switch to turn it on.
A pop up asking you to switch off Wi-Fi may appear at the bottom of the screen. Tap, Turn off. You should also see the network name and Wi-Fi password. This is information that you or anyone else will need to connect. If you like, you can tap on Network name and Password to change them to something that's easier to remember. At the top of the screen, this icon lets you know that hotspotting is now active and your phone is ready to share its internet connection. Let's connect an Android tablet to your Android phone now. For a reliable signal, make sure the devices are within 10 metres of each other.
On the tablet, swipe down from the top right of Home screen to open the Quick Settings panel and see the options. Tap and hold the Wi-Fi icon to open the Wi-Fi Settings screen. Wait a moment, and your Android phone's hotspot name should appear under Available networks. Tap on the name of your hotspot. Enter the Wi-Fi password shown earlier on your phone, then tap Connect. Once connected, the tablet will show Connected under the hotspot name. When you are finished using the hotspot, it's best to turn it off to conserve data and battery. Head back to Settings on your phone.
Tap Connections, then Mobile Hotspot and Tethering, and switch Mobile Hotspot off. This will disconnect all devices and stop sharing your phone's mobile data.