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Guides 3 min read

How to Turn Your Phone Into a Hotspot

Two taps on either platform. The part worth understanding is what your plan allows — hotspot data is metered separately and runs out long before your phone data does.

Jean Gilles
Founder & Lead Analyst, ShopCellPlans
Published July 27, 2026
Updated July 31, 2026

Every modern phone can share its connection over Wi-Fi. Enabling it takes seconds; the limits are set by your plan, not your phone, and they're where tethering usually disappoints people.

Key takeaways
iPhone: Settings > Personal Hotspot. Android: Settings > Network & internet > Hotspot & tethering.
Hotspot data is metered separately from phone data on most plans and is much smaller.
5GHz for speed, 2.4GHz for range; USB tethering is the most stable option.
Video consumes the allowance — 1GB/hour SD, 3GB/hour HD.
Daily tethering is a plan problem, not a settings problem.

On iPhone

  1. Settings > Personal Hotspot.
  2. Turn on Allow Others to Join.
  3. Set a Wi-Fi password of at least eight characters.
  4. Connect from the other device using your iPhone's name as the network.

On Android

  1. Settings > Network & internet > Hotspot & tethering.
  2. Tap Wi-Fi hotspot and turn it on.
  3. Set the network name and password, and choose the band — 5GHz is faster, 2.4GHz reaches further.
  4. Connect from the other device.
Hotspot data is its own allowance
Most plans meter tethering separately from phone data, and the hotspot bucket is much smaller. Cricket Supreme includes 50GB, Xfinity Mobile Plus 30GB, Mint Unlimited up to 20GB, Total MAX unlimited at 5 Mbps, and PureTalk's entry plan none at all. Once it's gone, tethering drops to a speed that isn't usable for video.

Making it usable

  • Keep the phone plugged in. Tethering drains a battery faster than anything else a phone does.
  • Use 5GHz for speed in the same room, 2.4GHz when you need range through walls.
  • Turn off automatic backups and updates on the connected device, or they'll eat the allowance silently.
  • USB tethering is more stable and charges the phone at the same time; Bluetooth tethering is slow but very power-efficient.
  • Video is the whole story on data — roughly 1GB/hour standard definition, 3GB/hour HD.

When to stop tethering and get a plan that fits

If you tether daily, the fix is a plan with a real hotspot allowance rather than better technique. Total MAX 5G BYO at $25/mo includes unlimited hotspot at 5 Mbps; AT&T Premium 2.0 includes 100GB; Verizon Unlimited Ultimate and AT&T Unlimited Ultra include 60GB.

Find a plan with hotspot data you won't run out of

We track hotspot allowances on every plan we rank.

Best unlimited data & hotspot plans →
#Hotspot #How-to #Tethering
Jean Gilles
About the author

Jean Gilles has researched personal finance, consumer technology, and wireless pricing for over a decade. He founded ShopCellPlans in 2019 and writes every review on the site.

Frequently asked questions

Does using my phone as a hotspot cost extra? +
Not on most plans — tethering is included, with its own data allowance. What costs extra is exceeding that allowance on plans that sell add-on high-speed data.
Why is my hotspot so slow? +
Usually because you've used up the hotspot allowance, which drops tethering to a very low speed until the cycle resets. Weak signal and 2.4GHz interference are the other two common causes.
How many devices can connect? +
Typically around five on iPhone and five to ten on Android, though performance degrades before you reach the limit. Dedicated hotspots handle far more.
Is USB tethering better than Wi-Fi? +
Yes, for a single device — it's more stable, slightly faster, and charges the phone instead of draining it.
Which plans have the most hotspot data? +
AT&T Premium 2.0 at 100GB, Verizon Unlimited Ultimate and AT&T Unlimited Ultra at 60GB, Cricket Supreme at 50GB. For value, Total MAX 5G BYO includes unlimited hotspot at 5 Mbps for $25/mo.
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