How to Enable and Use the Windows 11 Mobile Hotspot

If you travel frequently, work in cafes, or experience an unexpected broadband outage, maintaining a reliable internet connection for your other devices is crucial. While most people know how to use their smartphone as a hotspot, your Windows 11 PC has the exact same capability.

The Mobile Hotspot feature in Windows 11 allows you to take your laptop’s current internet connection—whether it is receiving data via a hardwired Ethernet cable or a primary Wi-Fi network—and broadcast it outward as a brand new, private Wi-Fi network that your phone, tablet, or other PCs can connect to.

In this guide, you will learn how to properly configure, secure, and enable the Mobile Hotspot feature in Windows 11.

Step 1: Open Network Settings

All hotspot configurations are handled within the modern Settings app.

1. Click the Start button and select the Settings gear icon.
2. In the left-hand navigation pane, click on Network & internet.
3. On the right side of the screen, locate and click on Mobile hotspot (do not click the toggle switch yet, click the text itself to enter the configuration menu).

Step 2: Choose the Network Connection to Share

Before turning the hotspot on, you must tell Windows exactly where it should get its internet from.

1. Look for the drop-down menu labelled Share my internet connection from.
2. Click the menu. If your PC is connected to both Ethernet and Wi-Fi, you will see both options.
3. Select the most stable connection available (Ethernet is always preferred if you are docked at a desk).
4. Directly below that, ensure the Share over option is set to Wi-Fi. (You can technically share over Bluetooth, but it is excruciatingly slow and only suitable for low-bandwidth IoT devices).

Step 3: Secure Your New Network

By default, Windows will generate a random, complex network name (SSID) and a random password. It is highly recommended to change these so you can easily identify your network and type the password into your mobile devices.

1. Locate the Properties section on the same page.
2. Click the Edit button.
3. A dialogue box will appear. Delete the auto-generated Network name and type something recognizable (e.g., “ThinkPad-Hotspot”).
4. Delete the auto-generated Network password and type a secure, memorable password (it must be at least 8 characters long).
5. Network Band: If you see an option for network bands, leave it on Any available. Selecting 5GHz can provide faster speeds, but older mobile devices might not be able to see or connect to a 5GHz-only network.
6. Click Save.

Step 4: Enable the Hotspot

Now that the network is securely configured, you can turn it on.

1. Scroll back to the top of the Mobile Hotspot page.
2. Click the main toggle switch labelled Mobile hotspot to turn it On.

Your Windows 11 PC is now actively broadcasting a Wi-Fi signal. You can take your iPhone, iPad, or Android device, open the Wi-Fi settings, locate your custom network name, enter the password, and instantly access the internet using your PC’s connection.

Power Saving Considerations

Broadcasting a Wi-Fi signal consumes a significant amount of battery power. At the bottom of the Mobile hotspot settings page, there is a toggle labelled Power saving. By default, Windows will automatically disable the hotspot if no devices have connected to it for several minutes. Ensure this is turned on if you are operating on battery power to prevent unnecessary drain.