How to Connect PC Internet to Mobile via WiFi

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Share your PC’s internet with your phone, tablet, or other devices

Co-authored by Spike Baron and Darlene Antonelli, MA

Last Updated: May 26, 2025 Fact Checked

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• Using Windows Settings
|
• Using the Connectify App
|
• Expert Q&A
|
• Tips
|
• Warnings

|Show more |Show less

This wikiHow teaches you how to broadcast your Windows computer's Wi-Fi connection to your smartphone. You can do this on any computer or laptop that has a Wi-Fi card. Keep in mind that this process is different than using your smartphone's data as a Wi-Fi network on your computer. If your computer's Wi-Fi adapter doesn't allow you to create a hotspot, you can use Connectify to broadcast your Wi-Fi.

Easily & Quickly Share Computer Internet with Phone

Use built-in features in Windows 10/11 to make your PC a hotspot. To do this, go to Settings > Network & internet > Mobile hotspot and turn it on. Then, connect your phone to your computer's network.

Steps

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Using Windows Settings

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1. 
   1
   Open Network & internet in Settings. Press Win + I to quickly open Settings, then click Network & internet.

   • The location of this menu setting will vary between Windows 10 and Windows 11, but the steps will be the same.
2. 
   2
   Click Mobile hotspot. You'll see this as a tab on the left side of the window if you're using Windows 10 or on the right side of the window if you're using Windows 11.
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3. 
   3
   Click the grey "Mobile hotspot" switch

   

   . It's at the top of the page. Clicking the switch turns it on, indicating that your computer is now broadcasting your Internet connection.
4. 
   4
   Review the network name and password. In the middle of the page under "Properties", look at the "Network name" and "Network password" headings to determine the name and password for your mobile hotspot.

   • The network name should be your computer's name, and the password should be your network's usual password.
5. 
   5
   Connect your smartphone to your Wi-Fi network. Now that your Wi-Fi hotspot is set up on your computer, you can connect to it via your smartphone's Wi-Fi menu:

   • iPhone — Open your iPhone's
     
     Settings, tap Wi-Fi, tap your hosted hotspot's name, enter the password, and tap Join.
   • Android — Swipe down from the top of the screen, long-press the Wi-Fi icon, tap your hosted hotspot's name, enter the password, and tap JOIN or CONNECT.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Using the Connectify App

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1. 
   1
   Make sure that you have a wireless adapter installed. You can check to see if your computer has a built-in Wi-Fi adapter by doing the following:

   • Open Start
     
     .
   • Type in command prompt, then click Command Prompt.
   • Type in netsh wlan show drivers and press ↵ Enter.
   • Wait for your adapter's information to appear. If you instead see "The Wireless AutoConfig Service is not running" appear, you don't have a wireless adapter installed.
2. 
   2
   Download and install Connectify. Connectify is an app that you can use to broadcast your computer's Wi-Fi over short distances:

   • Go to https://connectify.me/hotspot/ in your computer's web browser.
   • Click the purple Download button.
   • Click Continue to Download. You may need to avoid the "Buy now" links and continue clicking the download option to use the free version.
   • Click the download file to begin the installation wizard.
   • Your computer needs to restart to finish installing the software. Once it restarts, Connectify will automatically open.
3. 
   3
   Click Try it Out. It's a purple button at the bottom of the Connectify app window.
4. 
   4
   Click Get Started with Lite. If you purchased the additional features, you won't see this splash screen and can skip this step.
5. 
   5
   Change and view your connection details. You'll see your Hotspot name and password as well as more network information, such as which network is being shared.
6. 
   6
   Click Start Hotspot. It's at the bottom of the window.
7. 
   7
   Wait for your computer's hotspot to start. Once Connectify alerts you that the hotspot is enabled, you can connect your phone to it.

   • Now that your Wi-Fi hotspot is set up on your computer, you can connect to it via your smartphone's Wi-Fi menu:
   • iPhone — Open your iPhone's
     
     Settings, tap Wi-Fi, tap your hosted hotspot's name, enter the password, and tap Join.
   • Android — Swipe down from the top of the screen, long-press the Wi-Fi icon, tap your hosted hotspot's name, enter the password, and tap JOIN or CONNECT.
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Expert Q&A

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• Question

  Can I share my phone's internet with my computer?

  

  Spike Baron
  Network Engineer & Desktop Support

  Spike Baron is a Network Engineer & Desktop Support Expert based in Los Angeles, California. He is the owner of Spike’s Computer Repair. With over 25 years of working experience in the tech industry, Spike specializes in PC and Mac computer repair, used computer sales, virus removal, data recovery, and hardware and software upgrades. He has worked as an IT Systems expert for numerous companies, including Huntington Health, Blackbox, Honda, and Manufacturers Bank. In his spare time, Spike also builds and restores computers. He has his CompTIA A+ certification for computer service technicians and is a Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert.

  

  Spike Baron

  Network Engineer & Desktop Support

  Expert Answer

  Yes, this is called tethering. You can do it either wirelessly with Bluetooth or with a USB connection, depending on the types of phone and computer you have.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

  Yes No

  Not Helpful 5 Helpful 43
• Question

  How can mobile WiFi connect to PC WiFi?

  

  Community Answer

  Open the WiFi hotspot setting on your phone and connect through there.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

  Yes No

  Not Helpful 21 Helpful 47
• Question

  I followed the instructions, but this didn't work for my Lumia 730. Is there anything else I can try?

  

  Community Answer

  Make sure you are not being hacked, make sure you don't have a virus, and make absolutely sure you have the WiFi password correct.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

  Yes No

  Not Helpful 16 Helpful 13

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Tips

• The Connectify method will work for any Windows 10, 8.1, or 7 computer that has a network hosting-enabled Wi-Fi adapter card installed.
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Warnings

• Not all USB Wi-Fi adapters come equipped with network hosting abilities. If you decide to use a Wi-Fi adapter, make sure that yours supports network hosting.
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