How To View Who Is Connected to Your Hotspot on Android

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See who is connected to your hotspot with a few handy apps

Co-authored by Darlene Antonelli, MA

Last Updated: August 12, 2025 Fact Checked

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Using the Settings App

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Using the Fing App

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Using a Rooted Android

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Removing Unauthorized Users

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Video

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Q&A

No matter why you might be using an Android hotspot, you may also want to know who is connected to it. While you can use your Settings menu to view how many users are on your hotspot, seeing who they are is a bit difficult. If you're tech-savvy (or simply patient), you can see who's on your hotspot using a rooted Android or access to at least one other device on the hotspot. This wikiHow article teaches you how to see who is connected to your Android device's active Wi-Fi hotspot. We'll also teach you how to get rid of unauthorized users.

Find Out Who's Connected to Your Android Hotspot

Go to Settings > Connections > Hotspot & Tethering > Mobile Hotspot to see how many people are connected.
To see who is connected, have a friend or family member connect to your hotspot and use the Fing app.
Alternatively, root your Android and run the ip neigh command in a terminal app to view all connected IP/MAC addresses.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Using the Settings App

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1
Open the
Settings app. If you are content to simply know the number of users on your hotspot, you can find out via the Settings menu.
- Set up a Wi-Fi hotspot if you haven't already.
This option has an icon of the Wi-Fi symbol. This option might be called Network & internet on some Android devices.

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This option has an icon of a series of concentric circles.
Tap this option to set up your Wi-Fi hotspot. But from this page, you can also see the number of users on your hotspot.^{[1]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Using the Fing App

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1
Retrieve another smartphone. Use an app called Fing to see who else is on the same Wi-Fi network. Ask to borrow a friend or family member's phone to get started.
- Fing works only to identify others on a network you're connected to, not a network you're hosting. That's why you need another phone to connect to your network to use Fing.
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Install Fing on the other device. The app is available on the Google Play Store. Its full name is Fing - Network Tools.^{[2]
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- This is also a great tool if you're staying at another location and want to make sure there aren't hidden cameras or microphones around!
Set the hotspot up if you haven't already. Then, connect the device you are borrowing to it.
The app may offer you a walkthrough when you first open it. Either take the time to learn about the app, or tap through the different options to continue.
Fing will quickly scan your device's Wi-Fi connection, pulling up a list of all other devices that are on the same network.
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Read Fing's list of devices. Go through the list of devices to see who else is on your device's hotspot.
- You can repeat these steps at any time with any other device.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Using a Rooted Android

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1
Root your Android phone or tablet. Rooting your Android allows you to take advantage of custom apps and extra memory that would otherwise not be available to you. It often requires a PC, but wikiHow can help you root your device without one!
- Rooting your device can be dangerous, as your Android could become unresponsive. You will also almost certainly lose your device's warranty, as rooting is in direct violation of it. Proceed with caution!
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Download and install a command terminal app. There are several terminal emulator apps available on Android. We recommend Terminal Emulator for Android or Termux.^{[3]
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- These apps can be found in the Google Play Store and are available without rooting your device. However, the commands we will need to use to view who is on our hotspot can only be run with a rooted device.
  - Rooting an Android essentially involves restoring the Linux function that is removed from the device before it is released commercially. The Linux function is what allows us to run the command terminal.^{[4]
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Once the app is installed, open it to get started.
Type the command exactly as it is written, then hit Enter or Return to run it.
If entered properly, the command will return a list of all IP and MAC Addresses connected to your Android's hotspot. You will also see additional information, including the connection state (STALE, REACHABLE, etc.)

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Changing the Password to Kick Off Unauthorized Users

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1
Open the
Settings app. You can tap the app icon on your Home screen, or swipe down from the top of your screen to open the Quick Settings panel and tap the gear icon.
- If you use any method above and see someone on your hotspot that you don't recognize, you can change the hotspot's password to kick them off.
It is represented by the Wi-Fi icon. This might be Network & internet on some devices.
It is represented by a series of concentric circles.
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Tap the "Password" field to change it. This might have a default password included inside. However, if others know about it, they will be able to join your hotspot if they are within range. Kick off unwanted users by changing this password and keeping it a secret.
- In that case, the only devices that can connect are yours.^{[5]
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Community Q&A

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Question

How can I tell how many people are connected to my WiFi hotspot?

Community Answer

You can just count how many addresses/names are on the list with connected users.

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Question

When I check my hotspot it has one device tethered and it is showing up as Android system 10.32. What does this mean?

Community Answer

It is the model of the phone tethered, meaning that the phone's system has not been renamed by the user.

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Question

On Android 5.1.1 and later, the notification isn't shown anymore. How does one view the connected clients?

Community Answer

Install an app called "Portable Wifi Hotspot Manager" from Play Store. You can view who's connected, and also set usage limit for your Hotspot.

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