what to know
- First, connect your Android or iPhone to your computer using a USB cable.
- From the Settings app on your phone, turn on USB tethering (Android) or Personal Hotspot (iPhone).
This article explains how to set up USB tethering on your Windows 10 device so that you can use your phone's mobile connection to access the Internet from your computer. It includes troubleshooting tips if something goes wrong.
To do this, you need to turn on the hotspot from your phone. Your computer should take care of the rest automatically. How to do:
Depending on your mobile carrier, you may need to pay to create a hotspot. If you are unsure, please check with your carrier.
Connect your phone to your computer using a USB cable.
Newer phones use USB-C, but some connect via micro USB or Lightning connectors. If your computer does not have a matching port, you will need an adapter.
Open your phone's Settings app and go to Network & Internet > Hotspot & tethering (Android) or Cellular > Personal Hotspot (iPhone).
Click "USB Tethering" to connect your Android device, or click "Personal Hotspot" to set your iPhone as a hotspot. Your computer should now be able to access the Internet through your phone's Internet connection.
Make sure to disable automatic wireless connections so that your computer doesn't try to connect to other networks that you don't have access to.
USB tethering should work immediately after you turn on the hotspot switch from your phone. If not, here are some things you can try:
- Update operating systems: Android [Update Android operating system], iOS [Update iPhone operating system] and Windows [Update Windows operating system].
- Plug the cable into a different USB port, or use a different cable.
- Update Windows network drivers.
Tethering is the process of sharing your phone's mobile data to access the internet on another device, such as a laptop. You can also use Bluetooth for tethering, but USB tethering is the fastest and most efficient method. That said, USB tethering can't compete with the speed of a stable Wi-Fi connection.
Please be aware of the amount of data used when connecting. Because many data plans charge incremental fees based on data usage, watching videos, downloading files, or updating Windows over a wired connection can quickly add up to your phone bill. In some cases, you can reverse the connection and share Wi-Fi from your computer to your phone to save data.
FAQIf USB tethering does not work, there is a connection problem. If USB tethering isn't working properly, to fix the problem, try disabling Wi-Fi, making sure the USB cable is working and connected correctly, test a different USB port, and then restart the device. You can also try updating the Windows network share driver.
You may have changed carriers and USB tethering was a feature of your previous carrier. Devices may also not recognize each other due to a faulty USB cable or port or other failure.
First, turn off Wi-Fi in Windows 11 and connect your smartphone via USB cable. On your iPhone, activate your Personal Hotspot (or turn on USB tethering on Android). Once the connection is complete, the Ethernet icon will appear in the taskbar near the clock.
