Key Takeaways

• You can share your Android phone's internet connection with your PC wirelessly or using a USB cable.
• Wi-Fi tethering allows you to share your Android phone's internet connection with multiple devices simultaneously.
• USB tethering is your best option if you want the fastest internet speeds. It also ensures a more reliable connection.

Need an internet connection for your PC or laptop but don't have access to public Wi-Fi? The solution is simple: use your phone's mobile data on your PC through tethering. We'll show you how to do it on your Android phone.

What Is Tethering?

Tethering is the term for connecting your mobile device to your computer so your PC can go online using your phone's mobile data connection. It is usually free, aside from using your data allowance.

On Android, you have three tethering options to share the internet connection with your laptop, tablet, or desktop PC:

• Use your phone as a wireless hotspot
• Connect your phone to your computer via USB
• Connect via Bluetooth

Wireless tethering may be convenient, but it quickly depletes your phone's battery level. It's also not as fast and reliable as USB tethering.

1. Use Your Phone's Hotspot Feature to Connect a PC to the Internet

The most convenient way to share your Android phone's internet is by turning it into a Wi-Fi hotspot. This feature allows your phone to create a private network, enabling you to connect your devices securely with a password. Here's how to set it up.

1. Open the Settings app and head to Connections > Mobile Hotspot and Tethering.
2. Tap Mobile Hotspot and enable the toggle at the top.
3. Tap the Network name and Password to edit it.
4. You can also configure advanced settings like the security type, Wi-Fi band (2.4GHz or 5GHz), hotspot visibility, and more.

Some menus may look different depending on the device and Android version you're using, but the general instructions remain the same for all models.

Once you've configured the wireless hotspot on your Android phone, you can easily enable or disable the feature from the Quick Settings panel. With everything set up on Android, here's how to connect your PC to the hotspot:

1. Press Win + I to open Settings.
2. Go to Network & internet > Wi-Fi.
3. Click Show available networks and browse to find the network your phone created.
4. Select the network and click Connect.
5. Input the password as displayed on your phone to establish the connection.

In my tests, I achieved download speeds of 36.38Mbps and upload speeds of 4.95Mbps over a 5G connection. Additionally, you can share your Android phone's internet connection with multiple devices simultaneously, including PCs (Windows, Mac, or Linux), Chromebooks, iPads, game consoles, and even other phones.

2. Share Your Phone's Internet Connection With a PC via USB

Mobile phones have long had a modem feature, allowing you to hook up the device to your computer using USB tethering. This lets you share the mobile internet connection over a wired connection with your laptop or other devices. Here's how to use it.

1. Enable mobile data on your Android phone and connect it to your PC with the USB cable.
2. Access the notification panel and tap the Android System notification that appears.
3. Select the USB tethering option.

If you don't see a notification, you can manually enable tethering over USB by following these steps:

1. Open the Settings app on your phone.
2. Head to Connections > Mobile Hotspot and Tethering.
3. Toggle on USB tethering.

If the USB tethering toggle won't work or appears grayed out, make sure the cable is plugged in properly at both ends.

Thanks to a wired connection, USB tethering typically provides better speeds. In my tests, I recorded download speeds of 95.39Mbps and upload speeds of 4.66Mbps.

3. Use Bluetooth to Share Mobile Internet With a PC

Another way to share your phone's internet with your PC involves Bluetooth. This short-range wireless technology provides sufficient bandwidth to transfer data between your phone and a paired device. You'll need to pair your phone with your computer to do this:

1. Enable Bluetooth on your phone from the Quick Settings panel.
2. Now, on your Windows computer, press Win + I to open the Settings app.
3. Head to Bluetooth & devices and toggle on Bluetooth.
4. Click Add device right below and choose Bluetooth from the list of options.
5. Select your phone when it appears, and complete the pairing process. If you encounter problems, check our guides on setting up Bluetooth in Windows 10 and connecting to Bluetooth in Windows 11.

Once paired, on your phone, go to Settings > Connections > Mobile Hotspot and Tethering and enable Bluetooth tethering. Now, you can share your phone's internet connection using these steps:

1. Press Win + I to open the Settings app.
2. Head to Bluetooth & devices > Devices.
3. Click the three-dot icon next to your phone and select Join Personal Area Network (PAN).
4. Choose Access point and click Connect.

Bluetooth tethering tends to provide the slowest internet speeds compared to other tethering methods, as Bluetooth is mainly intended for short-range communications and data transfers. In our tests, download speeds dropped to just 0.24Mbps, and upload speeds decreased to 0.12Mbps.

USB tethering consumes the least amount of battery power and offers the fastest speeds. Bluetooth tethering is also battery-friendly but provides really slow internet speeds. Overall, Wi-Fi tethering remains the most preferred option due to its convenience and ability to connect multiple devices.