Share Your iPhone Internet Connection With Your PC

If your carrier allows it, you can turn your iPhone into a personal internet hotspot. You can connect to this hotspot with your other devices wirelessly, through USB, or with a Bluetooth connection.

Steps

Creating a Wireless Hotspot

  1. Tap the Settings app. This may be located in a folder labeled "Utilities."
  2. Tap the Cellular option.
  3. Toggle Cellular Data on if it isn't. This will need to be enabled in order to turn on the wireless hotspot.
  4. Tap Set Up Personal Hotspot. This button only appears if you've never used the personal hotspot before.
    • After setting up your personal hotspot for the first time, the Personal Hotspot option will appear in the main Settings list.
    • If this is grayed-out or missing, your carrier does not support creating a personal hotspot or you need to upgrade your data plan. For a list of carriers that support wireless hotspots, see this Apple support page.
  5. Tap the Wi-Fi Password option.
  6. Type the password you want to use for your hotspot.
  7. Tap the Personal Hotspot slider to turn it on.
  8. Click the Networks button in Windows. You'll see this in the System Tray in the lower-right corner of the screen.
  9. Select your iPhone's wireless hotspot. The name of the network will be "Your Name's iPhone."
  10. Enter the password for the network. This is the password you created earlier on your iPhone. After connecting, the PC will be able to browse the internet using your iPhone's internet connection.

Using USB Tethering

  1. Install iTunes on your computer. If you're tethering your iPhone to a Windows computer, the computer will need to have iTunes installed in order to connect. See Install iTunes for details.
  2. Tap the Settings app on your iPhone. You can find this on one of your Home screens, or in the Utilities folder.
  3. Tap the Cellular option.
  4. Toggle Cellular Data on. You'll need this enabled in order to share your iPhone's internet with your computer.
  5. Tap Set Up Personal Hotspot option. If you don't see this, your carrier may not support personal hotspots, or your current data plan may not allow it.
    • Once you've set up a Personal Hotspot for the first time, the Personal Hotspot option will appear in the Settings app.
  6. Toggle Personal Hotspot on.
  7. Plug your iPhone into your computer's USB port.
  8. Click the Network button on your computer. In Windows, you'll find this in the System Tray.
  9. Click your iPhone to select it as your computer's network. Your computer will now use your iPhone's internet connection as you browse the internet.[1]

Sharing Internet Via Bluetooth

  1. Tap the Settings app. This looks like a set of gears. It may be in the "Utilities" folder.
  2. Tap the Cellular option.
  3. Toggle Cellular Data on. Cellular data needs to be enabled to use Bluetooth internet sharing.
  4. Tap Set Up Personal Hotspot. If this option isn't here or is grayed out, your carrier or data plan does not support personal hotspots.
    • Once you set up your first hotspot, the Personal Hotspot option will become available on the main Settings menu.
  5. Toggle Personal Hotspot on.
  6. Tap the < button in the upper-left to return to Settings.
  7. Tap Bluetooth.
  8. Toggle Bluetooth on.
  9. Click the Bluetooth button in your System Tray. If you don't have a Bluetooth icon, your Windows computer may not have a Bluetooth adapter installed.
  10. Click "Join a Personal Area Network."
  11. Click the "Add a device" button. This can be found at the top of the window.
  12. Click your iPhone. Leave this window open.[2]
  13. Tap Pair on your iPhone. You may be prompted to enter a code that is displayed on the other device.
  14. Return to the Devices and Printers window.
  15. Right-click on your iPhone.
  16. Highlight "Connect using" and then click "Access point." Your Windows PC will now use your iPhone's internet connection over Bluetooth.[3]

Tips

  • Go to places that have good reception. It will improve the speed of the connection.

Warnings

  • It's a lot easier to burn through your allotted monthly data if you're using a computer. Desktop versions of sites and large downloads can quickly eat away at your data plan. Keep an eye on your usage.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.howtogeek.com/213203/how-to-use-your-iphone%E2%80%99s-hotspot-or-a-usb-cable-for-tethering/
  2. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204023
  3. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203302
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