Wi-Fi hotspot apps for iPhone and Android

Choose the right kind of hotspot tool

On iPhone: use Personal Hotspot

If the option is missing or your plan does not support it, ask your carrier. Another app cannot add a tethering allowance to your mobile plan.

1. Open Settings, then Personal Hotspot. Some iPhones show it under Cellular.
2. Enable Allow Others to Join and review the Wi-Fi Password.
3. Keep this screen open while the other device selects your iPhone’s network and enters that password.
4. Turn off sharing when you have finished.

On Android: use the hotspot in Settings

Search your phone’s Settings for hotspot. On Pixel, the route is Network & internet → Hotspot & tethering → Wi-Fi hotspot. Names can differ on other manufacturers’ phones.

1. Review the hotspot name and set a password.
2. Enable the hotspot.
3. On your laptop or tablet, select that network and enter its password.

PdaNet+: Android tethering with a desktop companion

PdaNet+ is worth considering when you specifically need an Android-to-computer connection using its Wi-Fi Direct or USB modes. It is an Android-hosted tethering tool, not an iPhone Personal Hotspot app or a directory of free public networks.

For Wi-Fi Direct, PdaNet’s documentation says the receiving device needs its companion software or an appropriate proxy configuration. Its Windows guide uses the PdaNet Desktop app to connect to the phone. Joining the network alone is therefore not the whole setup; check the instructions for the device you intend to connect.

USB mode uses a cable and the desktop client. Depending on the phone and connection mode, the vendor’s setup can also require a USB driver and USB debugging. Follow the matching official guide and use a computer you trust. This is a more involved choice than enabling a phone’s built-in hotspot.

The official site says the free edition interrupts use and requires reconnecting. A paid full version is offered. Check the current price and the free edition’s conditions directly with PdaNet before deciding whether it suits a long work session.

NetShare: Android sharing with receiver-side setup

NetShare - no-root-tethering is the Android app published by NetShare Softwares. Its Google Play listing specifies Android 6 or later and describes sharing cellular data or extending an existing Wi-Fi connection. It may be useful when you want to explore a no-root sharing method from an Android host, rather than install software on an iPhone.

NetShare’s setup differs from an ordinary hotspot. The Android host starts the sharing network, but the receiving device also needs the connection method described in NetShare’s guide. The developer’s general instructions use an HTTP proxy; its current Windows guide offers a desktop/SSTP connection and a proxy fallback. The Play listing also describes a VPN service on receiving Android devices to route traffic.

Use the network name, password and connection values shown by the app, then follow the official guide for your receiving device. Do not assume every app or protocol will work through an HTTP proxy just because the browser works. Test the actual work you need to do before relying on this connection.

The Play listing includes in-app purchases. Check the current app listing and purchase screen for free-use limits and prices before relying on it for a long session.

Compare the options before installing

For everyday phone-to-laptop sharing, try the built-in hotspot first. If you need a particular alternative connection method, choose by the host phone, receiving device and setup you can support. These are different tools, not a speed ranking or a claim that one app works best on every phone.

Check app costs, data charges and network access

A hotspot shares a connection that already exists. The built-in setting may cost nothing extra to open, while mobile data, a tethering allowance or a third-party paid upgrade can still cost money. Check these separately instead of treating a free app download as free internet.

A public Wi-Fi map solves a different problem: it helps you look for a nearby network rather than turning your phone into one. Confirm the network name and access conditions with the venue, since directory entries can be stale. For sharing, keep a password on your hotspot, use official app sources and turn off sharing when you finish.

For a Windows computer

A phone can join a hotspot created by a compatible Windows PC through its ordinary Wi-Fi settings. The Windows program runs on the PC, while the phone is a connecting device. For the current Free WiFi Hotspot release, use Windows 11 or Windows 10 version 2004, build 19041, or later, supported Wi-Fi hardware and an existing internet connection.

Frequently asked questions