Use a mobile hotspot on your Galaxy phone or tablet

Mobile hotspot on Phone

You're on vacation in the beautiful, remote countryside. There's just one problem...no Wi-Fi! Fortunately, you can activate a mobile hotspot on your phone or tablet to let other devices connect to the internet. You can also configure several features and settings to keep your hotspot private or reduce battery consumption. In a pinch, it’s a real lifesaver.

Note: Available screens and settings may vary by wireless service provider, software version, and phone model.

Things to keep in mind before using a hotspot

Mobile hotspots are extremely useful, but there are some things you need to keep in mind when using one on your device: 

  • In order to use a hotspot, you must have a tethering plan on your service account.

  • Mobile hotspots consume battery power and use data service.

  • While a mobile hotspot is active, your device's apps will use the mobile hotspot's data service.
        

  • Roaming while using your phone or tablet as a hotspot may incur extra data charges.
     

  • Activating a mobile hotspot will disable Wi-Fi.

  • Only LTE tablets can create hotspots, not regular tablets.

Turn on mobile hotspot

Oh no! You and your friend are using her phone to navigate, and the GPS stopped working because the signal is weak. Let her use your mobile hotspot on your phone or tablet, so you can get out of that tight spot.

From Settings, search for and select Mobile Hotspot and Tethering. Tap Mobile Hotspot and Tethering again, and then tap the switch next to Mobile Hotspot. To turn off Mobile Hotspot, tap the switch again.

Mobile Hotspot turned off in Settings

Configure mobile hotspot

If you don't want strangers using your hotspot, you can hide your device and adjust more options.

From Settings, search for and select Mobile Hotspot and Tethering. Tap Mobile Hotspot and Tethering again, tap Mobile Hotspot, tap More options, (the three vertical dots), and then tap Configure Mobile Hotspot.

The following settings will be available:

Configure Mobile Hotspot settings screen

  • Network name: View and change the name of your hotspot.

  • Hide my device: Make your phone or tablet undetectable by others.

  • Security: Select the hotspot's security level.

  • Password: View and change the password for your hotspot.

  • Power saving mode: Reduce battery usage by analyzing mobile hotspot traffic.
     

  • Protected management frames: Allows the hotspot to be encrypted.

Note: Available options may vary depending on the carrier, phone model, and software version.

Mobile hotspot timeout settings

Why has your battery been dying so quickly? It's because you've had the hotspot on all weekend. However, with the Timeout settings, you can set your hotspot to automatically shut off if no one is using it.

From Settings, search for and select Mobile Hotspot and Tethering. Tap Mobile Hotspot and Tethering again, tap Mobile Hotspot, tap More options (the three vertical dots), and then tap Timeout settings. From there, choose the desired amount of time before the hotspot turns off.

Mobile Hotspot Timeout settings options

Set up an Automatic Hotspot

Automatic Hotspot allows your phone’s internet connection to be shared with devices that are signed into your Samsung account, or your Samsung family group.

  1. From Settings, search for and select Mobile Hotspot and Tethering. 

     

  2. Tap Mobile Hotspot and Tethering again, and then tap Mobile Hotspot.
     

  3. Tap Auto Hotspot, and then tap the switch to turn it on.
     

  4. Tap the switch next to Family sharing to let family members access your automatic hotspot if needed.

    Auto Hotspot turned on

  5. Next, you will need to set up Wi-Fi sharing. From the Mobile Hotspot Home screen, tap More options (the three vertical dots), and then tap Wi-Fi sharing. Tap the switch to turn it on.
     

  6. When everything is set up, you can connect devices to the hotspot. On the device you want to connect, swipe down from the top of the screen to open the Quick settings panel. Then, touch and hold the Wi-Fi icon.
     

  7. Thanks to Automatic Hotspot, the hotspot should already be listed as a Wi-Fi network; tap the hotspot to connect to it. While your device is connecting, do not touch the other device that is emitting the hotspot signal because this could cause connection problems.
     

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