iPhone Hotspot Not Working? Fix Missing Networks and No Internet

Turn off Wi-Fi on the iPhone in Settings and try opening a webpage using cellular data. If that fails too, start with your carrier connection, coverage, or data allowance. A hotspot shares cellular data; joining its Wi-Fi network alone does not prove that internet access works. If Personal Hotspot is missing or unavailable, check Settings → Cellular and make sure Cellular Data is on. Your carrier and plan must support tethering. Ask the carrier to check hotspot availability before entering APN values found online; settings differ by carrier and country.

On the iPhone, open Settings → Personal Hotspot, or Settings → Cellular → Personal Hotspot. Enable Allow Others to Join and stay on this screen while connecting. On the other device, switch Wi-Fi off and on, then select the iPhone name. Keep the devices close together. On iPhone 12 or later, try Maximize Compatibility in Personal Hotspot settings, then reconnect. Apple notes that this setting can reduce internet performance and Wi-Fi security for connected devices. Use it as a compatibility check rather than assuming it improves every connection.

Read the Wi-Fi Password shown on the iPhone hotspot screen. Use that password, rather than the iPhone unlock code or the password for your home router. If the other device keeps trying an old password, forget that saved hotspot network and join it again. If you change the hotspot password, Apple requires at least eight characters using ASCII letters, numbers, or punctuation. Reconnect the other devices with the new password. Keep a password in place; making the hotspot open is not a troubleshooting step.

Repeat the cellular-only webpage check on the iPhone. If the phone itself is offline, reconnecting the laptop to the hotspot will not fix the upstream connection. If cellular browsing works, try a different device on the same hotspot when possible. A second device working suggests that the first client needs attention; it does not prove a particular driver or setting is responsible. If no client gets internet while the iPhone does, ask the carrier about tethering eligibility and allowance. Record whether the problem affects every website or only one app. Restart both devices and install available system updates, then test again.

USB is another supported way to share the connection with a computer. Enable Allow Others to Join, connect the iPhone using a data-capable USB cable, and approve the accessory or Trust This Computer prompt only on a computer you trust. For Windows, Apple says to install the latest Apple Devices app or iTunes for Windows. On a Mac, confirm that the iPhone appears in Finder and check System Settings → Network for iPhone USB. If it is missing, follow Apple’s linked instructions for adding a network service. USB does not bypass a carrier restriction. Turn Personal Hotspot off when finished to avoid unintended cellular use when charging from the computer.

On the iPhone, open Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone → Reset → Reset Network Settings. This resets saved Wi-Fi networks and passwords, cellular settings, and previously used VPN and APN settings. Have the details needed to reconnect, and consult your administrator first on a work or school device. Choose the network reset option carefully. If the problem persists, give Apple Support or the carrier the iPhone model, iOS version, connection method, exact error, cellular-only browsing result, and whether another device can connect. These checks narrow the problem; they do not establish that the iPhone hardware is faulty.