Has your Wi-Fi gone down? Want to use your iPhone data internet on your PC?
If your mobile carrier allows you to share your internet, your iPhone can be transformed into a hotspot so your PC can use it. You can also use USB tethering or Bluetooth to achieve the same. Here’s how to do it.
How To Use iPhone Internet on PC:
Here are the methods to do this; choose the one that works best for you:
Method 1: Personal Hotspot
- Open iOS Settings on your iPhone – ensure your iPhone is up to date
- Tap on Cellular and turn it on
- Tap on Set Up Personal Hotspot or, if you have already used it before, it will just say Personal Hotspot.
- If this option is not there or has been greyed out, it is likely that your carrier does not support this feature or it isn’t available on your particular plan. This Apple Support page shows you a list of carriers that support it.
- Tap on Wi-Fi Password and type in a password; tap on Done. You will use this password for the Personal Hotspot. Make sure it contains a minimum of 8 characters – if you change it afterward, any current users or devices will be disconnected.
- Tap on Allow Others to Join and follow the on-screen directions
- Turn your PC on and click on Networks in the system tray
- Click on the iPhone network in the list and click Connect. Windows 11 users: click the arrow beside the Wi-Fi connection, check it is enabled and click on the Hotspot name
- The iPhone name can be changed – open Settings > General > About > Name and type in a new name for your device. Tap on Done.
- Type in the network password you created earlier and click Next – your PC should now be connected to your iPhone network.
Method 2: Bluetooth
- Open your iOS Settings app – you will need to pair your iPhone to Windows
- Tap on Cellular and turn Cellular Data on
- Tap on Personal Hotspot – if needed, set it up.
- Tap on Allow Others to Join and follow the on-screen directions
- Go to the top-left and tap on the back (<) button twice to go back to your Settings app
- Tap on Bluetooth and make sure it is enabled
- Turn on your PC and open Settings; go into Bluetooth & Other Devices and turn Bluetooth on
- Beneath Bluetooth, you will now see your PC as Now Discoverable
- Click on Add Bluetooth or Other Device > Bluetooth and wait while your PC finds your iPhone. If it doesn’t appear, tap on Allow New Connections or make sure your iPhone is close to your computer
- Go to your iPhone and open Other Devices; tap on your computer name
- Wait for them to connect and then go to your computer; tap Allow on the Pair Device message on your screen
- Click on Close and look at your iPhone screen – beside your computer name, it should say Connected.
- Open your PC control panel and click on Hardware & Sound > View Devices and Printers
- A window will open showing you all connected devices
- Find your iPhone name under Devices and right-click it
- A drop-down menu will appear; click on Connect Using > Access Point
- Your PC can now access the internet using your iPhone internet over Bluetooth.
Method 3: USB Tethering
- First, make sure iTunes is installed and up to date on your computer
- Open your iOS settings app and tap on Cellular
- Make sure Cellular Data is turned on and then tap on Personal Hotspot – set it up if you haven’t already
- Tap Allow Others to Join
- Now connect your iPhone to your computer using the correct cable and unlock your device – if you get the Trust this Computer prompt on your iPhone, tap on Trust
- On your Computer, click the Network icon
- Click on your iPhone in the list of networks and your computer can now use the iPhone internet. You can also back up your device or transfer photos to your computer in this way.
Frequently Asked Questions:
If you have questions about this, we have the answers:
- My PC Doesn’t Have a Wi-Fi Connection?
Follow the steps above to tether your iPhone to your computer using the cable. Now turn the Hotspot feature on your iPhone on and it should configure and work.
- My iPhone Doesn’t Show the Hotspot Feature or it is Unavailable?
If this is your first time using the hotspot feature, you won’t see it on the Settings page. Open iOS Settings and tap Cellular > Personal Hotspot. Then follow the instructions above to set up and use the hotspot. Once set up, Personal Hotspot will show up in Settings under Cellular.
- I Want to Share My Wi-Fi with Others?
Give them the password or create a QR code with the password embedded – they just scan the QR code and they are connected.
- I Want to Use the USB Cable to Connect My iPhone Internet to My PC?
Plug the USB into your device and then into the PC and follow the steps above to use the internet connection.
Things to Know:
- Try to go where you get a good reception to speed the connection up
- If you use your iPhone internet on your computer, you can quickly go through your data allowance – desktop apps tend to eat through data quickly, so monitor your usage.
- Ensure your provider allows tethering – you may need to ask them to activate it for you
If your Wi-Fi goes down and you desperately need to use your computer, now you can simply transfer your iPhone internet to your PC. Choose the way that works for you; try it now, but be aware of your data usage.