iPhone Wi-Fi Tethering Setup on Windows PC

This article explains how to tether your iPhone to a Windows PC using Wi-Fi (Personal Hotspot), so your PC can share your iPhone's 4G/5G cellular connection wirelessly.

What You'll Need

• An iPhone with an active cellular data plan
• A Windows PC with an internal Wi-Fi card, or an external Wi-Fi USB adapter

Let's Get Started

Step 1

Make sure your PC has a Wi-Fi card installed and enabled. Go to Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi (or press Windows key + X  and select Network Connections) and confirm that Wi-Fi is listed and turned on.

If your PC doesn't have a built-in Wi-Fi card, plug an external Wi-Fi USB adapter into a USB port. Windows will attempt to install the appropriate drivers automatically. If prompted, follow the instructions included with the adapter.

Step 2

On your iPhone, open Settings from your home screen and tap Personal Hotspot.

Step 3

Toggle Allow Others to Join to turn on the Personal Hotspot. While you're in this menu, you can also customize the Wi-Fi hotspot name (SSID) and password that other devices will use to connect.

Step 4

On your PC, click the Wi-Fi or network icon in the lower-right corner of the taskbar (system tray). Turn on Wi-Fi if it isn't already on, then select the hotspot name you set on your iPhone from the list of available networks. Enter your hotspot password when prompted.

Once connected, your PC will route internet traffic through your iPhone's cellular connection.