If your computer won’t connect to an iPhone hotspot, toggle radios, confirm the password, update OS and drivers, then try USB or Bluetooth.
Your laptop sees the iPhone but refuses to join. Or it joins and drops a minute later. The good news: most hotspot glitches come from a list of causes—radio conflicts, cached settings, passwords, or driver quirks. Work through the steps below in order, and you’ll get back online fast.
Keep the iPhone unlocked while you test, as some carriers idle the hotspot when the screen sleeps.
Start With These Quick Checks
Run these basics before deeper fixes. They clear stale settings and reset the link between the computer and Personal Hotspot.
| Symptom | Likely Cause | Fast Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Can’t see the hotspot name | Hotspot off or radios stuck | Turn Personal Hotspot off, wait 10 seconds, turn it on; toggle Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on both devices |
| See the hotspot but can’t join | Wrong password or cached profile | Open Settings on iPhone > Personal Hotspot to reveal the current password; on the computer, forget the network, then reconnect |
| Connects but shows “No internet” | Weak cell data, plan limit, VPN | Check carrier bars, test with a web page on the iPhone, turn off VPN, move near a window |
| USB fails | Driver missing or outdated | Install or update Apple mobile device drivers on Windows; on Mac, update macOS |
| Bluetooth flaky | Interference or pairing issue | Unpair both sides, reboot, pair again; prefer Wi-Fi or USB for speed |
Fix A Computer That Won’t Connect To iPhone Hotspot
Restart Radios On Both Devices
On iPhone: open Settings > Cellular and toggle Cellular Data off and on. Then go to Settings > Personal Hotspot and switch it off and back on. On the computer, toggle Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. A handshake clears many stalls.
Confirm The Hotspot Password And Name
On iPhone, the current hotspot password lives in Settings > Personal Hotspot. Tap the password field to view or set a new one. Keep it simple for the test, then set a stronger one later. If the laptop shows an old SSID, rename the iPhone in Settings > General > About > Name to force the network list to refresh.
Forget And Rejoin The Network
On Windows, open Wi-Fi settings, pick the iPhone SSID, and choose Forget. On macOS, go to System Settings > Wi-Fi, click Details next to the network, and remove it from Known Networks. Then rejoin using the fresh password from the iPhone.
Update iOS, macOS, And Windows
Software updates carry radio fixes and driver packages. On iPhone, go to Settings > General > Software Update. On Mac, open System Settings > General > Software Update. On Windows, run Windows Update and reboot. After updates, toggle the hotspot once.
Check Carrier Plan And Data Signal
Some carriers gate Personal Hotspot behind plan toggles or data caps. Test a page on the iPhone with cellular data. If that fails, the hotspot can’t supply internet to the computer. Move to a spot with better signal or contact the carrier to confirm hotspot service is active.
Turn Off VPN, Firewalls, And Security Apps
VPN clients and security suites can break captive portals and private relays. Disable them during troubleshooting. If the connection works, add the hotspot network to the app’s trusted list or change the VPN protocol to a simpler option like IKEv2 or WireGuard.
Reset Network Settings Safely
On iPhone, open Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Reset > Reset Network Settings. This clears Wi-Fi, cellular, and VPN profiles without touching your data. Reboot the phone, toggle Personal Hotspot back on, and test again.
Try A Different Band Or Name
Interference near 2.4 GHz is common in apartments and offices. In Personal Hotspot settings, set “Maximize Compatibility” off to prefer 5 GHz on newer iPhones. If an older laptop only sees 2.4 GHz, turn that toggle on. Changing the iPhone name also forces clients to request a new profile.
Use Instant Hotspot On A Mac
Signed in with the same Apple ID? You can join without a password from the Wi-Fi menu on the Mac. Pick the iPhone under Personal Hotspot. This path is fast and reliable on supported models.
If you need a step-by-step guide direct from Apple, see the Personal Hotspot troubleshooting page and the iPhone user guide on sharing your connection. Both outline system requirements and settings that can block a join.
Windows And Mac Steps That Solve Sticky Cases
Windows: Install Or Repair Apple Drivers For USB Tethering
For a rock-solid link, plug the iPhone in with a quality cable. If Windows does not show a new network adapter, install or repair Apple Mobile Device USB and Ethernet drivers. The adapter should appear under Network Adapters after a short wait. If it does not, reinstall iTunes from Apple, reboot, and try again.
Windows: Forget Hidden Profiles And Set A Manual DNS
Remove stale profiles with netsh: open Command Prompt as admin and run netsh wlan show profiles, then netsh wlan delete profile name="Your iPhone". Rejoin. If pages resolve slowly, set IPv4 DNS to 1.1.1.1 or 8.8.8.8 for a quick test.
macOS: Clear Known Networks And Renew DHCP Lease
On Mac, open System Settings > Wi-Fi > Details for the iPhone network, remove it from Known Networks, then reconnect. If you show “Connected, no internet,” open Details > TCP/IP and click Renew DHCP Lease. Also toggle Private Relay off during testing.
macOS: Use Instant Hotspot And Auto-Join
With Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on, the Mac can auto-discover the iPhone when both sign in to the same Apple ID. Open the Wi-Fi menu and pick the iPhone under Personal Hotspot. It should connect without typing a password.
| Platform | Where To Click | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | Device Manager > Network adapters | See Apple Mobile Device Ethernet after USB plug-in |
| Windows | Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi | Forget the iPhone SSID and reconnect clean |
| macOS | System Settings > Wi-Fi > Details | Remove from Known Networks, renew DHCP |
| macOS | Wi-Fi menu > Personal Hotspot | Join via Instant Hotspot with the same Apple ID |
Wi-Fi, USB, Or Bluetooth: Pick The Best Path
Wi-Fi Hotspot
Best mix of speed and convenience. Use it when several devices need access at once. Keep the phone on a charger. If the link stalls, toggle the hotspot or switch bands using the Maximize Compatibility setting.
USB Tethering
Fast, stable, and charges the phone. Great in places with heavy Wi-Fi noise. Needs drivers on Windows and a trusted cable. If you see trust prompts on the iPhone, tap Trust to allow the link.
Bluetooth Tethering
Low power and fine for light tasks. Pair both sides first. Speeds are lower than Wi-Fi and USB, so stream video over the other two methods when possible.
Fix “Connected, No Internet”
If the laptop joins but pages won’t load, test cellular data on the iPhone itself. Load a new site in Safari with Wi-Fi off. If that fails, the phone lacks data service, so the hotspot can’t route traffic. If the phone loads pages but the laptop does not, renew DHCP (Mac), run ipconfig /release and /renew (Windows), and test with a public DNS.
Prevent Password And Address Conflicts
Two features can confuse joins: complex passwords that invite typos and rotating private addresses. Start simple while testing, then set a longer passphrase. If a network uses MAC filtering, the iPhone may present a different address each time. For a managed network, turn the private address toggle off for that SSID or ask the admin to allow the phone’s current address. After the test, turn the privacy feature back on.
Keep Things Stable During Travel
Roaming can push devices into low power states. Plug the iPhone into power. Keep the phone near a window or high spot for better signal. Avoid putting the phone under a laptop where heat builds. If your plan throttles hotspot data after a limit, switch the laptop to low-bandwidth tasks or enable data saver mode in the browser.
When The Issue Is On The iPhone
If Personal Hotspot is missing or greyed out, confirm that Cellular Data is on and the carrier plan includes tethering. Reset network settings if edits to APN or VPN profiles caused a block. Reinstall the carrier settings by going to Settings > General > About and waiting for a carrier update prompt. If none appears and tethering worked before, call the carrier to refresh the feature on your line.
When The Issue Is On The Computer
Old Wi-Fi cards can choke on 5 GHz or WPA3. If you can join other networks but not the iPhone, toggle Maximize Compatibility on the iPhone to switch to 2.4 GHz and WPA2. Update the Wi-Fi driver from the laptop maker. If the laptop sleeps and drops the link, set the power plan to keep the Wi-Fi adapter awake.
Security And Safety Tips
Change the hotspot password if you ever shared it. Turn the hotspot off when not in use. Avoid unknown pop-ups that ask for configuration profiles. If you join the hotspot in public, watch for rogue pop-ups and keep file sharing off on the laptop. USB is safest in crowded areas since it avoids open Wi-Fi.
What To Do If Nothing Works
Test with another device to isolate the fault. If a second laptop joins fine, the issue is on the first computer. If no device can join, it’s the iPhone or the carrier. Back up the iPhone, reset network settings, then try again. If it still fails, contact Apple or the carrier with notes on the steps you tried.