You can automatically create a hotspot with instant hotspot and share your Wi-Fi credentials with your nearby devices. In both cases, there’s no need to type passwords.
Important:
- Both devices should:
- Be signed in with the same Google Account.
- Have "cross-device services" turned on.
- Both features are available for Android 11 and up, but offer more functionality for Android 14 and newer devices. Learn how to connect your older Android devices.
- Cross-device services aren’t available on Android Go devices.
- The instant hotspot feature isn’t available on Samsung devices. If you have a Samsung device, you can use the Auto Hotspot feature instead.
- The automatic Wi-Fi sharing feature isn’t available on Samsung devices. If you have a Samsung device, you can use the Wi-Fi Auto Sharing feature instead.
- Experience or steps may differ across devices and manufacturers.
- To connect to an instant hotspot, the device should be near the hotspot host.
- Sharing of Wi-Fi credentials doesn’t work for:
- Open Wi-Fi networks that don’t require a password to connect.
- Wi-Fi networks where credentials can’t be shared.
Check if cross-device services, instant hotspot & automatic Wi-Fi sharing are on
Important: To use instant hotspot and automatically share Wi-Fi, turn on cross-device services on both devices and connect to the internet.
- On your Android device, open Settings.
- Tap Google
All services
- Make sure “Use cross-device services” is on (or tap on it to turn it on).
- Under “What your devices can do,” tap Internet sharing.
- To make sure features are on:
- Internet sharing: Check if Use internet sharing is on.
- Instant hotspot: Check if Instant hotspot is on.
- Automatic Wi-Fi sharing: Check if Automatically share Wi-Fi is on.
All services Connect to an instant hotspot
If you have an Android device that isn't connected to the internet, it searches for other nearby devices that you own to check if they can provide internet access. If one of those devices is connected to a cellular network, internet access can be provided through an instant hotspot. If that's the case, you'll receive a notification to ask if you'd like to connect. If you choose to connect, your Android device will automatically connect with no password entry required.
Through notificationsTo connect your Android device to your Android phone that has an internet connection:
- On your Android device, find the notification in your notification tray titled "Use your phone's hotspot."
- Tap Connect.
- It may take a few seconds to connect.
- To confirm if you're connected:
- On your Android device: You should find a “Connected to your phone" notification.
- On your phone: You should find a "Providing mobile data” notification to your other Android device.
- If no device is connected, your hotspot will automatically turn off.
- To disconnect, in the “Connected to your phone” notification, tap Disconnect.
- On your Android device, open Settings.
- To get to the Wi-Fi list, under “Network & internet,” tap Internet.
- Tap on your other Android device as an available Wi-Fi option.
- Your other device’s hotspot will turn on and the device you’re using will connect to it. It may take a few seconds to connect.
Tips:
- When connected, your device shows whether it's connected to the internet either from mobile data, Wi-Fi, or Ethernet.
- If you connect to another network, the device or hotspot name disappears from the Wi-Fi list.
- On Android 11 and up devices, the hotspot name is "Instant Hotspot" with random characters. On Pixel devices with Android 14, it's the device name.
Automatically connect to a Wi-Fi network
Important: To connect to Wi-Fi network, you must have Wi-Fi turned on.
If you have an Android device that isn't connected to the internet, it searches for other nearby devices that you own to check if they can provide internet access. If one of those devices is connected to a Wi-Fi network, internet access can be provided by sharing access to that Wi-Fi network automatically. If that's the case, you'll receive a notification to ask if you'd like to connect. If you choose to connect, your Android device will automatically connect with no password entry required.
Through notifications- On your Android device, find the notification in your notification tray titled “Connect to Wi-Fi network.”
- You should find the name of the local Wi-Fi network that your other device is already connected to.
- Tap Connect.
Tip: The Android device that you connected will save the Wi-Fi network password for future use.
- On your Android device, open Settings.
- To get to the Wi-Fi list, under “Network & internet,” tap Internet.
- Select the Wi-Fi network your other device is connected to.
Connect your older Android devices
If you have an Android device that runs Android 11, 12, or 13, you can only connect to an instant hotspot and automatically share Wi-Fi through the notification.
You won’t be able to find the instant hotspot on the Wi-Fi list in Settings or from the Internet tile in Quick Settings. For automatically sharing Wi-Fi, you can find the local Wi-Fi network on the Wi-Fi list in Settings and from Quick Settings. When you select it, you’ll need to enter the password to connect.
When your device can’t connect
When there’s a connection error, check if:
- You’re in an area with signal or coverage.
- Your devices are close to each other.
- Both devices:
- Are signed in with the same Google Account.
- Have “cross-device services” turned on.
- Have the “Instant hotspot” feature turned on.
- Have the “Automatically share Wi-Fi” feature turned on.
- Have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth turned on.