How to Find Your Hotspot Password on iPhone and Android

Updated 19 October 2026.

Your phone’s hotspot password is stored in its hotspot settings. On iPhone, open Personal Hotspot and check Wi-Fi Password. On Android, open the Wi-Fi hotspot or Mobile Hotspot settings; the path varies by manufacturer. This password is separate from your phone’s unlock code and account password.

menu android — Illustration from the original article.

Find or change it on iPhone

Open Settings > Personal Hotspot. Depending on the layout, you may first open Cellular or Mobile Service.
Open Wi-Fi Password to view or change the hotspot password.
Enable Allow Others to Join when you want another device to connect.
On the other device, choose the iPhone’s hotspot network and enter the password exactly.

Apple‘s Personal Hotspot instructions explain the settings and carrier requirements. If the option is missing, check whether your plan supports tethering rather than assuming the password is hidden somewhere else.

Changing the password means connected devices may need to join again with the new one. Devices using Apple’s supported Instant Hotspot features can have a different joining experience, so a device connecting without a password prompt does not necessarily mean the hotspot has no password.

Find it on Android or Pixel

A common Android path is Settings > Network & internet > Hotspot & tethering > Wi-Fi hotspot. Open the password field or its visibility control. You may need to unlock the device or confirm your identity.

Google’s Pixel hotspot guide describes the supported controls. On other Android models, search Settings for hotspot if the menu names differ. A long press on the Hotspot quick-setting tile may also open the relevant settings.

Find it on a Samsung Galaxy phone

Look under Settings > Connections > Mobile Hotspot and Tethering > Mobile Hotspot. Open the hotspot’s details or configuration screen to check the network name, password and supported sharing options; merely tapping its on/off switch may not reveal those details.

Samsung‘s connection-options guidance covers the hotspot feature. Menu labels and available controls depend on the phone, software and carrier. If a QR sharing option is available, treat the code like the password rather than posting it publicly.

If the receiving device rejects the password

Confirm that you selected the correct network name.
Check capitalization and any easily confused characters.
If the password was changed, forget the old saved hotspot connection on the receiving device and join again.
Keep the hotspot settings screen open while troubleshooting, and toggle Wi-Fi on the receiving device if needed.
Check compatibility settings only when the receiving device cannot see or join the hotspot.

Apple’s hotspot troubleshooting guide explains its compatibility option and associated tradeoffs. A successful Wi-Fi connection without internet access can instead involve mobile data, signal, plan limits or carrier settings. It does not necessarily indicate an incorrect password.

Use the right password for the right connection

The hotspot password is not the password for the home router, Google Account or Apple Account. View or change it on the phone providing the connection. Google’s Android tethering guide also distinguishes Wi-Fi, USB and Bluetooth sharing, with carrier restrictions where applicable.

If a Windows laptop remains slow after it connects, use the Windows 11 Wi-Fi troubleshooting guide. For a separate task such as migrating data between phones, follow the USB phone-connection checklist rather than treating hotspot credentials as a file-transfer password.

Frequently asked questions

Is my hotspot password the same as my phone PIN?

No. The hotspot has its own Wi-Fi password. Your phone may require an unlock or identity check before showing its settings.

Can I change the password instead of recovering the old one?

Yes, through the providing phone’s supported hotspot settings. Update saved connections on devices that need to rejoin.

Why can a device connect but not access the internet?

Check mobile data, cellular reception, carrier tethering support and any data limits. Joining the Wi-Fi hotspot and reaching the internet are separate steps.