How To Use An iPad As Your Own Personal Hotspot

Whether you're traveling or having internet trouble at home, sometimes the occasion calls for a Wi-Fi hotspot. They act as a handy workaround for Wi-Fi limitations by using a separate device to act as a surrogate via its own cellular data connection, and they can be very useful in a pinch. Portable hotspots like travel-sized routers and the like are certainly an option and have their uses. However, if you don't own one — or don't want to make room in your luggage — a much more common practice is setting your tablet or smartphone up as one instead. And, of course, that feature extends to iPads.

There are some things to be aware of before you use your iPad as a hotspot. Your iPad will absolutely need to have a cellular data connection for this to work, so make sure the iPad can get online without Wi-Fi. You also may need to check your data plan to see if it allows for hotspot usage because not all of them do. If not, you'll need to talk to your provider to change that. Also, keep in mind that unless you have a plan that offers unlimited data, you run the risk of hitting your data limit (depending on what you download or stream via a hotspot connection). And even if your plan is unlimited, you might experience slower internet speeds once you hit your monthly cap.

Assuming your iPad does indeed have the means to use cellular data and your carrier plan does accommodate a hotspot setup, here's how to get started:

1. Open the Settings app on your iPad (the one that looks like a gear symbol).
2. Locate and tap the Cellular menu option.
3. Depending on your version of iPadOS, either select Cellular or Settings.
4. After choosing Cellular or Settings (again, depending on your iPadOS version), tap the Personal Hotspot option.
5. Select the toggle next to Personal Hotspot to turn the hotspot feature on (the toggle will turn green).
6. Be sure to remember, write down, or keep track of the password that appears in the Wi-Fi Password section of the menu, as this will be required if you want to use the iPad as a Wi-Fi hotspot.

If you can't find an option for Cellular or Personal Hotspot anywhere in your iPad's settings, that means it's not using a cellular data plan and, thus, is incapable of being used as a hotspot. For everyone else, if you've turned on Personal Hotspot on your iPad — and as long as it's able to make and maintain a connection to a cellular data network — you're ready to start using it as your personal pseudo-Wi-Fi.

Getting other devices to use your iPad as a Wi-Fi connection is relatively simple, though there are a few ways to do this. You can get online using a wire:

1. If you're using a Mac or MacBook, connect it to your iPad and start using it as a hotspot by hooking the two devices up through a USB cable.
2. Select Trust This Computer from the pop-up on your iPad to confirm the connection, then choose the iPad from the list of networks that appear in your other devices' Network Settings menu.

Via Bluetooth:

1. Open Settings on your iPad, select Bluetooth and stay in that menu to make sure the iPad can be discovered by other devices.
2. Once your iPad is discoverable, follow the steps necessary to pair your other devices through Bluetooth (this may vary depending on hardware, manufacturer, etc.) and connect to the iPad.

Or by simply using Wi-Fi:

1. Open your other device's Wi-Fi settings and select the iPad as your Wi-Fi network.
2. When prompted, enter the password for your iPad's personal hotspot (found in the Personal Hotspot menu under Wi-Fi Password).

Once connected, you'll see an indicator along the top of the iPad screen verifying the hotspot connection. Depending on the connected device, you may also see a hotspot connection icon (it looks like two links of a chain) in place of the Wi-Fi signal icon.