This document provides instructions for turning a phone into a Wi-Fi hotspot for sharing its cellular data connection. It notes that most modern smartphones can be used as hotspots, sharing a 4G LTE connection with up to 10 devices. However, the cellular plan must allow tethering/hotspot use. The instructions then provide step-by-step details for enabling hotspot mode on various phone platforms, including iOS, Android, Windows Phone and BlackBerry. It cautions that using hotspot mode can significantly reduce battery life.

1. How to Turn Your Phone Into a Wi-Fi
Hotspot
WiFi Hotspot – WiFi Hotspot Software Management

2. Almost any modern smart phone can also work as a Wi-Fi
hotspot, sharing its 4G LTE connection to anywhere from five
to 10 devices, whether they be laptops, tablets, or other
phones. You just have to have the right service plan and tap a
few buttons.
The most complex part of using your phone as a Wi-Fi
hotspot, nowadays, is making sure you're on the right service
plan. Not all plans allow "tethering," which is what the
carriers call hotspot use. If you try to set up a hotspot and get
bounced out, you may need to upgrade your service plan.
Be aware that your tethering allowance isn't the same as your
data plan. For instance, T-Mobile's unlimited data plans
come with a 5GB tethering allowance. You can use as much
data as you want on your phone, but once you attach a
laptop, it's 5GB for the month.

3. There are third-party Android tethering apps such as Fox Fi which
you can use to get around your carrier's tethering limits, but we
really don't recommend violating your service plan, since it's an easy
way to get kicked off your network.
To tether without a service plan on an iPhone, you'd need to
jailbreak your phone, which we also don't recommend as it exposes
you to malware.
There's one other big down side to turning your phone into a
hotspot: It eats up battery life. Many phones can only run for about
four hours or so in Hotspot mode. An additional battery, or a
battery case is a good idea if you intend to use Hotspot mode
frequently.
If you're a business traveler, for instance, and you need to use a
hotspot all day long, your best bet is to get a dedicated Wi-Fi
hotspot. Check out our guide to the
Best mobile hotspots on every carrier for that.
So how do you turn your phone into a Wi-Fi hotspot if you have the
right plan.

4. Apple iOS
•Go to Settings.
•Choose Cellular.
•Tap on Set Up Personal Hotspot.
•Go to Settings.
•Choose Personal Hotspot.
•Tap the button to turn your personal hotspot on.
•Agree to Wi-Fi and USB Only.
•Your hotspot is now active. The password is on
your iPhone's screen. Make sure to turn the
hotspot off when you're done using it!

5. Android
Android phones have different methods of
activating Hotspot mode. Here are instructions
for some of the more recent popular phones.
You may want to install an app like Onavo Count
to keep an eye on how much data you're using in
tethered mode.
Also, there are a bunch of widgets in the Google
Play Store that claim to turn Hotspot mode on
and off. Each works on some phones and some
versions of Android, and not others.

6. Google Nexus 5 (Android 5.0)
Go into Settings in the application drawer.
Under Wireless & Networks, tap More.
Tap Tethering & Portable Hotspot.
Tap Set Up Wi-Fi Hotspot to set your password.
Tap Save.
Tap the slider next to Portable Wi-Fi
Hotspot to enter Hotspot mode.
HTC One M9
Drag the notification pane down by dragging
from the top of the screen.
Hotspot will be in the bottom row of quick
settings. Set it up with a password.
Drag the notifications pane down again. Tap
on Wi-Fi Hotspot Active.
Make sure the switch next to Portable Wi-Fi
Hotspot is On.

7. LG G3
Drag the notifications pane down.
Drag the quick settings bar at the top to the
right. It will expose Mobile HotSpot just
after Rotation.
Tap Mobile Hotspot. This will walk you
through the setup process.
In the future, to turn the hotspot on or off, use
the Mobile HotSpot button in the notifications
pane.
Motorola Droid or X
Go into Settings in the application drawer.
Under Wireless & Networks, tap More.
Tap Tethering & Mobile Hotspot.
Tap Mobile Hotspot to turn the hotspot on.
Tap Mobile Hotspot Settings, then Configure
Mobile Hotspot to set your password.

8. Samsung Galaxy S5
Go into Settings.
Tap Connections.
Tap Tethering and Wi-Fi Hotspot.
Tap Mobile HotSpot.
Tap Off (switching it to On).
Samsung Galaxy S6
Go into Settings.
Tap Connections.
Tap Mobile HotSpot and Tethering.
Tap Mobile HotSpot.
Tap Off (switching it to On).
Sony Xperia Z3
Drag the notifications pane down.
Tap on Quick Settings at the top of the
screen.
Tap on Mobile Hotspot.
Step through the instructions.

9. BlackBerry 10.3
Swipe down from the top of the screen
and choose Settings.
Choose Networks and Connections.
Tap Mobile Hotspot.
Step through the instructions. The
hotspot will automatically turn on.
Make sure to turn it off when you're
done/ The hotspot screen conveniently
keeps track of how much data you've
used.

10. Windows Phone 8.1
Swipe down to get the notifications bar.
Choose All Settings
Scroll down to Internet Sharing.
Make a note of the Wi-Fi network name and password.
Tap the slider next to Off to turn sharing on.
It's a good idea to use your phone's Data Sense feature
to limit your tethering data.
To use it, go into All Settings and scroll down to Data
Sense.
Tap Set Limit.
Under Limit Type, tap One Time.
Under Days Until Data Expires, tap 1.
Enter the amount of data you want to use while
tethering.
When you're done tethering, go back into Set Limit and
change Limit Type back to none, or to your regular
monthly plan.