Your hotspot password is set by you during setup, or it's the default one your phone came with

The password that lets other devices connect to your phone's hotspot is not something your carrier assigns or stores for you. You either created it yourself when you first turned on the hotspot feature, or your phone is using a default password that was generated automatically. If you've forgotten it, you can reset it to a new one you choose, or look up what your phone generated if you never changed it.

The exact steps depend on whether you have an iPhone or Android phone, and which version you're running. Both let you view your current password and create a new one in the hotspot settings.

Key Takeaways

  • Your hotspot password is created by you or generated by your phone — your carrier does not store or manage it.
  • On iPhone, open Settings, tap Personal Hotspot, and look for the Wi-Fi Password field to see or change your current password.
  • On Android, the steps vary by manufacturer, but usually involve Settings, then Mobile Hotspot or Tethering, then a password or security option.
  • If you cannot find the password field, your phone may have hotspot turned off, or you may be looking in the wrong settings menu.
  • You can change your hotspot password at any time without calling your carrier or restarting your phone.

Finding your password on iPhone

Open the Settings app and tap Personal Hotspot. If you see a toggle that says "Personal Hotspot" at the top, make sure it is turned on (the toggle should be green). Below that, you will see a field labeled Wi-Fi Password. The password shown there is the one other devices need to connect to your hotspot.

If you do not see the Personal Hotspot option in Settings, your phone may not have cellular service, or your carrier may not support hotspot on your plan. Contact your carrier to confirm hotspot is included.

To change your password, tap the Wi-Fi Password field, delete the current password, and type a new one. Your phone will use the new password when ready — you do not need to restart anything or notify your carrier.

Finding your password on Android

The location of hotspot settings varies depending on your phone's manufacturer. Start by opening Settings and looking for Mobile Hotspot, Tethering, or Wireless and Networks. Once you find the hotspot section, look for an option called Hotspot Password, Wi-Fi Password, or Security.

On Samsung phones, go to Settings, then Mobile Hotspot and Tethering, then Mobile Hotspot, then tap the gear icon to see password options. On Google Pixel phones, go to Settings, then Network and Internet, then Hotspot and Tethering, then Wi-Fi Hotspot, then tap the gear icon. On other Android phones, the path may differ, but the principle is the same: find the hotspot settings, then look for a password or security field.

If your hotspot is turned off, you will not see a password field at all. Turn on the hotspot toggle first, then the password option should appear.

What to do if you cannot find the password field

If you have looked in the hotspot settings and do not see a password option, check whether your hotspot is actually turned on. On both iPhone and Android, the hotspot feature must be active before you can see or change the password. If the toggle is off, turn it on first.

If the hotspot is on but you still do not see a password field, your phone may be set to use an open network with no password. Some phones allow you to create a hotspot without a password for convenience, though this is less find. Look for an option to enable a password or change the security setting from "Open" to "WPA2" or "WPA3".

If you are still stuck, restart your phone and try again. Sometimes the settings menu does not load completely until the phone has been restarted.

Changing your password without losing connected devices

When you change your hotspot password, devices that are already connected will stay connected. They will only need the new password if they disconnect and try to reconnect later. You do not need to warn people ahead of time or wait for them to disconnect before you make the change.

If you want to disconnect a specific device when ready, some phones let you do this from the hotspot settings. On iPhone, you can see which devices are connected under Personal Hotspot, and on some Android phones you can do the same in the hotspot settings. Disconnecting a device will force it to ask for the password again if it tries to reconnect.

Why you might not remember your password

If your phone generated a default password when you first set up the hotspot, it was likely a random string of numbers and letters. These are hard to remember, which is why many people change them to something simpler. If you never changed it and cannot find it now, the easiest solution is to create a new password you will remember.

Some phones also reset the hotspot password if you reset your network settings or do a factory reset. If you recently did either of those things and your old password no longer works, your phone has created a new default password that you can find in the hotspot settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my carrier see my hotspot password?

No. Your carrier does not store or manage your hotspot password. It exists only on your phone and on the devices you have connected to it. Your carrier can see that you are using hotspot, but not what password you set.

What if I change my password and a device still cannot connect?

The device is probably trying to use the old password. Forget the hotspot network on that device (in its Wi-Fi settings), then reconnect and enter the new password. On most phones and computers, you can do this by going to Wi-Fi settings, finding your hotspot name, and selecting "Forget" or "Remove".

Is there a default password if I never set one?

Yes. Your phone generated one automatically when you first turned on the hotspot. You can see it in your hotspot settings. It is usually a random combination of numbers and letters, but you can change it to anything you want at any time.

Do I need to call my carrier to change my hotspot password?

No. You change your hotspot password entirely on your phone, in the hotspot settings. Your carrier does not need to know about it and does not have to approve the change.

What happens to my password if I restart my phone?

Your password stays the same. Restarting your phone does not change your hotspot password. The only way to change it is to manually edit it in the hotspot settings.