USB Tethering on Windows 11: Step-by-Step Guide

Windows 11 » How To
Milan Stanojevic
Milan Stanojevic Shield
Windows Toubleshooting Expert
How To
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USB tethering lets you share your phone’s mobile internet with a PC over a cable. It is fast, stable, and keeps your phone charging while you work.

Table of contents

How to Use USB Tethering on Windows 11?

1. Connect Your Phone to the PC

Start by making a reliable physical connection between your devices.

  1. Plug your smartphone into your Windows 11 computer using a USB cable.
  2. Unlock your phone and approve any prompt such as File Transfer or Data Transfer.

Keep in mind that issues can occur, so don’t miss this guide on what to do if USB tethering is not working.

2. Enable USB Tethering on Your Phone

Switch on the tethering feature in your phone’s settings to start sharing data.

  1. On Android, open Settings > Network & Internet > Hotspot & Tethering.
  2. Toggle USB Tethering to On.
  3. On iPhone, go to Settings > Cellular > Personal Hotspot and enable Allow Others to Join.
  4. Select USB only if the device offers connection options.

Prefer wireless sharing instead? You can also connect Windows 11 to a Bluetooth hotspot.

3. Verify the Connection on Your PC

Confirm Windows recognizes the new network and you have internet access.

  1. Windows 11 should detect a new Ethernet connection automatically.
  2. Click the Network icon on the taskbar to check status.
  3. If it shows Connected, the PC is using your phone’s data.

Troubleshooting USB Tethering

Run through these quick checks if the connection fails or drops.

  1. Use a high-quality or original USB cable.
  2. Restart both your phone and PC.
  3. Update USB and network drivers in Device Manager.
  4. Ensure Mobile Data is enabled on your phone.
  5. Temporarily disable VPN or firewall that might block the new adapter.

For privacy considerations during mobile data sharing, see whether a VPN can hide tethering.

Why Use USB Tethering?

USB tethering offers stable speeds, lower latency than Wi-Fi, and charges your phone while connected, which makes it great for travel, outages, and secure work sessions.

FAQs

Is USB tethering faster than a Wi-Fi hotspot?

Often yes, because data travels over a cable which reduces interference and latency.

Does USB tethering drain my phone battery?

Not typically, since the phone charges from the PC while tethered.

Can iPhone do USB tethering?

Yes, enable it under Personal Hotspot in iOS settings.

Why does USB tethering not work on my laptop?

Check the cable, drivers, phone permissions, and try reconnecting the device.

Conclusion

USB tethering is a simple and reliable way to bring mobile data to your Windows 11 PC with a cable. It is fast, secure, and keeps your phone powered while you stay online.

More about the topics: Tethering, Windows 11 guides

Milan Stanojevic

Milan Stanojevic Shield

Windows Toubleshooting Expert

Milan has been enthusiastic about technology ever since his childhood days, and this led him to take interest in all PC-related technologies. He's a PC enthusiast and he spends most of his time learning about computers and technology. Before joining WindowsReport, he worked as a front-end web developer. Now, he's one of the Troubleshooting experts in our worldwide team, specializing in Windows errors & software issues.

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