To turn on the hotspot on a Google Pixel 4a, open Settings, tap Network & internet, tap Hotspot & tethering, tap Wi-Fi hotspot, and turn on the Wi-Fi hotspot switch. Other devices can then join your phone’s network with the hotspot name and password shown on that screen.
A hotspot shares your phone’s mobile data with a laptop, tablet, or another phone. Sharing a connection this way is also called tethering. The steps below follow Google’s Pixel tethering and hotspot help page.
Before You Start
- Check your plan. Google warns that some mobile carriers limit or charge extra for tethering. Ask your carrier if you are not sure your plan includes it.
- Turn off Data Saver. Data Saver is an Android mode that keeps most apps from using mobile data in the background. Google says you must turn it off to tether by Wi-Fi.
- Make sure mobile data works. The hotspot shares the phone’s own connection. If a web page will not load on the Pixel, it will not load on a connected device either.
- Know your Android version. Google lists the Pixel 4a among the phones that no longer receive Android version updates. Google’s hotspot page notes that some of its steps only work on Android 14 and up, so a label on your phone may differ slightly. You can check the Android version on your Pixel 4a in Settings.
How to Turn On the Pixel 4a Hotspot
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap Network & internet.
- If Data Saver is on, tap it and turn it off, then go back one screen.
- Tap Hotspot & tethering.
- Tap Wi-Fi hotspot.
- Turn on the Wi-Fi hotspot switch at the top of the screen. If your carrier shows a notice about tethering, read it before you continue.
Result: Your Pixel 4a starts broadcasting a Wi-Fi network that nearby devices can see and join. The hotspot name and password are listed on the same screen.
Find or Change the Hotspot Name and Password
Every setting for the hotspot lives on the Wi-Fi hotspot screen. Google’s instruction is simple: to find or change a hotspot setting, tap it.
- Go to Settings > Network & internet > Hotspot & tethering > Wi-Fi hotspot.
- Tap Hotspot name to rename the network. This is the name other devices see in their Wi-Fi list.
- Tap Hotspot password to view the current password or type a new one, then tap OK.
- Tap Security to choose the type of protection.
Warning: Google notes that you can pick None under Security if you do not want a password. With no password, anyone nearby can join and use your mobile data. Leave a password on unless you have a specific reason not to.
Result: You have the network name and password to enter on the device you are connecting. If you change either one, devices that joined earlier need the new details to reconnect.
Connect Another Device to Your Hotspot
- On the other device, open its list of Wi-Fi networks.
- Pick your Pixel’s hotspot name.
- Enter the hotspot password.
- Select Connect.
Result: The other device goes online using your Pixel’s mobile data. Google says you can share your phone’s mobile data with up to 10 other devices through a Wi-Fi hotspot.
To confirm it worked, open a web page on the connected device. Keep the two devices close together while you use the connection.
How to Turn the Hotspot Off
Go back to Settings > Network & internet > Hotspot & tethering > Wi-Fi hotspot and turn the Wi-Fi hotspot switch off. Connected devices lose the shared connection.
The Pixel can also do this for you. Google says that, to save battery, the hotspot turns off when no devices are connected. To change that behavior:
- Open Settings.
- Tap Network & internet > Hotspot & tethering > Wi-Fi hotspot.
- Tap Turn off hotspot automatically to switch the setting on or off.
Leave this setting on if you sometimes forget to switch the hotspot off. Turn it off only if you need the hotspot to stay available while nothing is connected, and remember that this uses more battery.
Wi-Fi hotspot is the usual choice, but the same Hotspot & tethering menu has two other methods. Neither one creates a Wi-Fi network.
| Method | What you need | Limit Google lists |
|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi hotspot | Hotspot name and password | Up to 10 devices; Data Saver must be off |
| USB tethering | A USB cable between the phone and the other device | Mac computers cannot tether with Android by USB |
| Bluetooth tethering | The two devices paired over Bluetooth | Macs running macOS Monterey and up cannot tether with Android through Bluetooth |
USB tethering
- Connect your phone to the other device with a USB cable. Google says a “Connected as a…” notification shows at the top of the screen.
- Open Settings.
- Tap Network & internet > Hotspot & tethering.
- Turn on USB tethering.
Bluetooth tethering
- Pair your phone with the other device.
- Set up the other device to get its network connection by Bluetooth. Google says to follow the instructions that came with that device.
- On the Pixel, open Settings.
- Tap Network & internet > Hotspot & tethering.
- Tap Bluetooth tethering.
Result: The connected device uses your phone’s data over the cable or Bluetooth link. To stop sharing, turn the same switch off.
Google also describes a feature called Instant Tethering, which offers your phone’s connection to your other devices through a notification when they are signed in to the same Google Account. Its settings are under Settings > Google > Instant Tethering. Because Google’s page notes that some steps need newer Android versions, this option may look different or be missing on a Pixel 4a.
If the Pixel 4a Hotspot Will Not Turn On or Connect
- The Wi-Fi hotspot switch is gray or will not stay on. Go to Settings > Network & internet > Data Saver and turn it off. Google’s Data Saver help page says the Data Saver icon appears in the status bar while the mode is on.
- The hotspot turns on but your carrier blocks it. Tethering depends on your plan. Contact your carrier to confirm it is included.
- Another device cannot see the hotspot. Confirm the Wi-Fi hotspot switch is still on. It may have turned off automatically because nothing was connected.
- The password is rejected. Open the Wi-Fi hotspot screen, tap Hotspot password, and compare it character by character.
- A device connects but has no internet. Test mobile data on the Pixel itself. Google’s general connection advice is to turn Airplane mode on and off again, then restart the phone.
- An eleventh device will not join. The Wi-Fi hotspot limit is 10 devices. Disconnect one first.
- Battery Saver is on. This site’s guide to Battery Saver on the Pixel 4a covers what that mode restricts. Turn it off if the hotspot stops unexpectedly.
If none of that helps, Google’s Wi-Fi connection troubleshooting page has further checks. As a later step, you can reset network settings on the Pixel 4a. That reset erases saved Wi-Fi networks and Bluetooth pairings, so try the simpler fixes first.
Save Battery and Data
- Google recommends plugging in your devices while tethering and turning off connections when you are done.
- Keep Turn off hotspot automatically on so an idle hotspot does not keep running.
- Video streaming, large downloads, and software updates on a laptop can use far more data than a phone normally does. Watch your plan’s limits.
- Google says Pixel 3 and later Pixel phones can also use tethering to share a Wi-Fi connection with other devices. In that case the other devices use the Wi-Fi network your phone is on.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can’t I turn on my Pixel 4a hotspot?
The most common documented cause is Data Saver. Google says Data Saver must be off to tether by Wi-Fi. If Data Saver is already off, check with your carrier, because some carriers limit or charge extra for tethering.
Where is the Pixel 4a hotspot password?
Open Settings > Network & internet > Hotspot & tethering > Wi-Fi hotspot and tap Hotspot password. You can read the current password there or replace it with a new one.
How many devices can connect to a Pixel 4a hotspot?
Google says you can share your phone’s mobile data with up to 10 other devices through a Wi-Fi hotspot. That limit is listed for the Wi-Fi hotspot method.
Can I connect a Mac to my Pixel 4a by USB?
No. Google says Mac computers cannot tether with Android by USB, and Macs running macOS Monterey and up cannot tether through Bluetooth either. Use the Wi-Fi hotspot for a Mac.
Does the Pixel 4a hotspot turn off by itself?
Yes, by default. Google says the hotspot turns off when no devices are connected, to save battery. You can change this with Turn off hotspot automatically on the Wi-Fi hotspot screen.
Does using the hotspot cost extra?
It depends on your carrier and plan. The hotspot uses your mobile data allowance, and Google notes that some carriers limit or charge extra for tethering. Your carrier is the only reliable source for your plan’s terms.
Next Step
Turn the hotspot on once now, note the name and password, and connect the device you plan to use, so it is ready before you need it. For more Pixel 4a help, see how to take a screenshot on a Google Pixel 4a and how to enable Screen Attention on a Google Pixel 4a.
Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read hundreds of millions of times.
After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.
His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.