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Android: Share Internet Access via Bluetooth Tethering

If a laptop or older tablet has no Wi-Fi hotspot support but does support Bluetooth, your phone can still pass its mobile data connection over to it. This only works with an active mobile data connection, not with Wi-Fi, so many attempts fail simply because Wi-Fi is still switched on in the background. The paired device also needs its own internet access permission enabled on your phone before it can go online.

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Step 1 of 4: Tap on **Settings**

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Android 14 · Android 14
Share Internet via Bluetooth Tethering – Android 14: step 1 – Tap on Settings
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Android

Share Internet via Bluetooth Tethering auf Android

Bluetooth tethering lets a paired device use your phone's mobile data connection without a Wi-Fi hotspot. It only works over mobile data. If Wi-Fi is still active on your phone, the connection will not be shared and the paired device stays offline even though Bluetooth shows as connected.

Before enabling tethering, switch off Wi-Fi and make sure mobile data is turned on. The permission to share internet access is set per paired device, not globally, so each new device needs to be allowed separately.

Enable internet sharing for a paired device

Open Tap on SettingsTap on Connected devicesOpen the Device settingsEnable or disable Internet access for the Bluetooth device you want to share data with.

Once the toggle is on, the paired device routes its traffic through your phone's mobile connection over the Bluetooth link. Data speed is noticeably slower than Wi-Fi tethering, so this method suits light browsing or messaging rather than large downloads.

If the paired device still cannot connect, unpair and re-pair it, then repeat the steps above. This resets any stuck permission state left over from a previous connection.

Frequently asked questions

Check that Wi-Fi is switched off and mobile data is on, then confirm the toggle under Tap on SettingsTap on Connected devicesOpen the Device settingsEnable or disable Internet access is actually enabled for that specific device.