The cellular or mobile data connection on your Google Pixel 4A lets you easily do things like download large files or stream video, assuming that you have a good connection.
This connectivity, combined with the mobility of a smartphone, makes it a very useful device when you need to get online.
You can share this access to the Internet with your other devices, too, if you have a tablet or smartphone that you need to get on the Internet.
You can use the Google Pixel 4A hotspot by going to Settings > Network & internet > Hotspot & tethering > Wi-Fi hotspot > and enable it.
Once you have turned the hotspot on then you simply need to connect your other devices to it the same way that you would connect them to any other wireless network.
Your Google Pixel essentially turns into a wireless router that shares its cellular Internet connection with the other devices that need to get online.
Our article below will provide you with more information on using this hotspot, as well as some of the other related settings that you might want to change.
How to Use Hotspot on Google Pixel 4A
- Open the app menu.
- Choose Settings.
- Select Network & internet.
- Choose Hotspot & tethering.
- Tap Wi-fi hotspot.
- Turn it on.
Our guide continues below with additional information on enabling the Pixel 4A hotspot, including pictures of these steps.
How to Turn On Hotspot on Google Pixel 4A (Guide with Pictures)
The steps in this article were performed on a Google Pixel 4A in the Android 11 operating system.
Step 1: Swipe up on your Home screen to open the apps menu.
Step 2: Scroll to the bottom of the app list and choose the Settings option.
Step 3: Choose the Network & internet option.
Step 4: Select Hotspot & tethering.
Step 5: Touch the Wi-Fi hotspot button.
Step 6: Tap the button to the right of Off to turn on the hotspot.
You should see some other information on this screen like:
- Hotspot name
- Security
- Hotspot password
- AP Band
- Advanced – Turn on hotspot automatically
You can edit the Hotspot name if you want to give your hotspot network a different name, or you can change the hotspot password to something else.
There is also a QR code on this screen that you can tap and then let other people scan to be able ot connect to your Hotspot.
More Information on Enabling or Disabling the Google Pixel 4A Hotspot
While the hotspot feature on your device is very handy and can be surprisingly fast depending on your cellular connection strength, it can use a lot of data very quickly.
Additionally, many cellular or mobile providers will impose limits on the amount of data that you can use each month when you are tethering or hotspotting.
If you are planning to use your hotspot a significant amount for an extended period of time then you may want to check in on these limits and whether or not you simply get throttled once you exceed the limits, or if you are going to need to pay for overages.
Some actions will use much more data than others. For example, if you are using your hotspot to connect a TV or video streaming device so that you can watch TV or movies then you are going to use a lot of data very quickly.
When you open the Hotspot & tethering menu you are going to see a few other options:
- USB tethering
- Bluetooth tethering
- Ethernet tethering
A couple of these will probably be grayed out unless you have a USB cable to ethernet cable connected to your phone.
Another way that you can enable the Pixel 4A hotspot is by swiping down from the top of the screen, pulling down on the handle, then swiping to the left. You can tap on the Hotspot button to enable it.
Matthew Burleigh has been writing technology how-to articles and tutorials for over a decade. He has extensive experience in information technology both in small business and as a consultant.
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