> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://support.onroamly.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Use your phone as a hotspot

> Every Roamly plan allows tethering. How to turn it on, and how to stop shared devices eating your allowance.

Every Roamly plan supports hotspot and tethering, so your laptop, tablet or a travel buddy's phone can share your data. There's no extra setting on our side; it's just your phone's normal hotspot.

## Turn it on

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="iPhone">
    Settings → **Personal Hotspot** → **Allow Others to Join**. Make sure the Roamly line is selected for mobile data (Settings → Mobile → Mobile Data), or the hotspot will use your home SIM.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Android">
    Settings → Network & internet → **Hotspot & tethering** → **Wi-Fi hotspot**. (Samsung: Settings → Connections → **Mobile Hotspot and Tethering**.) Make sure Roamly is your mobile data SIM.
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## It goes through your allowance fast

Laptops in particular assume they're on unlimited Wi-Fi. Before you connect one:

* Pause cloud backups and photo syncing (iCloud Photos, Google Photos, OneDrive, Dropbox).
* Turn off automatic app and system updates.
* Set the connection as *metered* or *low data* where the device offers it (Windows and Android both do).
* Video calls and streaming are the heavy hitters. Keep an eye on [your usage](/managing/data-usage) and [top up](/managing/top-up) before you run dry.

## Hotspot won't turn on?

Check the Roamly line is selected for mobile data and has signal. A hotspot only shares a connection that already works, so if the eSIM itself isn't online, start with [Just landed and no data? Start here](/troubleshooting/at-your-destination/no-data-start-here).