Change Your iPhone Hotspot Name in Three Steps

Your iPhone's hotspot broadcasts a name — called the SSID — that other devices see when they search for Wi-Fi. By default, it's something like "John's iPhone" or a string of numbers. You can change it to anything you want in the Settings app in under a minute.

Open Settings on your iPhone, tap General, then About. At the top, you'll see a field labeled Name — this is your device name, and changing it here changes what your hotspot broadcasts. Type the new name you want, then tap Done. The next time someone searches for your hotspot, they'll see the new name.

That's the complete process. The name takes effect when ready; you don't need to restart your phone or toggle the hotspot off and on. If you've already connected devices to the old name, they'll still work — they're connected to your phone itself, not to the broadcast name.

Key Takeaways

  • Your hotspot name is your iPhone's device name, found in Settings > General > About under the Name field.
  • Changing the name in that field automatically changes what your hotspot broadcasts to nearby devices.
  • The new name appears when ready; connected devices keep working without interruption.
  • You can use any characters you want, though very long names may be cut off on some devices' screens.
  • If you forget what you named it, you can always check the same Settings > General > About location.

Why Your Hotspot Has a Name at All

When you turn on Personal Hotspot, your iPhone becomes a small Wi-Fi network. Like any Wi-Fi network, it needs a name so other devices can find it in a list. That name is broadcast constantly while the hotspot is on, and it's the first thing someone sees when they look for networks to join.

Apple sets the default to your device name to make it obvious whose hotspot it is. If you share a hotspot with family members or in an office, a custom name makes it clear which phone is broadcasting — "Kitchen iPad Hotspot" is more useful than "iPhone 14 Pro Max."

What Names Work and What to Avoid

You can type almost anything into the Name field. Letters, numbers, spaces, and most punctuation marks are fine. The name can be up to 63 characters long, though devices with small screens may cut it off visually — people will still see enough to recognize it.

Avoid names that are confusing or that mimic public networks. Naming your hotspot "Airport WiFi" or "Starbucks" might trick people into connecting to your phone by mistake, which wastes your data and creates a security problem. Keep the name honest so people know what they're connecting to.

Changing the Name Doesn't Affect Connected Devices

If you already have devices connected to your hotspot, changing the name won't disconnect them. They're connected to your iPhone itself, not to the broadcast name. You could change the name five times and they'd stay online.

However, if someone disconnects and wants to reconnect later, they'll need to look for the new name in their Wi-Fi list. They won't find the old name anymore because it no longer exists.

The Difference Between Device Name and Hotspot Name

Your iPhone has one name that serves multiple purposes. In Settings > General > About, the Name field controls what your phone is called when it appears in Bluetooth lists, AirDrop, and when you're signed into iCloud. That same name is what broadcasts as your hotspot's Wi-Fi network name.

This means if you change your device name, your hotspot name changes automatically. There's no separate hotspot name setting — they're the same thing. If you want your hotspot to have a different name than your device appears as in Bluetooth, you'll need to choose a name that works for both purposes.

Troubleshooting: Name Won't Change or Won't Show Up

If you've changed the name but it's not showing up on other devices, turn your hotspot off and back on. Open Settings > Personal Hotspot and toggle it off, wait a few seconds, then toggle it back on. This forces your iPhone to broadcast the new name.

If the name field in Settings > General > About is grayed out or won't let you type, your phone may be in a restricted mode or managed by an organization. If you're using a work or school iPhone, contact your IT department — they may have locked the device name for security reasons.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use special characters or emojis in my hotspot name?

Letters, numbers, spaces, and standard punctuation work fine. Emojis and some special characters may not display correctly on all devices, so they're best avoided if you want the name to look the same everywhere.

Will changing my hotspot name affect my iCloud account or other Apple services?

No. Your device name and your Apple ID are separate. Changing the name in Settings only changes how your phone appears on networks and in Bluetooth lists — it doesn't touch your account or sign you out of anything.

What happens if two people in the same room have hotspots with the same name?

Devices will see both networks in the Wi-Fi list, usually with a number next to them to tell them apart. It's confusing, so if you're in a shared space, use different names for each person's hotspot.

Can I set a password for my hotspot separately from the name?

The password is set in Settings > Personal Hotspot > Wi-Fi Password. You can change it anytime without changing the name. The name and password are independent — change one without touching the other.

Does my hotspot name get saved anywhere or shared with Apple?

Your device name is stored only on your phone. It's not sent to Apple or stored in iCloud unless you back up your phone, in which case it's part of your backup. The name is visible to anyone nearby who searches for Wi-Fi networks, but not to anyone else.