Change your hotspot name through iPhone Settings

Open Settings on your iPhone, then tap General. Scroll down and select About. At the top of the About screen, you will see Name — this is the name your iPhone broadcasts when you turn on Personal Hotspot. Change the text in that field to whatever you want, then tap Done. Your new hotspot name takes effect when ready.

The name you set here is what other devices see when they search for your hotspot to connect. It appears in their available networks list. You do not need to restart your iPhone or toggle the hotspot off and on — the change is live as soon as you save it.

Key Takeaways

  • Your hotspot name is set in Settings > General > About under the Name field at the top of the screen.
  • Changing the name takes effect when ready without restarting your iPhone or resetting your hotspot.
  • Other devices see this name when they search for available networks to join your hotspot.
  • You can use any text you want, including spaces and special characters, though shorter names are easier to spot in a crowded network list.

Where the hotspot name appears

When you turn on Personal Hotspot, your iPhone broadcasts a wireless network. Other devices — laptops, tablets, phones — see this network name in their list of available Wi-Fi networks. The name you set in the About screen is what shows up there.

If you have never changed it, your iPhone uses a default name like "John's iPhone" or "Sarah's iPad". Changing it to something custom makes it easier to identify your hotspot if you are in a place with many networks, or if you share your hotspot with others who need to know which one is yours.

What happens if you change it again

You can change your hotspot name as many times as you want. Each time you edit the Name field in Settings > General > About and tap Done, the new name takes effect right away. Devices already connected to your hotspot stay connected — they do not drop off when you change the name.

If a device tries to connect after you change the name, it will see the new name in the network list. If it was set to connect to your old hotspot name automatically, it may not recognize the new one and will ask you to select the network again.

Naming tips and limits

Your hotspot name can include letters, numbers, spaces, and most special characters. There is no strict character limit, but very long names can be cut off in some devices' network lists, so keeping it under 30 characters is practical.

Avoid names that look like public Wi-Fi networks or that might confuse people trying to connect. A clear, straightforward name like "Sarah's Hotspot" or "Home WiFi" works better than something cryptic. If you share your hotspot with coworkers or family, a recognizable name helps them find it quickly.

Turning your hotspot on and off

Changing the name does not turn your hotspot on. To actually share your connection, go to Settings > General > Personal Hotspot and toggle the switch to On. Your iPhone will then broadcast the network using the name you set.

When Personal Hotspot is on, your iPhone uses more battery and your cellular data is shared with connected devices. You can turn it off the same way — toggle the switch to Off — and your hotspot will stop broadcasting. The name you chose stays saved and will be used the next time you turn the hotspot back on.

Troubleshooting if the name does not change

If you edited the name in Settings > General > About but other devices still see the old name, restart your iPhone. Turn it off completely, wait a few seconds, then turn it back on. This forces your iPhone to broadcast the new hotspot name.

If the problem continues, toggle Personal Hotspot off and back on. Go to Settings > General > Personal Hotspot, switch it off, wait 10 seconds, then switch it back on. This resets the broadcast and should display your new name to nearby devices.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does changing the hotspot name affect my Wi-Fi password?

No. The name and password are separate. Your hotspot password stays the same unless you change it in Settings > General > Personal Hotspot > Wi-Fi Password. Devices that already know your password will still be able to connect after you change the name.

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

Most emoji and special characters work, but some devices may not display them correctly. Stick to letters, numbers, spaces, and common symbols like hyphens or underscores if you want the name to show up the same way on all devices.

Will changing the hotspot name disconnect devices that are already using it?

No. Devices already connected stay connected. They will not see the new name until they disconnect and search for networks again, but the connection itself is not interrupted by a name change.

What if I cannot find the Name field in Settings > General > About?

Make sure you are in the right place: Settings > General > About. The Name field should be at the very top of the About screen. If it is not there, restart your iPhone and try again. On very old iOS versions, the process may be slightly different — check your iPhone model and iOS version in that same About screen.