Guide: Fix ‘Windows 10 Mobile Hotspot Grayed Out’ Issue
Microsoft’s Windows 10 Anniversary Update (Build 1607) introduced Mobile Hotspot, a feature that allows users to share their PC’s wired or wireless internet connection with other Wi-Fi devices. However, some users have encountered issues making the feature unusable. This guide provides four solutions to this problem.
If you’re having trouble sharing your computer’s Internet connection, this guide provides solutions to get you back online. Check it out.
Windows 10 Mobile users can now share their PC’s Internet connection with up to eight devices at once, thanks to the new hotspot feature.
1. Check the internet connection
Windows 10 Mobile’s hotspot feature is unavailable if your computer is connected to a network labeled ‘No Internet, secured’.
If your device is having trouble connecting to a wireless network, troubleshoot your router. Move either the PC or the router closer to each other, and restart the router if necessary. If that doesn’t work, contact your internet service provider to see if there are any outages.
Network outages, such as an unidentified network error, can prevent a mobile hotspot from working on a Windows 10 computer.
2. Turn off aeroplane mode
When Airplane Mode is enabled on a Windows 10 computer, all wireless connections – Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and mobile data – will be disabled. This means the Mobile Hotspot feature will no longer work.
Ensure aeroplane mode is off to access the Mobile hotspot feature on your Windows 10 PC or laptop.
Windows 10 users can turn off aeroplane mode in several ways.
From the taskbar
Tap the aeroplane icon in the lower-left corner of the taskbar to access airplane mode.
To disable aeroplane mode, tap the blue-backgrounded aeroplane icon.
From the action centre
The Windows Action Center allows users to turn off Airplane mode.
Tap the note-like icon in the bottom left corner of your screen to get started.
To disable aeroplane mode, open the Windows Action Center.
Tap the aeroplane icon on a blue background to turn off aeroplane mode.
From the Settings menu
To turn off airplane mode on a Windows computer, follow these steps.
To access the Windows Settings menu, open ‘Network and Internet.’
Tap the Airplane mode option from the left-hand menu.
Finally, switch off Airplane mode by toggling the bottom right option.
Connect your computer to a wired or wireless network and determine if the Mobile hotspot is still disabled.
3. Reset network settings
Resetting network settings on Windows 10 can help fix network-related issues, such as a grey Mobile hotspot on your computer. This process may affect any previous configurations you’ve made to Bluetooth, Wi-Fi networks, VPNs and Ethernet connections. For more information on what happens when you change the network settings of Windows 10 and how to do it, check out our detailed guide.
For those short on time, here’s how to reset network settings on Windows 10: follow these steps.
To access the Windows Settings menu, open ‘Network and Internet.’
Scroll to the bottom of the status menu and select “Network reset” to complete the process.
Tap the “Reset now” button to proceed.
Your PC may restart multiple times during the update process, and your network adapters will be temporarily removed and then reinstalled – but there’s no need to worry.
4. (Re) start Windows Mobile Hotspot service
If the usual fixes don’t work, you may need to use the Microsoft Management Console to enable the ‘Windows Mobile Hotspot Service’. Here’s how.
Press the Windows key and R together to open the Run box.
Type ‘services.msc’ into the Open dialog and press Enter or tap OK.
Microsoft has launched the Management Console, a tool that will help users manage their systems.
Click on the Windows Mobile Hotspot service and start it.
Tap Restart if the Start option is not visible.
Windows is attempting to delete the ‘Windows Mobile Hotspot Service’ from your computer, and you will be notified.
Confirm if your computer now has access to a Mobile hotspot.
Share Your internet
To access a Mobile hotspot on your Windows 10 computer, you must first ensure that your PC has an active network connection. If not, the Mobile hotspot option will be grayed out. To fix this issue, try the troubleshooting methods outlined in this article.
If you’re having trouble getting your Windows 10 computer to stay connected to the internet after waking up from sleep or hibernation, this article has the solutions. Find out how to troubleshoot Wi-Fi not connecting after sleep or hibernation.
Fix ‘Windows 10 Mobile Hotspot Grayed Out’ Issue: benefits
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Final note
If you’re having trouble connecting to a Windows 10 Mobile Hotspot, this guide can help. Got questions? Reach out for assistance. Spread the word and share with friends.
If you have any questions about how to fix the ‘Windows 10 Mobile Hotspot Grayed Out’ issue, please ask us in the comment section or contact us directly. This guide is for educational purposes only. If you want to correct any misinformation, please contact us. If anyone wants to add more methods, they can also contact us. For help, use our contact page or follow us on Whatsapp, Facebook and Twitter. We usually answer questions within 24-48 hours (weekends excluded). For software updates and discussion about any software, join our Telegram channel.
