Share your Mac's internet connection with other devices

Why it happens

Internet Sharing turns your Mac into a small router. It takes the connection your Mac already has, for example an Ethernet cable or a USB modem, and passes it on to other devices over Wi-Fi, Ethernet or Thunderbolt. It can't share a Wi-Fi connection back out over Wi-Fi, because one Wi-Fi card can't join one network and host another at once.

How to fix it

1. Connect your Mac to the internet the way you want to share, for example with the hotel's Ethernet cable. Check a web page loads.

2. Open the Apple menu, choose System Settings, click General, then Sharing. Click the info button next to Internet Sharing.

   General›Sharing›Internet Sharing

3. Next to Share your connection from, choose the connection that has the internet, such as Ethernet or your USB adapter.

4. Under To devices using, turn on Wi-Fi to make a hotspot. You can also share over Ethernet or Thunderbolt Bridge if the other device has a cable.

5. For Wi-Fi, click Wi-Fi Options to set the Network Name and a password. Always use a password so strangers nearby can't join.

6. Turn on Internet Sharing at the top of the panel. If your Mac warns that this may disrupt network connections, click to continue, then click Done.

7. On your phone or other device, open its Wi-Fi list, choose the network name you picked and enter the password.

Still not fixed?

1. If Internet Sharing is greyed out, choose a connection under To devices using first. It can't turn on until there's somewhere to share to.

2. Your Mac is on Wi-Fi itself? Share over Ethernet or Thunderbolt instead, or join the internet by cable. Wi-Fi in and Wi-Fi out at once doesn't work.

3. If devices join but get no internet, turn Internet Sharing off and on again, then check your Mac's own connection works. A dead Ethernet cable or adapter shows up in Network.

   Network›Ethernet

4. While Internet Sharing is on, your Apple Watch can't log you in to the Mac, so turn it off when you no longer need the hotspot.

5. On a work or school Mac, the setting may be locked, or the network may block sharing. Ask your IT team.

6. If it still won't share after a restart and a macOS update, contact Apple Support. Tell them which connection you're sharing from and to.