Connectify Hotspot is a Windows app that turns a laptop into a Wi-Fi hotspot, so your phone, tablet and other devices can share the laptop’s internet connection. Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 have no Mobile Hotspot setting of their own (Microsoft added one in Windows 10), so an app is the way to do it.
The version of Connectify Hotspot that runs on Windows 8 and 8.1 is Connectify Hotspot 2021. Download it below, then follow the five steps.
Which version to download
Windows 8 or 8.1: Connectify Hotspot 2021 is the last version that runs on Windows 7 and 8. Download Connectify Hotspot 2021
64-bit Windows 10 or 11: use the current version, Connectify Hotspot 27. Download Connectify Hotspot 27
Hotspot 2021 no longer gets updates. The PRO and MAX licenses on sale today are for Hotspot 27, so email support@connectify.me before you buy one for a Windows 7 or 8 PC.
How to turn a Windows 8 laptop into a Wi-Fi hotspot
- Install Connectify Hotspot 2021. Run the installer you downloaded and let it finish, then open Connectify Hotspot. You can start with the free version.
- Choose the connection to share. In the Internet to Share list, pick the Wi-Fi or wired connection your computer is using.
- Set a password. Type a password of at least 8 characters. The hotspot uses WPA2, the same security most home routers use.
- Start the hotspot. Click Start Hotspot.
- Connect your devices. On your phone or tablet, open the Wi-Fi settings, pick the hotspot’s network name shown in Connectify Hotspot, and type the password.
This short video shows the same setup:
What a Windows 8 hotspot can share
- A wired Ethernet connection, for rooms with a network port and no Wi-Fi.
- The Wi-Fi network the laptop is on, for example hotel Wi-Fi after you sign in on the laptop.
- Your phone’s connection, when the phone is tethered to the laptop.
Windows 7 and 8 no longer get security updates
Microsoft stopped security updates for Windows 7 and Windows 8. That does not stop a hotspot from working, but a computer that stays online and shares its connection with your phones and tablets should at least run an up-to-date browser and antivirus.
Connectify Hotspot 27 for Windows 10 and 11
If your computer runs 64-bit Windows 10 or Windows 11, install Connectify Hotspot 27 instead. It is free to start and adds a QR code your phone can scan to join, controls for each connected device, and a free gaming mode for consoles. For a Windows 10 walkthrough, see how to set up a Wi-Fi hotspot on Windows 10.