Windows 10 Mobile Hotspot Keeps Turning Off? Fix

If your Windows 10 mobile hotspot keeps turning off by itself, the fix usually involves disabling power saving for the Wi‑Fi adapter, changing the adapter’s sleep settings, or updating its driver. Below are the exact steps to stop the hotspot from disconnecting, plus the background on why Windows behaves this way and what else can cause it.

Why the Hotspot Turns Off on Its Own

Windows 10’s mobile hotspot feature lets you share your PC’s internet connection (Ethernet, cellular, or another Wi‑Fi) with other devices over Wi‑Fi or Bluetooth. The OS is designed to turn the hotspot off automatically under certain conditions to save power and free up the wireless radio. The most common triggers are:

Power saving on the Wi‑Fi adapter – Windows can put the adapter to sleep when it thinks it’s idle, which kills the hotspot.
“Allow the computer to turn off this device� – A checkbox in Device Manager that lets Windows power down the adapter.
No connected devices – If no device is connected for a while, Windows may shut the hotspot off.
Driver issues – An outdated or buggy Wi‑Fi driver can cause the hotspot to drop.
Battery saver – On laptops, battery saver mode can disable the hotspot to save power.
Conflicts with other network features – Sometimes the hotspot conflicts with VPNs, virtual adapters, or the “random hardware addresses� setting.

Fix 1: Disable Power Saving on the Wi‑Fi Adapter

This is the most common fix. Windows can turn off the Wi‑Fi adapter to save power, which also turns off the hotspot. To disable it:

Press Windows + X and select Device Manager.
Expand Network adapters.
Right‑click your Wi‑Fi adapter (usually named “Intel Wireless� or “Realtek�) and choose Properties.
Go to the Power Management tab.
Uncheck “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.�
Click OK and restart your PC.

If you don’t see a Power Management tab, your driver may not support it – try updating the driver first (see Fix 3).

Fix 2: Turn Off Battery Saver and Adjust Power Settings

On laptops, battery saver can disable the hotspot. To keep it active:

Open Settings → System → Battery and turn off Battery saver (or set it to “Always� off while plugged in).
Go to Control Panel → Power Options and click Change plan settings for your active plan.
Click Change advanced power settings.
Expand Wireless Adapter Settings → Power Saving Mode and set it to Maximum Performance for both battery and plugged in.

This ensures the Wi‑Fi adapter doesn’t drop to a low‑power state that interrupts the hotspot.

Fix 3: Update or Reinstall the Wi‑Fi Driver

An outdated or corrupted driver is a frequent cause. To update:

Open Device Manager again.
Right‑click your Wi‑Fi adapter and choose Update driver.
Select Search automatically for drivers. If Windows doesn’t find a new one, visit your PC or adapter manufacturer’s website for the latest driver.
If updating doesn’t help, right‑click the adapter and choose Uninstall device (check “Delete the driver software for this device� if you want a clean slate), then restart – Windows will reinstall the driver automatically.

After reinstalling, re‑apply the power management fix from Fix 1.

Fix 4: Check the Hotspot’s “Power Saving� and “When No Devices Are Connected� Settings

Windows 10 doesn’t have a direct “keep hotspot always on� toggle, but you can influence it:

Open Settings → Network & Internet → Mobile hotspot.
Make sure the toggle for Mobile hotspot is on.
Under “Related settings,� click Change adapter options. Right‑click your main internet connection and select Properties.
Go to the Power Management tab and uncheck “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power� for that adapter as well.

Some users also report that setting the “Share my internet connection from� to a specific adapter (instead of “Auto�) helps – choose the Ethernet or cellular adapter you’re actually using.

Fix 5: Disable “Random Hardware Addresses� and Other Network Features

Windows 10’s “random hardware addresses� feature can confuse the hotspot. To turn it off:

Go to Settings → Network & Internet → Wi‑Fi.
Click Manage known networks and select your current Wi‑Fi network.
Turn off Random hardware addresses.

Also, if you use a VPN, try disconnecting it temporarily – VPNs can interfere with the hotspot’s routing. Virtual adapters (like those from VMware or Hyper‑V) can also cause conflicts; disabling them in Network Connections may help.

Fix 6: Use Command Line to Prevent Power Off

If the above don’t work, you can use a command to disable the adapter’s power saving entirely. Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run:

powercfg /setacvalueindex SCHEME_CURRENT 19cbb8fa-5279-450e-9fac-8a3d5fedd0c1 12bbebe6-58d6-4636-95bb-3217ef867c1a 0
powercfg /setdcvalueindex SCHEME_CURRENT 19cbb8fa-5279-450e-9fac-8a3d5fedd0c1 12bbebe6-58d6-4636-95bb-3217ef867c1a 0
powercfg /setactive SCHEME_CURRENT

This sets the “Wireless Adapter Settings → Power Saving Mode� to Maximum Performance for both AC and DC. If you’re not comfortable with commands, you can do the same via the Power Options GUI (Fix 2).

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my hotspot turn off when no devices are connected?

Windows 10 is designed to turn off the hotspot if no device connects within a few minutes, to save power. There’s no built‑in setting to keep it always on, but you can prevent the adapter from sleeping (Fix 1) and keep a device connected. Some third‑party apps can keep the hotspot alive, but they’re not officially supported.

Does the hotspot work if my PC is connected to Wi‑Fi?

Yes, you can share a Wi‑Fi connection over the hotspot, but it requires the Wi‑Fi adapter to support “hosted network� or “Wi‑Fi Direct.� Most modern adapters do. If you don’t see the option to share from Wi‑Fi, your adapter may not support it – try connecting via Ethernet or cellular instead.

Why does the hotspot turn off when I plug in my laptop?

That’s unusual – normally it turns off on battery. If it turns off when plugged in, check the Power Options for the “Wireless Adapter Settings� – it might be set to “Low Power� on AC as well. Also, check if your laptop has a physical Wi‑Fi switch or a function key (like F12) that disables the adapter.

Can I use the hotspot while the PC is in sleep mode?

No, the hotspot stops when the PC sleeps. To keep it active, adjust the sleep settings: go to Settings → System → Power & sleep and set “Sleep� to “Never� (or a long time) when you want to share the connection.

Is there a way to make the hotspot turn on automatically at startup?

Not natively in Windows 10. You can create a scheduled task that runs a PowerShell script to enable the hotspot, but it’s not a built‑in feature. A simpler workaround is to leave the hotspot toggle on and just reconnect devices – Windows will remember the setting.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

More in this bed

The whole Tech How-To bed →