USB Tethering Not Working? 16 Fixes for Android, iPhone & Windows

You’ve plugged your phone into your PC, flipped on USB tethering, and… nothing. Maybe the connection shows up, but there’s no internet. Maybe it disconnects every few minutes. Maybe Windows doesn’t even acknowledge your phone is there.

USB tethering is usually the connection people fall back on when Wi-Fi is down, so when it doesn’t work either, it’s doubly frustrating.

The good news: this is almost always fixable, and it’s rarely your phone or PC that’s actually broken. It’s typically a driver Windows never installed properly, a setting fighting for priority with another network adapter, or , more often than people expect, a carrier that’s quietly blocking tethering on your plan.

This guide covers every real cause, split out for Android and iPhone where the fix differs, since a lot of tethering trouble stems from users following Android instructions on an iPhone (or vice versa).

Quick Answer: Most USB tethering failures come down to one of three things: tethering wasn’t actually toggled on (or re-toggled after a phone restart), Windows never installed the right driver for it (RNDIS on Android, Apple Mobile Device drivers on iPhone), or another active network connection is taking priority over the tethered one. Start with the basics below, then work through the driver and network-priority fixes if the connection shows up but internet doesn’t work.

What Is USB Tethering?

USB tethering shares your phone’s mobile data connection with a PC over a USB cable, giving the computer wired internet access through the phone.

It’s commonly used as a backup when Wi-Fi is unavailable or unreliable, since a cable connection tends to be more stable than Bluetooth tethering and doesn’t drain the phone’s battery as fast as running a Wi-Fi hotspot.

Why USB Tethering Stops Working

A handful of causes account for almost every case:

Tethering wasn’t enabled on the phone, or got switched off after a restart or update
The phone’s Wi-Fi is connected and taking priority over its own mobile data
The mobile data plan doesn’t include tethering, or the data allowance is used up
Windows never installed (or corrupted) the RNDIS or Apple Mobile Device driver needed to route traffic
A charge-only USB cable is being used instead of a data-capable one
A faulty or power-saving USB port is dropping the connection
Another active network adapter (Ethernet, Wi-Fi) is set with higher priority, so Windows ignores the tethered connection
Incorrect APN settings on Android
The carrier is actively blocking tethering on your specific plan

Before You Start: Confirm the Basics

Quickly rule these out. They solve a surprising share of cases on their own:

On your phone, make sure tethering is actually toggled on right now, not just at some point in the past. A restart, an OS update, or even a low-battery shutdown can silently reset it.
Turn off Wi-Fi on your phone. If it’s connected to a Wi-Fi network, some phones will keep routing data over Wi-Fi instead of sharing mobile data through the cable, and the tethered connection ends up carrying nothing.
Confirm your phone has active cellular data and hasn’t hit its data cap. No cellular signal or a maxed-out data plan means there’s nothing to tether.
Restart both the phone and the PC. This clears out a large share of one-off software glitches before you touch any settings.

If tethering still isn’t working after this, move to the Android or iPhone section below, based on your phone.

Fixing USB Tethering on Android

1. Check and Reinstall the RNDIS Driver

Android phones use a driver called RNDIS (Remote NDIS) to present the tethered connection to Windows as a network adapter. If this driver is missing or corrupted, your phone might connect but never actually get you online.

Open Device Manager (search for it in the Start menu).
Expand Network adapters.
Look for an entry like Remote NDIS-based Internet Sharing Device. If it has a yellow warning icon, or is missing entirely while your phone is plugged in and tethering is on, that’s your problem.
Right-click it → Update driver → Search automatically for drivers.
If that doesn’t find anything, right-click → Uninstall device, unplug the phone, plug it back in, and let Windows reinstall it fresh.

2. Check USB and Network Adapter Drivers

While you’re in Device Manager, also update the driver for Universal Serial Bus controllers, since an outdated USB controller driver can prevent the phone from being recognized properly in the first place.

3. Lower the Priority of Other Active Connections

If you’re also connected to Wi-Fi or Ethernet at the same time as tethering, Windows may keep routing all your traffic through that connection instead of the tethered one, making it look like tethering “isn’t working” when it’s actually just not being used.

Open Control Panel → Network and Sharing Center → Change adapter settings.
Right-click the connection you don’t need right now (Wi-Fi or Ethernet) → Disable.
Test tethering again with only the phone’s connection active.

If disabling isn’t practical, you can instead lower that adapter’s priority under Change adapter options → adapter Properties → Internet Protocol Version 4 → Advanced, unchecking Automatic metric and setting a higher (lower-priority) number.

4. Check APN Settings

If tethering connects but data won’t flow, an incorrect Access Point Name configuration can be the cause, particularly after switching carriers or SIM cards.

On your phone, go to Settings → Mobile Networks → Access Point Names.
Select your carrier’s APN.
Scroll to APN Type and try entering default,dun. If that doesn’t help, try dun on its own.

5. Try Changing Your MVNO Settings

Some users on Mobile Virtual Network Operators (budget carriers that run on a major network, like Mint Mobile or Visible) find that USB tethering is blocked at the network level unless the MVNO type is set correctly.

Go to Settings → Mobile Networks → Access Point Names.
Select your carrier, then scroll down to MVNO type and set it to IMSI.

Fixing USB Tethering on iPhone

iPhone tethering runs through completely different drivers than Android, which is why generic “update your USB driver” advice often doesn’t fix it. Here’s what actually applies.

1. Trust the Computer

The very first time (or after certain iOS updates), your iPhone needs to explicitly trust the PC before it will share data over the cable.

Plug the iPhone in with the screen unlocked.
Tap Trust This Computer if the prompt appears, and enter your passcode if asked.

2. Turn On Personal Hotspot

Go to Settings → Personal Hotspot and make sure it’s switched on, with Allow Others to Join enabled. This is the iPhone equivalent of Android’s “USB tethering” toggle.

3. Install or Repair the Apple Mobile Device Drivers

This is the step most guides skip, and it’s the most common actual cause of iPhone USB tethering failing on Windows. The connection depends on the Apple Mobile Device USB Driver and an Apple Mobile Device Ethernet adapter, both installed alongside iTunes.

Open Device Manager.
Check under Portable Devices for Apple Mobile Device USB Driver, and under Network adapters for Apple Mobile Device Ethernet.
If either is missing, shows a warning icon, or is disabled, right-click it and choose Update driver (or Enable device if it’s disabled).
If neither shows up at all, the cleanest fix is usually to fully uninstall iTunes and all related Apple components (Apple Application Support, Apple Mobile Device Support, Apple Software Update, Bonjour), restart your PC, then download and reinstall the latest iTunes directly from Apple’s website rather than the Microsoft Store version, which uses a different driver setup.

4. Use a Data Cable, Not a Charge-Only One

Many third-party or budget Lightning/USB-C cables only carry power, not data. If your iPhone charges when plugged in but never appears as a network device, try the cable that came with the phone, or another cable you know supports data transfer.

5. Fix Random Disconnects

If tethering connects but drops every few minutes, this is usually a power-management issue rather than a driver problem:

On your iPhone, make sure Low Power Mode is off. It can throttle background connections, including tethering.
On the PC, open Device Manager → Universal Serial Bus controllers, right-click each USB Root Hub, go to the Power Management tab, and uncheck Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.
Try a rear USB port on a desktop rather than a front-panel port, since rear ports are wired directly to the motherboard and tend to deliver more stable power.

Fixes That Apply to Both Android and iPhone

6. Swap the USB Cable

This gets skipped more often than it should. Test with a cable you know supports data (not just charging), and ideally the one that originally came with your phone.

7. Try a Different USB Port

If changing the cable doesn’t help, the port itself may be the problem. Try another port on your PC, preferably a rear port on a desktop tower, and note whether tethering behaves differently on USB 2.0 versus USB 3.0 ports (USB 3.0, usually blue, tends to be more reliable for tethering speed).

8. Run the Windows Network Troubleshooter

It won’t catch everything, but it’s a quick step that occasionally flags something useful.

Search Troubleshoot in the Start menu and open Other troubleshooters (Windows 11) or Troubleshoot settings (Windows 10).
Run both Network Adapter and Internet Connections.
Follow any suggested fixes, then test tethering again.

9. Reset Your Network Settings via Command Prompt

If tethering connects but there’s no actual internet access, a corrupted network stack on the PC side can be the cause. This resets it cleanly:

Search for cmd, right-click Command Prompt, and choose Run as administrator.
Run each of the following, pressing Enter after each line:
- netsh winsock reset
- netsh int ip reset
- ipconfig /release
- ipconfig /renew
- ipconfig /flushdns
Restart your PC and reconnect tethering.

10. Check Your Firewall and Antivirus

Some security software blocks new network adapters by default until you approve them, which can look exactly like a tethering failure.

Temporarily disable your firewall or antivirus, test tethering, and if it works, add an exception for the tethered connection instead of leaving security software off.

11. Update Your Phone and PC Operating Systems

If tethering used to work and suddenly stopped, check for pending updates on both devices. A mismatch between an updated phone OS and outdated PC drivers (or vice versa) is a common trigger after either side updates.

12. Confirm Your Carrier Actually Allows Tethering

This is worth checking earlier than most guides suggest. Some carriers and prepaid plans disable tethering entirely, throttle it heavily, or require a separate add-on.

This could be the problem if tethering works on Wi-Fi networks you manage but fails every time you use cellular data. Another common sign is that the connection is established for a few seconds and then disconnects, even after changing your PC settings.

If you notice these symptoms, contact your mobile carrier. Ask whether your current cellular plan includes mobile hotspot or tethering support. Some carriers restrict this feature on certain plans.

If Nothing Works: Reliable Alternatives

If you’ve worked through everything above and USB tethering still won’t cooperate, you don’t have to give up on using your phone’s data.

A couple of alternatives work just as well for most situations:

Wi-Fi hotspot. Turn your phone into a wireless hotspot instead of tethering over USB. It’s generally the most reliable fallback, and works even if the USB-specific drivers are the root problem. If your PC doesn’t have Wi-Fi built in, a compact USB Wi-Fi adapter like TP-Link AC600 USB WiFi Adapter (see on Amazon) is an inexpensive way to add it.
Bluetooth tethering. Slower than USB or Wi-Fi, but useful if you’re trying to conserve phone battery, since it draws less power than running a full Wi-Fi hotspot. If your PC lacks Bluetooth, a small USB Bluetooth adapter (available on Amazon) gets you there in minutes.

Between the two, a Wi-Fi hotspot is almost always the better choice for speed and reliability. Bluetooth tethering is worth reaching for mainly when battery life matters more than connection quality.

Common Mistakes That Waste Time

Following Android troubleshooting steps on an iPhone (or the reverse). The drivers involved are completely different, which is why generic “update your tethering driver” advice frequently does nothing for iPhone users.
Never checking Device Manager. A missing or disabled driver is invisible from the phone’s side entirely. If tethering “connects” but there’s no internet, this is the first place to look.
Assuming it’s the phone when it’s actually adapter priority. If Wi-Fi or Ethernet is also active, Windows may simply not be using the tethered connection, even though it’s working correctly.
Not checking for carrier-side blocks. Spending an hour on drivers and cables when the real issue is that your plan doesn’t include tethering is a common and avoidable time sink.

Quick Decision Guide

What you’re seeing	Most likely cause	Try this first
Phone doesn’t show up in Windows at all	Bad cable or missing driver	Swap cable, check Device Manager
Connects but “No Internet”	Missing RNDIS / Apple driver, or adapter priority	Reinstall driver, disable other adapters
Works on Wi-Fi hotspot but never over USB	Driver or cable issue specific to USB	RNDIS/Apple driver reinstall, data cable
Connects then disconnects repeatedly	USB power management or Low Power Mode	Disable USB power saving, check Low Power Mode
Never worked, on any PC	Carrier blocking tethering	Contact your carrier
Worked before, stopped after an update	OS/driver mismatch	Update both phone and PC, reinstall driver

Final Thoughts

USB tethering problems can be frustrating, especially when you need an internet connection right away. The good news is that most issues have a simple solution. In many cases, the problem is a missing driver, a faulty USB cable, incorrect network settings, or a carrier plan that doesn’t support tethering.

Start with the basic checks before moving on to the advanced fixes. A few minutes of troubleshooting can often get your connection working again. If USB tethering still refuses to cooperate, switching to a Wi-Fi hotspot is usually the fastest and most reliable backup option.

We hope this guide helped you fix your USB tethering problem. If none of these fixes work and you’ve confirmed tethering isn’t blocked by your carrier, using your phone as a Wi-Fi hotspot instead is the most reliable fallback.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my USB tethering connected but there’s no internet?

This almost always means the phone and cable are working, but Windows either doesn’t have the right driver installed (RNDIS for Android, Apple Mobile Device Ethernet for iPhone) or is prioritizing a different network connection over the tethered one. Check Device Manager first.

Do I need iTunes installed for iPhone USB tethering to work on Windows?

Yes, in almost all cases. iTunes installs the Apple Mobile Device USB Driver and Apple Mobile Device Ethernet adapter that Windows needs to recognize the tethered connection, even if you never plan to use iTunes itself for anything else.

Why does USB tethering work on one PC but not another?

This points to something PC-specific rather than a phone or carrier issue. Usually a missing or corrupted driver, an outdated USB controller, or a firewall blocking the new network adapter on the PC that isn’t working.

Can a bad USB cable really cause tethering to fail?

Yes. Many cables, especially ones bundled with cheap chargers or power banks, only carry power and have no data lines connected at all. Your phone will charge normally through one of these, but Windows will never see it as a device to tether through.

Why does my USB tethering keep disconnecting every few minutes?

This is typically a USB power management setting on the PC turning the port off to save power, or Low Power Mode on the iPhone limiting background connections. Disabling USB power saving in Device Manager usually resolves it.

How do I know if my carrier is blocking USB tethering?

If tethering fails identically across multiple cables, multiple USB ports, and even a completely different PC, but a Wi-Fi hotspot from the same phone works fine, that’s a strong sign the block is happening at the carrier level rather than anywhere in your setup.

Is USB tethering faster than a Wi-Fi hotspot?

USB tethering is generally more stable since it isn’t subject to Wi-Fi interference, but actual speed depends on your cellular signal and USB port version more than the connection method itself. USB 3.0 ports typically handle higher tethering speeds better than USB 2.0.

Why does tethering work fine until I turn on my phone’s Wi-Fi?

Some phones prioritize an active Wi-Fi connection over sharing mobile data through USB tethering, effectively cutting off the shared connection even though the cable is still plugged in. Turning off Wi-Fi on the phone while tethering usually fixes this.

What is RNDIS and why does it matter for Android tethering?

RNDIS (Remote NDIS) is the driver protocol Android phones use to present a tethered USB connection as a standard network adapter to Windows. If this driver is missing, corrupted, or disabled, Windows can’t route internet traffic through the tethered connection even though the phone shows it’s active.

Why does my iPhone say “Trust This Computer” every time I tether?

This is normal security behavior and isn’t a bug. It happens after certain iOS updates, after a factory reset, or if you frequently switch between multiple computers. Just tap Trust and enter your passcode each time it appears.

Should I disable my Ethernet or Wi-Fi connection to fix tethering?

Not permanently, but it’s worth testing with the other connection temporarily disabled. If tethering suddenly works with Wi-Fi or Ethernet off, the real issue is network adapter priority rather than tethering itself, and you can fix that by adjusting adapter priority instead of leaving other connections off for good.

Does USB tethering use more phone data than a Wi-Fi hotspot?

No, both draw from the same cellular data allowance since the internet still comes from your phone’s mobile connection either way. The difference between tethering methods is stability and battery usage, not how much data is consumed.

Can outdated Windows updates cause USB tethering to fail?

Yes, particularly for the RNDIS and Apple Mobile Device drivers, which are sometimes updated or altered by Windows feature updates. If tethering stopped working right after a Windows update, checking Device Manager for driver issues should be one of your first steps.

Is it normal for USB tethering to be greyed out on my phone?

No. A greyed-out tethering toggle usually means either your carrier hasn’t enabled tethering on your plan, or your phone isn’t currently detecting a USB connection to your PC. Check the cable and port first, and contact your carrier if the option stays greyed out with a confirmed working cable.

Why does my PC show a new network connection but I still can’t browse the internet?

This usually means the tethered adapter was created successfully, but either the DNS settings are misconfigured, or another connection is taking priority. Running the ipconfig /flushdns and netsh winsock reset commands covered above often resolves this.

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