Yes, an iPhone Hotspot With a Samsung TV Works, Phone First
Yes, you can use an iPhone hotspot with a Samsung TV, because the TV joins the phone the same way it joins any Wi Fi network: turn on Personal Hotspot on the phone, then pick the phone’s name in the TV’s network list and type the hotspot password. Apple describes the hotspot as “a temporary, portable Wi-Fi network that other devices can use to connect to the internet.”
That reading is this site’s.
Apple’s page lists its own devices under its Wi Fi connection steps and never names a Samsung TV, and Samsung’s TV page never names a phone hotspot in its Wi Fi steps. Each side’s steps below come from its own maker.
Everything the TV streams goes out through the phone’s cellular data connection. Apple’s page says a hotspot “uses the cellular data connection of an iPhone or iPad (Wi-Fi + Cellular)”, and it adds “Additional fees may apply.”
On the iPhone: turn on Personal Hotspot
Keep the phone close to the TV and make sure Wi Fi and Bluetooth are both on. Apple’s page says: “Make sure that the devices are near each other and have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth turned on.”
Then open Settings and tap Personal Hotspot, or tap Cellular and then Personal Hotspot.
Turn on Allow Others to Join. If you want a different password, tap Wi-Fi Password and enter one that is “at least eight characters long” using only ASCII characters, which Apple spells out as “the uppercase and lowercase letters of the English alphabet, numbers 0 through 9, and some punctuation marks.”
Leave the phone on that screen until the TV connects. Apple’s instruction reads: “Stay on this screen until the other device has connected to this hotspot.”
If Personal Hotspot is dimmed, Apple’s footnote sends you to Cellular Data: “If Personal Hotspot is dimmed or unavailable, open Settings, tap Cellular, and make sure that Cellular Data is turned on.” The feature also needs a carrier that supports it.
On the Samsung TV: pick the phone in the network list
Have the hotspot’s name and password ready. The hotspot’s name is your phone’s name, and Samsung’s page says: “Make sure you have your wireless network name (SSID) and password before trying to connect.”
With the TV remote, select Settings, then General, then Network. Samsung’s first step reads: “Use the directional pad on your TV’s remote to select Settings, select General, and select Network.”
Select Open Network Settings and choose the phone’s name from the list. Then enter the hotspot password, select Done, and select OK.
Streaming apps on the TV still need a Samsung account; Samsung’s footnote says “A Samsung Account is required for network-based smart services, including streaming apps and other smart features.”
If the TV cannot see the phone
Apple’s page has you update both devices, restart both devices, and try Maximize Compatibility when the hotspot is on but not working. Its words: “make sure that you’ve installed the latest software updates for each device, then restart each device and try again. You can also try turning on Maximize Compatibility in Personal Hotspot settings.”
Samsung’s page has a note about three 2018 TV families and Wi Fi networks in general: “2018 models NU7100/NU710D, NU7200, and NU7300/NU730D only support 2.4 Ghz networks. They will not detect 5 Ghz networks. This will cause your Wi-Fi network to not appear on the list.”
Apple’s hotspot page prints no band for a Personal Hotspot, so this article does not join those two facts. Samsung’s page adds: “If you have any trouble, check out” its page Samsung TV will not find or connect to my Wi-Fi network.
If the hotspot itself refuses to turn on, that is a phone side problem with its own article here: why your iPhone hotspot is not working. A Samsung TV that keeps dropping any network has its own checks too: Samsung TV keeps disconnecting from WiFi.
How to disconnect the TV from the hotspot
Turn off Allow Others to Join on the phone, or move the TV to another network. Apple’s two ways are “Connect to a different Wi-Fi or cellular network on the device connected to the hotspot.” and “Or turn off Allow Others to Join in Personal Hotspot settings on the device providing the hotspot.”
Some apps and features that need a Wi Fi connection might not work while the hotspot is in use. Apple’s page says: “Certain apps and features that require a Wi-Fi connection might not work while using a Personal Hotspot.”
For a TV that needs a wired or adapter free route instead, see how to connect a Samsung TV to WiFi without an adapter, and for the data side of sharing, how much data a laptop uses on a hotspot and hotspot Low Data Mode.
Where the two pages stop
Apple’s hotspot page lists Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple Vision Pro and Apple TV as devices that join a hotspot. It names no Samsung TV and no television other than Apple TV.
Samsung’s TV page never names a phone hotspot or an iPhone in its Wi Fi steps. The only hotspot on that page sits in a teaser for a Galaxy phone article.
Neither page prints a data figure for streaming over a hotspot, and neither page prints the band a Personal Hotspot uses.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my Samsung TV not show my iPhone in the network list?
Check the phone first: open Personal Hotspot, turn on Allow Others to Join, and leave the phone on that screen, which is Apple’s order. Apple’s page then has you update and restart both devices and try Maximize Compatibility.
What is the password for an iPhone hotspot?
It is the one shown under Wi-Fi Password on the phone’s Personal Hotspot screen. Apple’s line: “It’s the password shown in Personal Hotspot settings on the iPhone or iPad providing the hotspot.”
How do I change the hotspot name my TV sees?
Rename the phone. Apple’s page says: “To change the name of the Personal Hotspot, change the name of the device providing the hotspot: Open Settings, tap General, tap About, then tap Name.”
How many devices can join the hotspot while the TV is on it?
That depends on your carrier and your iPhone model, Apple says. Its words: “The number of devices that can join your Personal Hotspot at one time depends on your carrier and iPhone model. Contact your carrier for more information.”