Can Android Phones Share VPN Via Hotspot? [Methods and Tools]

Reading time: 5 min read

Techjury is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more.

Table of Contents

Ways You Can Share VPN Via Hotspot on Android
Bottom Line

Can Android Phones share VPN via Hotspot?

There are ways to share a VPN connection from one device to another without having to install the VPN app on them.

Here’s how to do that.

If you don’t want to install VPN apps on every device you own or you’re subscribed to a VPN that limits the number of devices you can use it on, you can try any of the following methods to share a VPN tunnel:

1. Getting Into Android Root (Rooted Hotspot)

Sharing a VPN connection over a hotspot is technically possible, but it involves making modifications to your Android device.

More specifically, you will need to have a rooted device and be a tech-savvy user.

To “root” a device means to bypass certain system limitations– which are put in place for security reasons– and gain access to the core of its OS (Operating System). Average Android users should not root their devices– this is typically reserved for those who understand what they’re doing.

Even if you’re one of them, rooting your device will mean voiding the guarantee and in some places, breaking the law.

If you know how to protect your device once rooted and you’re certain that rooting is not illegal in your country, you can share your VPN over a hotspot with the help of several apps.

A popular option is the VPN Hotspot app, which you can download from Google Play.

Worth noting: If you root your device and some of your data gets wiped out, PhoneRescue can help you recover the lost data.

2. A Proxy App (No Root)

If you don’t want to risk rooting your device for VPN tethering, some apps can help you share a VPN connection with other devices, without having to strip your OS of its security.

One example is Every Proxy, which lets you run your proxy server on Android devices.

On your main device (that shares the hotspot):

Go to the Play Store and download Every Proxy.
Open the VPN app on your device and connect to a location.
Go to the Every Proxy app and start the HTTP/HTTPS proxy server.
Turn on the hotspot on your device.

On the other device:

Turn on the Wi-Fi on the other device and connect to the hotspot.
Go to Settings and tap Network and Internet or Connections, depending on the model.
Tap WiFi and select the network you’re connected to.
Tap Advanced options.
Tap Proxy and select Manual.
In the Proxy host name space, enter the IP address from Every Proxy.
In the Proxy port space, enter the number from Every Proxy.
Tap Save.

If you’re sharing an Android VPN on a PC or Mac, you can enter the Proxy hostname and port in Proxy Settings.

Other apps that can allow you to share VPN via hotspot on Android are:

PdaNet
Tethernet
DF Tethering Fix
VPN Tether

If you’re not sure what VPN service to choose, here are our top picks for the best VPNs for Android.

3. Get/Install a VPN Router

You don’t necessarily need a VPN hotspot on Android to protect all of your devices in one place.

This is where a VPN router comes into play.

These routers encrypt all traffic that is sent or received over your Wi-Fi network, which means it protects every device that’s connected to it, eliminating the need to install a VPN app on each individual device.

Nowadays, there are some routers that support connecting to a VPN service via OpenVPN or PPTP (Point-to-Point Tunnelling Protocol). These might be more expensive and harder to find on the market.

There are also a few VPN providers that have taken on the task of making sure their clients can be installed on a router’s firmware, like ExpressVPN which has a decided router VPN app.

Other VPNs that can work on a router include ProtonVPN and IPVanish, but they only come on pre-configured routers from providers like FlashRouters.

4. VPNs For Multiple Devices

If you want to protect all of your devices and you’re willing to become a paid subscriber to some of the best VPN services, you can get a VPN that doesn’t put a cap on how many devices you can use it on or offers just enough to cover all of your devices.

For example, Sufrshark offers unlimited connections to its paid users, and so does TunnelBear.

On the other hand, ProtonVPN and Private Internet Access allow up to 10 connections.

Bottom Line

Although most VPNs offer coverage for more than one device, there are ways to share your VPN connection via hotspot from your Android device.

You can use a proxy app or any of the apps that require you to root your device (which we do not recommend), or you can install a VPN on your router, which will help you protect all devices connected to your network.