Galaxy S25 Adds Android Instant Hotspot Support

Galaxy S25 Instant Hotspot? One of Android’s greatest strengths has always been its flexibility—allowing users to mix and match devices from different manufacturers while maintaining core functionality. You can happily use a phone, tablet, and smartwatch from completely different companies, and they’ll generally work well together.

However, certain premium features have typically remained locked within single-brand ecosystems. Until now, seamlessly sharing your Samsung phone’s internet connection with a non-Samsung tablet required manual setup. That changes with the Galaxy S25, which becomes Samsung’s first phone to support Android’s universal Instant Hotspot feature.

Samsung’s Walled Garden: Galaxy S25 Instant Hotspot

Samsung has long enticed users to stay within its ecosystem by offering compelling cross-device features that only work with Samsung-branded products. Beyond attractive pricing bundles, the company creates powerful software integrations exclusive to its device family.

Auto Hotspot stands out as one such feature—providing an effortless way to share internet connections between Samsung devices. This system works brilliantly, but with one significant limitation: it’s strictly confined to Samsung hardware. If you prefer Android tablets from other manufacturers, you’ll be forced to:

• Manually enable hotspot functionality on your Samsung phone
• Navigate to your tablet’s Wi-Fi settings
• Select the hotspot connection
• Enter security credentials when prompted

This multi-step process creates unnecessary friction in what should be a seamless experience.

Galaxy S25 Instant Hotspot : The Universal Solution

For users with non-Samsung Android phones, connectivity has been considerably simpler thanks to Android’s Instant Hotspot feature. This functionality is part of Android’s broader Cross-Device Services suite, which operates through Google Play Services across compatible Android devices.

While Samsung phones have included Cross-Device Services, they’ve notably lacked Instant Hotspot support since the feature’s introduction. This omission has created an artificial barrier for Samsung phone owners wanting to connect non-Samsung Android tablets without manual configuration.

Galaxy S25: Samsung Finally Embraces Universal Connectivity

The good news? Starting with the Galaxy S25 series, Samsung has finally integrated Instant Hotspot functionality. We’ve personally verified this working on our Galaxy S25 Ultra review unit, and Google’s support documentation confirms the addition.

The feature works exactly as expected:

• Your Android tablet receives a notification offering your phone’s internet connection
• Tapping “Connect” automatically creates a temporary hotspot on your phone
• Your tablet connects instantly without manual intervention
• Alternatively, you can select your phone’s hotspot directly from your tablet’s internet panel

This streamlined process eliminates the friction that previously existed when using Samsung phones with Android tablets from other manufacturers.

Is One UI 7 the Key to Wider Compatibility?

Google’s support documentation states that Instant Hotspot is available specifically on “Samsung S25 and newer devices.” However, there’s promising news for owners of older Samsung phones. Multiple users who have updated their previous-generation Galaxy devices to One UI 7 report that Instant Hotspot now works for them as well.

This pattern suggests that One UI 7 itself may be the enabling factor for Instant Hotspot compatibility on Samsung devices. The logical conclusion is that previous One UI versions contained elements incompatible with this particular Cross-Device Service, and the latest update resolves these conflicts.

The Future of Connected Android Devices

This integration represents a significant step toward a more cohesive Android ecosystem, where device capabilities aren’t artificially restricted by manufacturer boundaries. As mobile technology continues evolving, these cross-device experiences become increasingly important to users managing multiple devices.

Samsung’s adoption of Android’s Instant Hotspot feature signals a willingness to embrace standardized connectivity solutions alongside its own ecosystem-specific features. This dual approach provides users with greater flexibility while maintaining the premium integrated experiences Samsung is known for.

Galaxy S25 Instant Hotspot : Conclusion

Do you own a Samsung phone and a non-Samsung Android tablet? We’d love to hear about your experience with Android’s Instant Hotspot feature in the comments! Has this addition made your cross-device workflow smoother? Does it influence your future purchasing decisions? Share your thoughts below!