There are multiple different ways to connect to the Internet, and USB tethering is one of them. Of
course, it is not the obvious option, but it is a reliable one, especially when direct connections are
faulty.
However, a few Android users have reported the problem of USB tethering not working. When you
are already falling onto your secondary method of Internet connection, and even that’s not working,
we know how frustrating that can be. This is why we are here to help you out.
Let’s look at a few things you can do to enable USB tethering again.
USB tethering greyed out – Eliminate the obvious
Sometimes, the answer is extremely simple. Maybe the cable is not plugged in correctly? Believe us.
This is a common issue. Make sure the cable is plugged in and is in working condition. Also, double-
check and see if you followed all the steps correctly. Missing a step can lead to problems as well. If the issue persists, you can look at the below options to troubleshoot.
USB tethering Android not working – How to enable it
One of these solutions will work for sure:
1. Switch off the Wi-Fi on your device. Simply swipe the screen down and tap on the Wi-Fi icon
on your Android phone. Try USB tethering now.
2. Change the USB port and see if that works, especially if you are sure that your USB cable is
working just fine. You can also change the cable and port, both, to be absolutely sure.
3. Go through the good old restarting process. Make sure you restart your computer as well as
your phone. We still don’t know how it fixes the problem, but more often than not, it does!
4. Check if the tethering drivers are updated. On your computer, go to Device Manager >
Network Adapter > Remote NDIS-based Internet Sharing Device > Properties > Driver. Here,
you will see an option called Driver Update. Select that and choose to automatically search
for the updated version.
5. While you are at it, we advise that you update your phone and computer to their respective
latest versions as well.
6. Try the Windows Troubleshooter. Many users have said that it doesn’t really work, but hey,
there’s no harm in trying.
7. Change the APN settings to see if that helps. In the APN Type, type default, dun, and choose
OK. For some users, changing it to dun works. So, please try both.
If you are still unable to enable USB tethering, we urge you to have your phone checked by a
professional. Meanwhile, you can turn your phone into a Wi-Fi hotspot and connect to the Internet
through this method.
Note: We have tested all these tips on Windows 7, 8.1, and 10. If you have previous versions of
Windows, please let the expert know.
We hope we solved your problem. Feel free to comment with your suggestions, if any.