Why is the hotspot option missing with your travel eSIM?
A working mobile connection does not guarantee that hotspot controls are available or that the provider permits tethering. Verify the phone can browse on the travel line, then check its hotspot menu and plan terms. Do not edit carrier settings at random to make a missing switch appear.
Find the missing hotspot
Phone cannot browse
Fix travel data first.
Phone browses, toggle absent
Check device, carrier and plan support.
Toggle present, device fails
Troubleshoot Wi-Fi sharing separately.
Test the phone's data
With Wi-Fi off, open a simple webpage on the phone. If that fails, inspect line selection, coverage, plan balance and data roaming requirements. Hotspot cannot share a mobile connection that the phone does not have. If the phone browses normally, check whether the travel eSIM is the data line and whether the hotspot setting appears under the manufacturer's Internet or Cellular menu.
Check tethering eligibility
Google says some mobile operators limit or charge extra for tethering. Apple also notes that Personal Hotspot availability can depend on the carrier. Read the actual package terms for hotspot use and fair-use limits. On Pixel, Data Saver may need to be off to use a Wi-Fi hotspot. If a toggle remains unavailable on a supported phone and plan, ask the provider for the exact configuration rather than inventing an APN value.
| Phone | Other device | Likely next step |
|---|---|---|
| No mobile web | No internet | Fix eSIM data |
| Web works, no toggle | Cannot join | Check policy/settings |
| Web works, joins | No internet | Check sharing setup |
| Both work | High data use | Pause downloads |
Test a second device safely
Set a password on the hotspot, connect one laptop or tablet and open a lightweight page. Check the provider balance afterward because the connected device's background traffic also counts. If the second device joins Wi-Fi but cannot browse, compare the phone's own web access and try forgetting and rejoining the hotspot. Turn hotspot off when not needed to save battery and avoid unplanned downloads.
Ask the provider a precise question
When the phone can browse but no hotspot switch appears, send the provider the plan name, device model, country and a screenshot of the relevant settings. Ask whether tethering is permitted on that exact package and whether a carrier configuration is required. That is more useful than saying only 'hotspot broken.' Do not install an unknown configuration profile or copy an APN from a forum, because it may disrupt working mobile data. If tethering is disallowed, use a dedicated compatible tablet plan or trusted Wi-Fi rather than repeatedly buying larger data top-ups. If the switch exists but a laptop cannot browse, follow the connected-hotspot diagnosis instead.