- Google is testing a new “2.4 and 6 GHz” dual-band option for Wi-Fi hotspots in the latest Android Canary build.
- This mode offers the high throughput of 6GHz Wi-Fi while keeping the broad device compatibility of the 2.4GHz band.
- We expect this feature to arrive in an upcoming beta for the Android 16 QPR3 release.
Android makes it easy to set up a mobile hotspot that most devices can connect to, but the default settings won’t give you the best speeds. That’s because, by default, Android creates a hotspot using the 2.4 and 5 GHz frequencies, omitting the 6 GHz frequency supported by the newer Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 standards. This is understandable, as most devices can’t connect to 6 GHz Wi-Fi networks anyway. In some regions, namely the U.S., regulations also previously prohibited smartphones from creating 6 GHz Wi-Fi hotspots.
Thankfully, things are changing. Many devices now support 6 GHz Wi-Fi, and recent regulatory changes have opened up the use of this frequency for mobile hotspots in the U.S. As a result, Google recently pushed out an update to Pixel phones that unlocked the 6 GHz frequency for Wi-Fi hotspots. Pixel users can now create a 6 GHz Wi-Fi hotspot by going to Settings > Network & internet > Hotspot & tethering > Wi-Fi hotspot > Speed & compatibility and selecting the “6 GHz” option under “Preferred frequency.”