How can I make my MacBook prioritize my phone's hotspot?

Right, been doing some digging... you may be able to manipulate the service order still, but using terminal commands...

Using this command in terminal should display the list of known networks and the order they're currently in:

• networksetup -listpreferredwirelessnetworks en1

Just check whether your Wi-Fi interface is en0 or en1 or something else. You can use "networksetup -listnetworkserviceorder" to see all the interfaces, and their names and device number.

You can use combination of the following commands to manipulate the order of the wifi networks. In your case, you may only need to move your hotspot SSID to the top of the list; so that you Mac prefers to join that network first whenever is available.

• networksetup -listpreferredwirelessnetworks <device name>
• networksetup -addpreferredwirelessnetworkatindex <device name> <network> <index> <security type> [password]
• networksetup -removepreferredwirelessnetwork <device name> <network>
• networksetup -removeallpreferredwirelessnetworks <device name>

You could try using the following for example:

• syntax: networksetup -addpreferredwirelessnetworkatindex <device name> <network> <index> <security type> [password]
• example: networksetup -addpreferredwirelessnetworkatindex en1 Hotspot 0 WPA2

I'm estimating that because the network already exists, you may not require the password. This should move the network "Hotspot" to the top of the list. You can check the list order again by using the first command again. You may need to remove the network and add it back where you want it in the list.

Happy hunting.

To the best of my knowledge index starts at 0, which is the "most preferable" network. The list starts at index 0 at the top.

I do think that perhaps you may still not achieve your goal as described. The reason is that the priority set on the network is utilised when selecting which of the available networks to connect to first. But, once it's already connected to a functioning network with adequate service, it has no reason to reevaluate other networks, and will simply remain connected to the home network; despite your hotspot becoming active and being lower index (higher priority).

If you turned wifi off and back on, I suspect only then would it select the hotspot over the home network, based on the order configured. Or, the home networks measured quality needs to reduce sufficiently for the device to reevaluate better wifi networks.

I think as long as the home networks service exceeds some basic thresholds, you computer may remains connected to it.

I wasn't able to find a way to have the list also display the configured index per wifi network.

Hello.

Up until MacOS Monterey I am sure you could change the order of the wifi networks to prioritise which wifi network would be preferred. However, that doesn't seem to be an option in Ventura (and above) any longer.

If you click on wifi in the system tray. Then wifi settings. You should be presented with the current wifi networks and other networks in range. If you find "advanced" at the bottom of the window. Within you should find a list of known networks. Previously one could adjust the order of the networks. They seem to simply be in alphabetical order now.

The feature you would have taken advantage of, ie. setting wifi network priority, is no longer available in MacOS; since Ventura.

Change the order of the network services your Mac uses

If you connect to the internet or a network in several different ways (using Wi-Fi or Ethernet, for example), you can change the order of the network connections your computer tries when you connect.

If you have multiple active connections, your computer tries the one at the top of the list first, then tries the others in descending order.

You can’t change the order of virtual private network (VPN) connections because they already take priority over non-VPN connections.

1. On your Mac, choose Apple menu  > System Settings, then click Network  in the sidebar. (You may need to scroll down.)
2. Click the Action pop-up menu , then choose Set Service Order.
3. Drag services into the order you want.
4. Click OK.

OP wrote " The part that doesn't work is when my mac is connected to "home wifi" and I start the hotspot on the phone to active the 2nd wifi network. The mac still stays on the home wifi indefinitely and doesn't switch over automatically. "

It probable will not Automatically Switch Over without First Disconnection for the Home wifi

Why would it, if it already has a connection ??

Forget this Network on the computer for Your Home wifi

System Setting >> wifi >> Known Network

Perhaps you need to Remove the The Home Wifi connection from your configuration OR untick " Automatically join this network "

Use Instant Hotspot, Auto-Join Hotspot, or Family Sharing to connect to your Personal Hotspot without entering a password

Thanks to @ kaz-k

How can I find Wi-Fi SSID using a termina… - Apple Community

Quote " Hi,SSID stands for "Service Set IDentifier" and is your Wi-Fi network name.

You can see it following commands in the Terminal.app.

networksetup -listallhardwareports | awk '/Wi-Fi/{getline; print $2}' | xargs networksetup -getairportnetwork " END Quote

In my setup the iPhone which is next to me as I write this reply

The iPhone does show up as a possible Hotspot connection

Sorry, it was not suggested to turn off the Router

It was suggested, to turn off the wifi Connection, On the Computer, from connecting to the Router

These are not one and the same thing