Can someone explain how to share data on Airtel step by step?

Tips
1

I’m on Airtel and want to share my mobile data with a friend, but I’m confused by the different codes and app options I see online. Some guides look outdated and I don’t want to make a mistake or lose my data. What’s the current, reliable way to share data on Airtel, and are there any limits or charges I should know about?

2

Short version. On most Airtel lines you do not “share” active data in Nigeria anymore, you “gift” or “buy for a friend”. In some other countries you still have data share. The steps depend on where you are.

I will break it down by country with the codes that still work as of late 2024.

  1. Nigeria

Airtel Nigeria stopped the old data sharing where you move part of your own bundle to someone. You only gift data by paying for a bundle for them.

USSD way:

  1. Dial *141#
  2. Pick 6 or the option that says Gifting or Data gifting
  3. Pick Gift data bundle
  4. Enter your friend’s Airtel number
  5. Pick the bundle size, for example 100 MB, 1 GB, 2 GB
  6. Confirm

Money comes from your airtime or your Airtel Smartcash if linked. Your own data balance stays separate. You do not lose data from your current bundle, you just buy a fresh one for them.

My Airtel app way:

  1. Install “My Airtel” from Play Store or App Store
  2. Open it, log in with your Airtel number and OTP
  3. On the home screen, tap Data
  4. Tap Data gifting or Buy for a friend
  5. Enter your friend’s Airtel number
  6. Select the data bundle and pay from airtime, card, or wallet
  7. Confirm

To double check:
Dial *140# for data balance on your own line.
Ask your friend to dial *140# to see the gifted bundle.

There is no working “share from existing data” code on Airtel NG now. Any guide that says use 1411*5# to share from your bundle is old.

If you only want them to use your data when they are near you, use hotspot:

  1. Turn on Mobile data in phone settings
  2. Turn on Hotspot or Tethering
  3. Set Wi Fi password
  4. Give them the password
    This uses your data directly, no codes.
  1. India

In India, Airtel stopped balance and data sharing services through USSD. Old stuff like *141# for data share does not work now.

Practical options:

  1. Use hotspot like above if you are close.
  2. Recharge their number from Airtel Thanks app.
    • Open Airtel Thanks
    • Tap Recharge
    • Enter their Airtel number
    • Pick a data pack or combo pack
    • Pay
      Again, this buys them a pack. It does not split your own bundle.
  1. Kenya

Airtel Kenya still runs Data Me2U (data share).

USSD way:

  1. Dial *544#
  2. Pick Data Me2U or Share Data
  3. If asked, set or enter your transfer PIN
  4. Enter recipient Airtel number
  5. Enter amount of data to share in MB, for example 250 for 250 MB
  6. Confirm

You must have enough data in your bundle. Shared data deducts from your own bundle. The receiver must be on Airtel Kenya.

  1. Uganda

Airtel Uganda has data sharing too.

USSD way:

  1. Dial 1752#
  2. Select Data Sharing or Data Me2U
  3. Pick Share or Add beneficiary
  4. Enter beneficiary Airtel number
  5. Enter amount of data to share
  6. Confirm with your PIN if you have one

If you see an error, reply with 0 to go back and look for “Data Me2U” in the data menu. Airtel Uganda likes to move menu options sometimes.

  1. Quick checks so you do not lose data
  1. Before you do anything:
    • Check your own data balance.
      Nigeria: *140#
      Kenya: *544#
      Uganda: 1754#
  2. After action:
    • Check your own data again to see if it reduced.
    • Ask your friend to check theirs.
  3. If nothing moves:
    • The code for your country is probbaly outdated.
    • Use hotspot or buy them a bundle in the app instead.
  1. If you want step by step with screenshots

The simplest and least confusing option almost everywhere now is:

  1. Install official Airtel app for your country.
  2. Log in with your phone number.
  3. Look for buttons with text like:
    • “Gift data”
    • “Buy for a friend”
    • “Share data” or “Me2U”
  4. Follow the prompts.

Online guides from 2018 or 2019 are mostly wrong now. If the code uses *141# for Nigeria data share from an existing bundle, skip it as outdated.

3

You’re right to be suspicious of random codes online. Airtel quietly kills features all the time and blogs never update.

@cacadordeestrelas already covered the main official paths (gift vs share, country by country), so let me just fill in some gaps and give you a “how not to mess this up” checklist instead of repeating the same menus.

1. First figure out which Airtel you’re on

The only thing that really matters:

  • Airtel Nigeria / India
    → You cannot really “share from your existing data** anymore. It’s basically:

    • Turn on hotspot, or
    • Buy/gift a new bundle for your friend.

  • Airtel Kenya / Uganda
    → You can still do proper “data share / Me2U” where it cuts from your current bundle.

If your SIM is from some other Airtel country, assume the codes you see on blogs are probably outdated and look inside the official app first.

2. Safest way that works almost anywhere: hotspot

This avoids all the weird codes and menus and you never “lose” data by mistake. It just uses your bundle normally.

Generic steps (Android & iPhone are very similar):

  1. Turn on Mobile data.
  2. Go to Settings → Hotspot or Tethering or Personal Hotspot.
  3. Set a Wi‑Fi password that you can remember.
  4. Turn on the hotspot.
  5. On your friend’s phone, connect to that Wi‑Fi name and enter the password.

To avoid bill shock:

  • Check for a data saver / data limit option in your phone and set a cap.
  • Tell your friend to turn off auto‑updates / cloud backup while on your hotspot.

This is honestly the most “foolproof” option if you’re physically near each other.

3. If you’re in a country that only allows gifting (Nigeria, India, etc.)

I slightly disagree with @cacadordeestrelas on one thing: the USSD menus move around so often that relying on a specific menu number like “press 6” is risky. I prefer this approach:

  1. Dial the main data / recharge USSD for your country
    • Nigeria: *141#
    • India: Shortcut has been changing a lot, but the app is more reliable.
  2. In the menu, do not look for “share” first. Look for:
    • “Gift data”
    • “Data gifting”
    • “Buy for others” / “Buy for a friend”
  3. When you see that:
    • Enter your friend’s Airtel number.
    • Pick the bundle size.
    • Confirm.

To make sure you didn’t accidentally eat your own bundle:

  • Check your data balance before and after:
    • Nigeria: *140#
  • Ask your friend to check their data too.

If your own balance did not change but they got data, it means you bought them a bundle from airtime or wallet, not shared your existing one. That’s expected behavior in these countries now.

4. If you’re in a country that still has real sharing (Kenya, Uganda, etc.)

I won’t repeat the same Me2U steps, but here’s how to avoid mistakes:

  1. Before you share:
    • Check your bundle balance with the main data code.
  2. When using the Me2U / Share Data menu:
    • Enter MB, not GB, unless the menu explicitly says otherwise.
      e.g. 500 for 500 MB. A lot of people type 1 for “1 GB” and end up sending “1 MB”.
  3. After confirm:
    • Check your balance again. If it didn’t drop and they got nothing, the feature might be restricted on your plan.

If you get weird errors like “Not allowed” or “not eligible”, it usually means:

  • You’re trying to share bonus or promo data that is not shareable, or
  • Your specific bundle type forbids sharing.

No USSD trick will fix that.

5. Why so many guides look wrong

Most of those tutorials online still say things like:

  • “Dial 1411*5# to share data in Nigeria”
  • Or “use Airtel Smart Share / Easy Share” with screenshots from 2017.

If a guide:

  • Mentions Smartbytes / Smartshare / Easyshare
  • Or shows swipe screens from very old versions of the Airtel app
  • Or promises “you can move data from your bundle directly” on Airtel Nigeria / India

…just close it. You’ll waste airtime at best.

6. Quick “no-mistake” routine you can follow

Whenever you want to share / gift:

  1. Check your data first with the official balance code.
  2. Decide:
    • Same location → use hotspot.
    • Different location → use app / USSD to gift / buy for them.
  3. After you do it:
    • Check your own data and airtime again.
    • Tell your friend to check theirs.
  4. If numbers don’t add up:
    • Screenshot everything and contact Airtel support in‑app or via WhatsApp for your country. They actually respond faster there than on call centers most times.

TL;DR:

  • In a lot of Airtel countries, the word “share” is now basically marketing. What you really do is gift a new bundle or use hotspot.
  • Only a few places (like Kenya/Uganda) still let you split your own bundle through Me2U style features.
  • Use hotspot when you can, app when you can’t, USSD only if you’re sure the code is current.
4

Skip all the random USSD codes you see on blogs and do this in a more “sanity‑first” way.

1. Decide what you actually want to do

There are only 3 real scenarios:

  1. You and your friend are in the same place → you just need them to use your data
  2. You are in different places → you want to buy/gift data to their Airtel line
  3. You are in a country where Airtel still supports true sharing / Me2U from your bundle

Everything else is marketing language.

2. Quick country logic (without repeating all the codes)

  • If your SIM is Airtel Nigeria or India
    Forget any guide that says you can carve out 500 MB from your own bundle and send it. That used to be possible; it is basically gone for normal customers now.
    So your only real choices:

    • Turn on hotspot when you are together
    • Or buy a bundle for your friend (via app or USSD “gift / buy for others” option)

  • If your SIM is Airtel Kenya, Uganda
    You still have a proper “share / Me2U” setup where data is sliced from your bundle. The exact menu names move a bit but they always live under the data menu, then some “Me2U / Share data” entry, then a PIN, then recipient, then amount.

I slightly disagree with @chasseurdetoiles and @cacadordeestrelas on relying heavily on fixed numeric menu paths like “press 6, press 3” because operators reshuffle menus quietly. Use the labels in the menu, not the numbers.

3. How to avoid losing data or airtime

Before you touch anything:

  1. Check:

    • Your airtime balance
    • Your data balance

  2. After you “share” or “gift”:

    • Check both balances again on your line
    • Ask your friend to check on their side too

Interpret what you see like this:

  • Airtime dropped, your data stayed, friend got data
    → You gifted / bought them a bundle. Your own data is untouched.

  • Your data dropped, airtime stayed, friend got data
    → You used a real share / Me2U feature.

  • Both dropped or weird numbers
    → Stop immediately. Take screenshots and contact Airtel support; that usually means a wrong menu option (like buying a bundle for yourself by accident).

This “before and after audit” is the best protection against all the outdated guides.

4. When you should prefer hotspot over any code

Use hotspot if:

  • You are physically close
  • You care about not juggling PINs, menus and possible non‑shareable promo data
  • You want to see usage in real time

To keep control:

  • Turn hotspot on only when needed
  • Set a strong password
  • Turn on any data limit / warning option in your phone so your own bundle does not evaporate in background updates

In practice, hotspot is safer than any USSD trick because you are not gambling with hidden plan restrictions.

5. About using the official Airtel app vs USSD

This is where @chasseurdetoiles and @cacadordeestrelas lean on the app a lot, and I mostly agree, but with a caveat.

  • Pros of the official app (for gifting / buying for a friend)

    • Clear labels like “Gift data” or “Buy for a friend”
    • Often shows which bundles are giftable or sharable
    • You get a transaction history, which is useful if there is a dispute
    • Less chance of picking the wrong numbered option

  • Cons of the app

    • Needs internet access and sometimes a decent smartphone
    • Some older devices or budget phones handle the app poorly
    • App updates occasionally move buttons or change labels

If your phone struggles with the app or you have bad data coverage, USSD is still fine. Just focus on wording like “Gift / Buy for others / Me2U / Share data” and ignore blog instructions that insist on hard‑coded paths like *141*1*5#, which are usually dead.

6. Pros & cons of the “gift / buy for a friend” approach

This is now effectively the default “Airtel data sharing” model in many countries, even if they still call it “share” in marketing.

Pros

  • You do not touch your active data bundle
  • Works even if your own data is almost finished, as long as you have airtime or payment method
  • Easier to understand: you are basically recharging your friend with data
  • Often compatible with promo and special packs that cannot be sliced via Me2U

Cons

  • Costs you extra money instead of moving unused data
  • If you enter the wrong number, you send data to the wrong person
  • Some small or daily packs may not even be giftable, depending on country rules

To reduce risk of sending to the wrong number, always confirm the last 3 digits with your friend before you hit OK.

7. Where @chasseurdetoiles and @cacadordeestrelas fit in

Both of them gave solid, country‑specific menus and codes. Use their replies when you want exact keystrokes. Use this answer as your “logic layer” so you know what is happening to your bundle and account, and you can tell quickly if a code you see elsewhere is just old:

  • Mentions of data share on Airtel Nigeria or India that promise to slice your current bundle are almost certainly outdated
  • Any tutorial pushing “Smart share / Easy share” style services is pre‑policy‑change material

Combine their step listings with the balance checking and decision logic here and you will not accidentally wipe your own data or airtime while trying to help a friend.