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How to Show Saved Wi-Fi Passwords on Your Android or iPhone

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Do you want to show the Wi-Fi network passwords on your Android smartphone or iPhone? Then you will find several ways to display the saved WLAN security key in this guide. Alternatively, you can also share the password for connected Wi-Fi directly from one phone to the next.

If you have visitors or want to log into your network, you no longer have to type out a long numerical code. Both iOS and Android offer the option of conveniently reading and sharing Wi-Fi passwords. However, you cannot always show the Wi-Fi password in plain text without additional apps. And we're here to help you.

Although we try to keep our instructions as general as possible, there are always manufacturers and models on which the following instructions do not work or have been tweaked. But you will surely find help in the nextpit forum or in the comments below this article!

Show Wi-Fi passwords from settings

The latest versions of Android OS have made it easy to read out the Wi-Fi passwords shared with you. Samsung is among those and has the most straightforward process for revealing Wi-Fi passwords on Galaxy smartphones and tablets, which we have the instructions below.

  1. Go to the Wi-Fi settings of your phone.
  2. Select the connected Wi-Fi network.
    1. Or you can browse from Advanced settings and then go to Manage networks.
  3. Tap the ⚙️ (gear icon) to show the Wi-Fi settings.
  4. Tap the unseen icon (crossed-out eye) to display the password.
  5. Enter your device security code.
  6. Your password is now displayed.
How to show WiFi passwords on your Samsung Galaxy smartphone
Accessing Wi-Fi passwords is quicker on Samsung's Galaxy phones. / © nextpit

You can copy the text or take a screenshot of this Wi-Fi password. Alternatively, there is also an option to share the Wi-Fi network with another Android device, although the password won't be visible for non-Samsung devices.

Show Wi-Fi passwords via a shareable QR code

For other brands like Google's Pixel, OnePlus, Oppo, Motorola, Vivo, HMD/Nokia, and Realme, the ability of viewing Wi-Fi passwords have been removed. However, you can still view them through the shareable QR code.

  1. Go to the Wi-Fi settings of your phone.
  2. Connect to the Wi-Fi network.
  3. Tap the information button at the right of the Wi-Fi.
  4. Select the Share button.
  5. Enter your device security code.
  6. The password should be labeled below the QR code.
How to share Wi-Fi passwords on Android via shareable QR code
Most Android devices reveal Wi-Fi passwords via a shareable QR code. / © Realme

Show Wi-Fi passwords by scanning the QR code

If you have a Xiaomi phone or another brand which doesn't display Wi-Fi passwords, you can still use a scanner to decrypt the password attached in the QR code. 

You can find countless apps in the Google Play Store that promise to read out Wi-Fi passwords in no time. But in a nutshell, it is advisable to apply caution when using these as some might be spam apps and probably include malware as well.

In this test, we recommend the app “QR & Barcode Scanner,” as it has many good reviews and has also been tested by Google's Play Protect. The free version offers all features in exchange for having display ads.

Here's how to scan the QR code:

  1. Take a photo or screenshot of the shareable QR code on your phone or other device.
  2. Open the QR & Barcode Scanner app.
  3. Tap the gallery button or scan image button from the menu.
  4. Select the screenshot or image.
  5. After scanning, the WLAN name and password are displayed.
How to show Wi-Fi passwords by scanning the QR code
You can use third-party apps to scan the QR code and decrypt the Wi-Fi passwords. / © nextpit

You can copy these details or take a screenshot. Alternatively, you can find the history of your scans by going to the History in the app menu.

Show Wi-Fi passwords on Apple devices

View Wi-Fi passwords on your iPhone or iPad 

Apple added the ability to view passwords for connected and previously connected Wi-Fi networks on iPhone and iPad beginning from iOS 16. If your Apple device is running on this version or newer, follow the steps below on how to show and share Wi-Fi passwords.

  1. Open the Settings on your iPhone.
  2. Select Wi-Fi.
  3. Select a network from the list then tap the information button beside it.
  4. Tap on Password.
  5. Enter or authenticate the security details.
How to show and share Wi-Fi passwords on iPhone
iOS 16 introduced a quicker way to view Wi-Fi passwords on iPhone and iPad / © nextpit

Similarly, you can copy the password as plain text and share it with your contact.

View Wi-Fi passwords on a Mac

Since iOS stores the security keys of known networks in the Keychain app, you can easily view Wi-Fi passwords on your iPhone or iPad through your Mac or MacBook with the same Apple ID. The best way to do this is to type “keychain management” in the Spotlight search.

Share your Wi-Fi without typing the password

Does a friend want to log into your Wi-Fi and you can't remember the security key? Then you don't have to read out the password to grant him access to the Internet.

You can easily share the Wi-Fi password. All the other device has to do is try to dial into the corresponding network. If you are within Bluetooth or Wi-Fi range, a notification appears on your phone where you can tap Share.

Wi-fi password
Sharing Wi-Fi passwords with nearby friends is easy on iPhones / © Apple

Do you have any other options—except for reading from the router's back—for reading the Wi-Fi passwords on Android or iOS? Maybe you have a secret app tip that makes the whole thing work without root. Let me know in the comments and I'll include it below!


This article was revised in July 2024 with updated instructions on iPhone and Android. Older comments were not deleted and may appear out of context.

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Benjamin Lucks

Benjamin Lucks
Product Reviewer

Benjamin works as a freelance journalist and is always on the lookout for special features that make new cell phones, headphones and gadgets interesting for the reader. If he doesn't succeed, he comforts himself by writing short stories and using his digital camera.

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15 comments
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  • 4
    Sh4un Jan 24, 2020 Link to comment

    I would suggest editing the screenshot to hide part of the qr code, because it contains the password


  • Tom Scarvo 2
    Tom Scarvo Aug 13, 2019 Link to comment

    Thanks for your sharing, I will use my sister phone to try :)))


  • 6
    mahikhan Aug 6, 2019 Link to comment

    looking more


  • 6
    mahikhan Aug 6, 2019 Link to comment

    amazing thnkro


  • 6
    mahikhan Aug 6, 2019 Link to comment

    yes


  • Elvis Popovic 1
    Elvis Popovic May 28, 2019 Link to comment

    This is insane. Every computer and particular OS can show all Wi-Fi passwords except Google's rubbish called Android... Security reasons I guess…
    Rooting phone, you terminate warranty and stuff...


  • Mukesh Saini 1
    Mukesh Saini May 10, 2019 Link to comment

    This is amazing


  • 2
    Md Rubel Sep 11, 2018 Link to comment

    Thanks For Sharing Such beautiful information with us. i hope you will
    share some more information about this post. please keep sharing!


  • Federico Munerotto 1
    Federico Munerotto Jul 1, 2018 Link to comment

    I lost a day in rooting my Samsung S5 (LineagOS) but finally I recovered the lost password reading the file .conf: thanks.


  • 1
    Mark Snider Jun 1, 2018 Link to comment

    Bad information. Doesn't work. Neither do any of the apps. And yes my OP2 is rooted.


  • 27
    Sorin Jan 6, 2018 Link to comment

    I would have liked to have a method without root.


  • 1
    Mike Pelham Jul 10, 2017 Link to comment

    the password I see is a long encrypted text - however my phone does a have a problem with saving wifi passwords so this could explain that but not how it gets this way. I'm running Android 6.0.1


    • 1
      Michael Myers Apr 18, 2019 Link to comment

      Same problem, why do the passwords appear in a long sequence of text? That's obviously not the password


  • Tech2Post 4
    Tech2Post Apr 17, 2017 Link to comment

    can you make it possible for non root users??

    Sorin


    • Brittany McGhee 21
      Brittany McGhee Apr 18, 2017 Link to comment

      Unfortunately, we're not aware of a method that doesn't require root.

      Sorin

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