Where Android stores your WiFi password

Android keeps WiFi passwords in a file called wpa_supplicant.conf, which lives in your phone's system folders. You cannot see this file through the normal Files app — it is hidden in the operating system itself. To view it, you need either a file manager that shows hidden files, or you need to connect your phone to a computer and access the files through Android's developer mode.

The password is stored in encrypted form, but Android can still display it to you in plain text through the Settings menu if you already know the WiFi network name. This is the easiest route for most people and does not require any special tools.

Key Takeaways

  • The fastest way is to open Settings, find the WiFi network you are connected to, and tap the info icon — Android will show you the password in plain text.
  • This method only works if you are already connected to that network; you cannot see passwords for networks you have never joined.
  • If you need the password for a network you are not currently connected to, you can use a file manager app that reads hidden system files.
  • Some Android versions and phone manufacturers hide the password display option, so the steps may vary slightly depending on your device.

Viewing the password through Settings on most Android phones

Open the Settings app and go to Network and Internet, then WiFi. You will see a list of networks your phone has connected to before. Find the network you want the password for and tap and hold its name until a menu appears. Look for an option that says "Manage" or an info icon (usually a circle with an i inside). Tap that option.

A details screen will open. Scroll down until you see a field labeled "Password" or "Passphrase". The password will be hidden behind dots or asterisks. Tap the eye icon next to the password field to reveal it in plain text. Write it down or take a screenshot before you leave this screen.

This method works on Android 10 and newer on most phones. Samsung, Google Pixel, OnePlus, and Motorola devices all follow roughly this path, though the exact wording of menu items may differ slightly.

Finding the password on older Android versions

If your phone runs Android 9 or earlier, the Settings menu may not show passwords at all. In this case, you will need a file manager app that can read hidden system files. read an app like ES File Explorer or Solid Explorer from the Google Play Store. These apps can browse folders that the standard Files app cannot access.

Open the file manager and navigate to data/misc/wifi/. Inside that folder, find the file named wpa_supplicant.conf. Open it with a text editor. The file will show a list of all networks your phone has ever connected to, along with their passwords. Search for the network name you want and look for the line that starts with psk= — the password comes after that equals sign.

Using a computer to extract the password

If your phone does not show passwords in Settings and you do not want to install a file manager app, you can connect your phone to a Windows or Mac computer and pull the password file from there. Plug your phone into the computer with a USB cable. On your phone, swipe down from the top and tap "USB for file transfer" or "File transfer mode".

On your computer, open a file browser and look for your phone in the list of drives. Navigate to Internal Storage > Android > data > misc > wifi. Find wpa_supplicant.conf and open it with Notepad (Windows) or TextEdit (Mac). Search for your network name and look for the psk= line to find the password.

This method requires you to enable file transfer mode on your phone, which is usually found in the USB notification that appears when you plug in the cable. If you do not see this notification, go to Settings > About Phone and tap the Build Number seven times to enable Developer Options, then return to Settings and look for USB Debugging under Developer Options.

What to do if the password field is blank or missing

Sometimes Android shows a network in your WiFi list but displays no password, even though you are connected to it. This usually means the network uses an open connection with no password, or the password was saved by a different user account on your phone. If you are the only user on the phone, the network genuinely has no password — you can connect any device to it without entering anything.

If you know the network should have a password, try forgetting the network and reconnecting to it. Go to Settings > WiFi, tap and hold the network name, and select "Forget". Then search for the network again and reconnect, entering the password manually. This forces Android to save the password fresh, and it should then appear in the password field.

Passwords stored by other apps or accounts

If someone else set up the WiFi on your phone using their account, or if a guest account created the connection, you may not be able to see the password even if you are connected. Android ties saved passwords to the user account that created them. If your phone has multiple user accounts, switch to the account that originally connected to the network, then open Settings and follow the steps above.

Some phones also allow work profiles or managed accounts (often set up by employers or schools). These accounts may have their own WiFi passwords that are not visible to the personal account. If you need the password and cannot access the account that saved it, you will need to ask the person who set up that account or contact your IT department if it is a work device.

Resetting your WiFi password if you cannot find it

If you cannot locate the password through any of these methods, you can reset it directly on your router. Log into your router's admin panel by opening a web browser and typing 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1 into the address bar. You will be prompted for a username and password — these are usually printed on a sticker on the back of the router, often defaulting to "admin" and "admin" or "admin" and the router's serial number.

Once you are logged in, look for a WiFi Settings or Wireless Settings section. From there, you can view the current password or create a new one. Write down the new password and update it on all your devices. This is also a good time to change the default admin password for the router itself, since the default credentials are widely known.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I see the password for a WiFi network I have never connected to?

No. Android only stores passwords for networks you have already joined and saved. If you have never connected to a network, your phone has no record of its password. You would need to ask the network owner or reset the router.

Will viewing my WiFi password delete it or change it?

No. straightforward viewing the password does nothing to the network or the saved connection. You can look at it as many times as you want without any effect.

Is it safe to share my WiFi password if I can see it on my phone?

Yes, sharing the password itself is safe. The password is what guests need to connect. However, if you want to remove someone's access later, you will need to change the password on the router itself — just forgetting the network on your phone does not disconnect other devices.

What if my phone is locked with a PIN and I cannot get to Settings?

You will need to unlock your phone first. If you have forgotten the PIN, you can factory reset the phone through the boot menu, but this erases all data. You cannot access WiFi passwords without unlocking the device.

Do all Android phones show WiFi passwords the same way?

Most newer phones (Android 10+) follow the same basic steps, but Samsung, Google, OnePlus, and other manufacturers sometimes use different menu names or layouts. If the exact steps do not match your phone, the file manager method or computer method will work on any Android device.