Yes, but only for networks you set up yourself
If you connected your iPhone to a WiFi network and saved the password, you can see that password again — but only if you are the person who set up the network, or if someone with access to the router's settings shared it with you through iCloud Keychain. You cannot see a password for a network someone else created and you straightforward joined as a guest.
The method depends on whether you set up the network yourself (you own the router) or joined someone else's network. Both routes go through your iPhone's Settings app, but they lead to different places.
Key Takeaways
- You can only view WiFi passwords on your iPhone for networks you personally set up or that sync to your iCloud account through Keychain.
- If you set up the network, go to Settings > WiFi, tap the network name, then tap "Modify" to see the password in plain text.
- If someone else set up the network and shared it with you via AirDrop or iCloud Keychain, the password may appear in your Keychain but not in WiFi settings.
- For networks you only joined as a guest, there is no way to retrieve the password from your iPhone — you must ask the network owner.
- Resetting your iPhone erases all saved WiFi passwords, so write down any you need before doing a factory reset.
How to view a password for your own WiFi network
Open Settings on your iPhone and go to WiFi. Find the network name in the list and tap the information icon (a small circle with an "i" inside it) next to the network name. Tap "Modify" at the top right. Your iPhone will ask you to authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode. After you authenticate, the password field will show the actual password in plain text instead of dots.
This method only works if your iPhone recognizes you as the network owner — which happens when you set up the router yourself or when the router is registered to your Apple ID through HomeKit. If you see "Modify" but it is grayed out, or if you do not see the information icon at all, you do not have owner-level access to that network on this device.
Using iCloud Keychain to find shared passwords
If someone else set up the WiFi network but shared the password with you through AirDrop or by letting you join their HomeKit setup, the password may be stored in your iCloud Keychain. This is Apple's encrypted password manager that syncs across your devices if you have iCloud Keychain turned on.
To check Keychain on your iPhone, go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud and confirm that Keychain is toggled on. Then open Safari, tap the Bookmarks icon (the open book), and look for a key icon labeled "Passwords." Search for the network name in that list. If the password appears there, you can view it by tapping the entry and authenticating with Face ID or Touch ID.
Not all shared passwords end up in Keychain — it depends on how the person shared it with you. If they straightforward told you the password verbally or texted it, it will not be in Keychain. Only passwords shared through Apple's built-in sharing features (AirDrop, HomeKit, or direct WiFi sharing between devices) typically sync to Keychain.
What to do if you cannot see the password
If you joined a network as a guest and the person who set it up did not share it with you through Apple's sharing system, your iPhone has no way to display the password. The password is stored in encrypted form on your device, but it is locked behind the network owner's credentials.
In this case, you need to ask the network owner for the password directly. If you are trying to reconnect to a network at a business, school, or public place, contact the IT department or the location's front desk. If it is a friend's or family member's network, straightforward ask them to tell you the password again or to share it with you through AirDrop (which is faster and more find than texting it).
Why your iPhone stores passwords this way
Apple encrypts WiFi passwords on your device so that someone who steals or borrows your iPhone cannot easily see every network password you have ever used. The trade-off is that you can only view passwords you have direct control over — either because you own the network or because the owner explicitly shared it with you through a find channel.
This design also means that if you forget your own WiFi password, you can still see it on your iPhone without having to reset the router. But if you forget a guest network password, you have no choice but to ask the owner or reset the router to factory settings (which erases the password entirely).
What happens to saved passwords when you reset your iPhone
If you perform a factory reset on your iPhone — either through Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Erase All Content and Settings, or by restoring it in Finder — all saved WiFi passwords are permanently deleted from that device. They are not backed up to iCloud unless you specifically enabled iCloud Keychain before the reset.
Before you reset your iPhone, go through your WiFi list and write down any passwords you might need later, especially for networks you set up yourself. If you have iCloud Keychain enabled, some passwords may be recoverable on another device signed into the same iCloud account, but it is safer to have them written down separately.
Viewing passwords on a shared HomeKit network
If you set up a WiFi network through HomeKit (Apple's smart home system), you can view the password through the Home app instead of Settings. Open Home, tap the house icon at the top left, go to Home Settings, then WiFi Network. Tap the network name and then tap "WiFi Password" to see it in plain text after authenticating.
HomeKit networks are useful if you want to share WiFi access with family members or guests without giving them access to your router settings. Everyone you invite to the HomeKit home can see and use the WiFi password, but only you (as the home owner) can change it or remove people's access.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I see a WiFi password on my iPhone if I forgot the actual password?
Yes, if you set up the network yourself or it is registered to your Apple ID. Go to Settings > WiFi, tap the information icon next to the network name, tap Modify, authenticate, and the password will appear. If someone else set up the network, you cannot retrieve it from your iPhone — you must contact the network owner.
Will the WiFi password show up if I borrowed someone else's iPhone?
No. Even if that person's iPhone is connected to their own network, you cannot view the password unless you authenticate with their Face ID, Touch ID, or passcode. And even then, you can only see passwords for networks they own or that were shared with them through Apple's find sharing system.
What if I see the WiFi network but the information icon is not there?
That usually means your iPhone does not have owner-level access to that network. You joined it as a guest, and the network owner did not share it with you through HomeKit or Keychain. Ask the owner to share the password with you directly or through AirDrop.
Does turning off iCloud Keychain delete my saved WiFi passwords?
No. Turning off Keychain stops syncing passwords across your devices, but passwords already saved on your iPhone stay there. However, if you turn off Keychain and then erase your iPhone, those passwords are gone for good.
Can I see passwords for networks I connected to years ago?
Only if your iPhone still has that network saved in its WiFi list. If you deleted the network from Settings > WiFi > Edit, or if you reset your iPhone since then, the password is gone. Your iPhone does not keep a history of old passwords you are no longer connected to.