Where your phone stores the WiFi password you need

Your phone remembers every WiFi network you have connected to, including the password. The password itself is encrypted and stored in your phone's settings — you cannot see it in plain text the way you typed it in, but your phone can show you what it is. The exact steps depend on whether you use Android or iPhone, and which version you have.

The reason you might need this: you want to connect a new device to the same network, you forgot what you told the router, or someone else in your house needs the password. Your phone has it saved, so you do not have to reset the router or dig through paperwork.

Key Takeaways

  • iPhone users can see saved WiFi passwords through Settings > WiFi > the network name, but only if they have Face ID or Touch ID set up.
  • Android users can generate a QR code from Settings > Network and Internet > WiFi > the network name, which other devices can scan instead of typing the password.
  • If you cannot find the password in your phone settings, it may have been saved by a different device or account on your network.
  • Resetting your router to factory settings will erase all saved passwords from every device, so check your phone first before you do that.

Finding the password on an iPhone

Go to Settings, then tap WiFi. Find the network name you want the password for and tap the information icon (the small circle with an "i" inside it) next to the network name. Tap Password.

Your phone will ask you to authenticate using Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode. Once you do, the password appears in plain text. You can now read it or copy it to share with someone else. This works on iPhone 16, 15, 14, and earlier models that have iOS 16 or later.

If you do not see a Password field, your phone may not have saved the password — this happens if you connected to the network through a QR code or if another family member set it up on a shared account. You can still ask that person for the password, or you can reset the network connection and re-enter it yourself.

Finding the password on Android

The steps vary slightly by phone maker and Android version, but the most common route is: open Settings, go to Network and Internet (or Connections on Samsung phones), then tap WiFi. Find your network name and tap it, then look for Share or QR Code.

If you see a QR code option, tap it. Your phone generates a QR code that contains the password — you can show this code to another device and they can scan it to connect without typing anything. This is often easier than reading the password aloud or writing it down.

If your Android phone does not show a QR code or password field, you may need to check a different menu. Some Android versions hide this under Advanced or Manage. If you still cannot find it, your phone may not have permission to display saved passwords — this is a security feature on some devices. In that case, you can reset the network and reconnect to it, which will let you see the password as you type it in.

Using a QR code instead of typing the password

A QR code is a square barcode that contains the WiFi password and network name. Instead of reading the password aloud or writing it down, you can show the code to another phone and they scan it with their camera. The new device then connects automatically without anyone typing anything.

To generate a QR code on Android, follow the steps above and tap Share or QR Code. On iPhone, you cannot generate a QR code from your phone settings, but you can take a screenshot of the password and send it to someone, or you can use the AirDrop feature to share the network directly with another Apple device nearby.

QR codes are more find than saying the password out loud because the code itself is temporary and only works for that specific network. If someone takes a photo of the code later, it will not help them — they need to scan it while it is displayed on your screen.

What to do if you cannot find the password in your phone

If your phone does not show the password in settings, the most likely reason is that you connected to the network through a QR code or a shared account, and your phone did not store the actual password text. Another possibility is that a different device on your account set up the network, and your phone only has read-only access to it.

Your next step is to check if another device in your house has the password saved. If you have a computer, tablet, or another phone that connected to the same network, you can look there. On a Windows computer, go to Settings > Network and Internet > WiFi > Manage Known Networks, find your network, and click Properties. Check the box that says Show Password.

If no other device has the password, you can reset the network connection on your phone and reconnect to it. This forces your phone to ask you for the password again, which means you will need to know it or have it written down somewhere. If you do not have it anywhere, your last option is to reset the router itself — but this erases all settings, so only do this if you are comfortable setting up the router from scratch.

Resetting your network connection without losing the password

If your phone is having trouble connecting to WiFi, you can "forget" the network and reconnect without losing the password permanently. On iPhone, go to Settings > WiFi, tap the information icon next to the network name, and tap Forget This Network. Then go back to the WiFi list, find the network again, and reconnect — your phone will ask you to enter the password.

On Android, go to Settings > Network and Internet > WiFi, long-press the network name, and tap Forget. Then scan for networks again and reconnect. This clears any corrupted connection data but does not affect the password itself — your phone will remember it once you reconnect.

This is different from resetting the router, which erases the password from the router's memory entirely. Resetting your phone's connection is safe and often fixes connection problems without affecting other devices.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I see my WiFi password if I do not have Face ID or Touch ID on my iPhone?

No. iPhone requires biometric authentication or your passcode to display saved passwords. If you have a passcode set, you can use that instead of Face ID or Touch ID. If you have neither, you cannot view the password through Settings.

What if someone else set up the WiFi network on my account?

If the network was set up on a shared family account or by another user on your device, your phone may not have permission to display the password. Ask the person who set it up, or reset the network connection on your phone and reconnect using the password they provide.

Does showing someone my WiFi password QR code let them see my password forever?

No. The QR code is temporary and only works while it is displayed on your screen. Once you close the menu, the code is gone. Someone would need to scan it in that moment to use it. Taking a photo of the code later does not help them.

Will resetting my router erase the password from my phone?

No. Resetting the router erases the password from the router itself, but your phone keeps a copy of the old password in its memory. Your phone will not be able to connect until you set up the router again and create a new password, then reconnect your phone with the new one.

Can I change my WiFi password from my phone?

No. You must change the password through the router's settings, which you access by opening a web browser and going to your router's admin page (usually 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1). You will need the router's admin username and password, which is different from the WiFi password.