Reading a WiFi password out loud, one character at a time, is a chore your iPhone can skip. It can pass the password to another Apple device with a single tap, and it can show a QR code that an Android phone (or anyone's phone) scans to join. This guide walks through both methods, shows where the saved password lives when you need to type it into a TV or printer, and covers what to do when the Share Password prompt refuses to appear.
Key Takeaways
- The Share Password prompt works between iPhones, iPads, and Macs. Both devices need WiFi and Bluetooth on, Personal Hotspot off, an Apple Account signed in, and each other saved in Contacts.
- To share with Android, or with anyone who is not in your Contacts, open the Passwords app (iOS 18 or later), tap WiFi, pick the network, and tap Show Network QR Code.
- You can read and copy the password itself under Settings, WiFi, the info button, Password. Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode unlocks it.
- When the prompt does not show up, the usual cause is a contact card that is missing the other person's Apple Account email or phone number. It has to be saved in both directions.
- For visitors, a guest network is the better thing to share. Your main password stays private and you can change the guest one whenever you like.
Which Sharing Method to Use
There are three ways to get someone onto your WiFi from an iPhone. The right one depends on what device they are holding.
What Both Devices Need for One-Tap Sharing
Apple's Share Password feature runs on Bluetooth and your Apple Account, so it has a short list of requirements. Every item has to be true at the same time, on both devices, or the prompt never appears.
- Two Apple devices. The sharing device is your iPhone. The receiving device can be an iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
- Current software. Both devices should have the latest version of iOS, iPadOS, or macOS they can run. Check under Settings, General, Software Update.
- WiFi and Bluetooth on. Both, on both devices.
- Apple Account signed in. Each person needs to be signed into their own Apple Account (the new name for Apple ID).
- Personal Hotspot off. If either device is running a hotspot, sharing will not trigger.
- Each other in Contacts. You need the other person saved with the email address or phone number they use for their Apple Account, and they need you saved the same way.
- Close together. Keep the two devices within a few feet of each other.
How to Share Your WiFi Password From iPhone to iPhone, iPad, or Mac
Once the list above checks out, the sharing itself takes a few seconds. There is nothing to set up ahead of time.
- Unlock your iPhone and make sure it is connected to the WiFi network you want to share.
- Have the other person pick the network. On an iPhone or iPad they open Settings, tap WiFi, and tap your network's name. On a Mac they click the WiFi icon in the menu bar and choose it. A password box appears. They leave it empty.
- Watch your iPhone. A card slides up asking whether you want to share the WiFi password with that person. Tap Share Password.
- Tap Done. The password fills in on the other device and it joins the network.
The password is never shown on screen while this happens, which makes it handy when you cannot remember it yourself. Keep in mind that the other device saves the password, so it reconnects on its own next time, and its owner can look the password up later in their own settings.
How to Share WiFi From iPhone to Android With a QR Code
The Share Password prompt is Apple-only, and it only works between people who have each other saved. For everyone else, the Passwords app that arrived with iOS 18 can turn any saved network into a QR code. It works for Android phones and tablets, and for iPhone owners you would rather not add to your Contacts.
- Open the Passwords app on your iPhone and unlock it with Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode.
- Tap WiFi. The network you are on now sits at the top, followed by every network your iPhone has saved.
- Tap the network you want to share.
- Tap Show Network QR Code.
- Have the other person open their camera and point it at your screen. A banner offers to join the network. They tap it and they are connected.
A screenshot of that code works as a reusable guest pass. Print it for the fridge, a guest room, a rental, or a shop counter, and it keeps working until the network name or password changes.
If your iPhone is on iOS 17 or earlier, there is no built-in QR code. Read the password using the steps in the next section and send it or type it in.
How to See and Copy Your WiFi Password on iPhone
Some devices cannot receive a shared password or scan a code: game consoles, printers, streaming boxes, older TVs, and most smart home gear. For those you need the password itself. Your iPhone keeps the password for every network it has joined, and there are two places to read it.
In Settings (iOS 16 and later)
- Open Settings and tap WiFi.
- Tap the info button (the small circled "i") next to the network you are connected to.
- Tap the Password field and unlock with Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode. The password appears, with an option to copy it.
For a network you joined in the past, tap Edit in the top corner of the WiFi screen, unlock, then tap the info button next to that network and tap the Password field.
In the Passwords app (iOS 18 and later)
- Open Passwords and tap WiFi.
- Tap the network, then tap the Password field to reveal it or copy it.
Your iPhone can only show and share the password. Changing it happens on the router. Our guide to changing your WiFi password on any router or ISP gateway has the menu path for every major brand and provider.
Sharing From a Mac or iPad
Nearby sharing works in every direction between Apple devices. A Mac or iPad that is connected to the network shows the same Share Password prompt when one of its contacts tries to join, under the same rules: WiFi and Bluetooth on, Personal Hotspot off, and both people in each other's Contacts. The Passwords app is on iPad and Mac as well. Open it, choose WiFi, select the network, and you will find Show Network QR Code there too.
WiFi Password Sharing Not Working on iPhone? Try These Fixes
The Share Password prompt gives no error message when something is missing. It simply does not show up. Work through these in order; most of the time the fix is in the first two.
Check the basics on both devices
- WiFi and Bluetooth are both on. Look in Settings instead of Control Center. The Control Center buttons only disconnect from nearby networks and accessories for a while, so they are easy to misread.
- Personal Hotspot is off on both devices.
- Both devices are signed into an Apple Account. A device that is signed out will never trigger the prompt.
- Both devices are up to date. Install anything waiting under Settings, General, Software Update.
Fix the contact cards
This is the step people miss. Each person needs the other saved in Contacts, and the card has to include the email address or phone number that person uses for their Apple Account. A card that only has a work email or a landline will not match. Open the contact, tap Edit, and add the right email or number. Then have the other person do the same for you.
Get the sharing iPhone ready
The iPhone that holds the password must be unlocked, awake, and connected to the network being shared (being in range of it is not enough). Hold the two devices within a few feet of each other. Then have the other person tap the network name again and leave the password box open.
Restart both devices
If the prompt still does not appear, restart both devices and try once more. This is the fix Apple itself recommends, and it clears a stuck Bluetooth connection more often than anything else.
Skip the prompt
The QR code in the Passwords app does not depend on Bluetooth, Contacts, or what brand of phone the other person has. If the prompt keeps failing, use the code, or read the password from Settings and type it in.
When the router is the problem
If sharing works but the new device drops off right away or cannot load anything, look at the router instead of the phone. Restart the router first. If a device struggles to stay connected in certain rooms or at busy times of day, the router may be past what it can handle; our guide on how long routers last covers the signs.
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Is It Safe to Share Your WiFi Password This Way?
Yes. The nearby share passes the password directly from one device to the other without putting it on screen, which beats saying it out loud or texting it. The QR code is a little different: the network name and password are stored inside the code, so treat a printed copy the way you would treat the password written on paper. It is fine on your fridge and a bad idea in a photo posted online.
The bigger question is who you are letting onto the network. Anyone on your main WiFi is on the same network as your computers, cameras, and smart home devices. For guests, contractors, and short-term visitors, most routers can run a separate guest network with its own name and password. Join the guest network on your iPhone once and you can share it with the same prompt or QR code. When the visit is over, change the guest password and every device that used it drops off while your own stay connected. The guest network switch lives in your router's settings; our guide on how to log into your router shows how to get there.
If your main password has gone out to more people than you can count, changing it is the reset button. Every device you own will need the new one, which is exactly the job the QR code is good at.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I share my WiFi password from iPhone to Android?
Yes. The Share Password prompt only works between Apple devices, but on iOS 18 or later you can open the Passwords app, tap WiFi, choose the network, and tap Show Network QR Code. The Android user scans it with their camera and joins. On iOS 17 or earlier, read the password from Settings and send it to them.
Why is my iPhone not sharing the WiFi password?
One of the requirements is missing. The most common culprits are Bluetooth switched off on one device, Personal Hotspot left on, or a contact card that does not include the other person's Apple Account email or phone number. Fix those, restart both devices, and try again. If the prompt still will not appear, use the QR code.
How close do the two devices need to be?
Within a few feet for the Share Password prompt, since it relies on Bluetooth. The QR code has no distance limit. You can text a screenshot of it to someone who has not arrived yet.
Can I share a WiFi password I do not know?
Yes. As long as your iPhone is connected to the network, both the prompt and the QR code work without you ever seeing the password. You can also reveal it under Settings, WiFi, the info button, Password.
Can the other person see the password after I share it?
Yes. Their device saves it so it can reconnect, and they can view it in their own settings the same way you can. If that matters, share a guest network and change its password when they leave.
Why is there no Show Network QR Code option on my iPhone?
The option lives in the Passwords app, which arrived with iOS 18. Update your iPhone under Settings, General, Software Update. If it cannot run iOS 18, read the password from Settings and type it in on the other device.
Can I share my WiFi password from an iPhone to a Mac?
Yes. The Mac needs WiFi and Bluetooth on and an Apple Account signed in, and each of you needs the other in Contacts. Choose the network on the Mac, then tap Share Password when the card appears on your iPhone.
Related Guides
- How to Change Your WiFi Password on Any Router or ISP Gateway
- How to Log Into Your Router (Any Brand)
- How to Restart Your Router: Reboot and Power Cycle Guide
- What Is a Dual Band Router? 2.4 GHz vs 5 GHz Explained
- How Long Do Routers Last? Signs It's Time to Replace Yours
- Shop refurbished WiFi routers
