Last updated September 5, 2026
Your iPhone can hand a WiFi password to another Apple device with one tap, and since iOS 18 it can also show a QR code that any phone, tablet, or laptop can scan to join. This guide covers both methods, how to find and copy the password when you need to type it into a TV or printer, and what to do when the Share Password prompt never shows up.
Key Takeaways
- Apple's Share Password prompt works between iPhones, iPads, and Macs. Both devices need WiFi and Bluetooth on, an Apple Account signed in, Personal Hotspot off, and each other saved in Contacts using the Apple Account email or phone number.
- To share with Android, Windows, or anyone not in your contacts, open the Passwords app on iOS 18 or later, tap WiFi, pick the network, and tap Show Network QR Code. They scan it with their camera.
- You can read and copy the password itself in Settings, WiFi, tap the info button, tap Password. Face ID or your passcode unlocks it.
- If the prompt does not appear, the missing piece is almost always the contact card. It must contain the other person's Apple Account email or phone number, and both people need each other saved.
Before You Start: What Both Devices Need
The one-tap method is built on Bluetooth and your Apple Account, so it has a short but strict list of requirements. Run through it once and the sharing itself takes a few seconds.
- Two Apple devices. The sharing device is an iPhone. The receiving device can be an iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Android and Windows use the QR code method below instead.
- Current software. Both devices should be on the latest iOS, iPadOS, or macOS. Check under Settings, General, Software Update.
- WiFi and Bluetooth on. Turn both on for both devices. The prompt travels over Bluetooth, and the sharing phone must be connected to the network it is sharing.
- Apple Account signed in. Each person needs to be signed into their own Apple Account on their device.
- 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.
Share Your WiFi Password From iPhone to Another iPhone, iPad, or Mac
Once the requirements are met, this is the whole process. There is nothing to configure ahead of time.
- Unlock your iPhone and make sure it is connected to the WiFi network you want to share. Open Settings, tap WiFi, and confirm the network has a checkmark next to it.
- Bring the other device close, within a few feet. It needs to be in Bluetooth range.
- On the other device, open WiFi settings and tap the name of your network. A password box appears. Leave it open and do not type anything.
- Watch your iPhone. Within a few seconds, a card slides up asking if you want to share the WiFi password with that person. Tap Share Password.
- Tap Done. The password fills in on the other device automatically and it joins the network. The password is saved on their device, so they reconnect on their own next time.
The password is never displayed during this process, so you can share a network without the other person ever seeing what the password is.
Share With Android, Windows, or Anyone Not in Your Contacts
The Share Password prompt only works between Apple devices, and only between people who have each other saved. For everyone else, iOS 18 added a QR code that skips all of that. It works for Android phones, Windows laptops, smart TVs with a camera app, and house guests you would rather not add to your contacts.
- Open the Passwords app on your iPhone. It is a separate app on iOS 18 and later; on iOS 17 and earlier this feature is not available.
- Tap WiFi. Your current network is 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 appears offering to join the network. They tap it and connect.
Take a screenshot of the QR code and you have a reusable guest pass. Print it for a rental, a shop counter, or the fridge. It keeps working until you change the network name or password.
Find, View, or Copy Your WiFi Password
Some devices cannot receive a shared password or scan a code: game consoles, printers, older TVs, and most smart home gear. For those you need the actual characters. Your iPhone stores 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 blue info button next to the network name.
- Tap the Password field. Unlock with Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode, and the password appears with a Copy option.
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 tap Copy Password.
This also works for networks you are not currently connected to, as long as your iPhone joined them at some point. If the network was saved on another of your Apple devices, iCloud Keychain usually syncs it over, so a password your Mac learned often shows up here too.
Need to change the password, not share it?
That happens in the router's admin page, not on the iPhone. Our router login guide covers the address and default password for every major brand and ISP gateway.
Sharing From a Mac or iPad
The nearby share works in every direction between Apple devices, not just from an iPhone. A Mac running macOS High Sierra or later shows the same Share Password prompt when a contact's iPhone tries to join a network the Mac is connected to. The Mac needs WiFi and Bluetooth on, the same Apple Account sign-in, and the other person in its Contacts. On an iPad the steps are identical to the iPhone.
The Passwords app is on iPad and Mac as well, so Show Network QR Code is available there with macOS Sequoia or iPadOS 18 and later.
Troubleshooting: WiFi Password Share Not Working on iPhone
The Share Password prompt only appears when every condition on Apple's checklist is met at the same time, and it fails silently when one is missing. Work through the list in order. Most of the time the fix is in the first three.
Check the basics on both phones
- WiFi and Bluetooth are on. Turn them on in Settings, not just Control Center. The Control Center toggles only disconnect nearby devices until the next day and can leave the radio in a state that blocks the prompt.
- Personal Hotspot is off. If either phone is running a hotspot, sharing will not trigger.
- Both devices are signed into an Apple Account. A phone that is signed out will never get the prompt.
- Both devices are up to date. Install anything pending under Settings, General, Software Update.
Confirm you are in each other's Contacts
This is the step people miss. Each person needs the other saved in Contacts, and the saved card needs the email address or phone number that person uses for their Apple Account. A contact with only a work email will not match. Open the card, tap Edit, and add the Apple Account email if it is missing. Both directions matter: you need them saved, and they need you saved.
Get the sharing phone ready
The iPhone that has the password must be unlocked, awake, and connected to the network being shared, not just in range of it. Keep the two devices within a few feet. Then have the other person tap the network name and leave the password box open. The prompt should appear on your screen within a few seconds.
Still nothing? Reset the connection
- On both phones, toggle WiFi and Bluetooth off in Settings, wait ten seconds, and turn them back on.
- Have the other person close the password dialog and tap the network name again.
- Restart both devices. This clears a stuck Bluetooth handshake more often than any other step.
- On the sharing phone, go to Settings, WiFi, tap the info button next to the network, and tap Forget This Network. Rejoin it by typing the password once, then try sharing again.
Skip the prompt entirely
If the prompt refuses to appear, the QR code in the Passwords app does not depend on Bluetooth, contacts, or the other person's device brand. Use it and move on. On iOS 17 or earlier, read the password from Settings and type it in.
When the problem is the router, not the phone
If sharing works but the new device drops off right away or cannot load anything, the router is usually the culprit. A guest network with client isolation turned on, a router that has hit its device limit, or an old router that only supports 2.4 GHz can all cause this. Restart the router first. If the problem comes back, the router is the thing to fix.
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Is It Safe to Share Your WiFi Password This Way?
Yes, and it is safer than the alternatives. The nearby share sends the password encrypted between the two devices, and the other person never sees the characters. The QR code carries the network name and password inside it, so treat a printed code the way you would treat the password written on paper: fine on your fridge, not fine posted online.
The bigger question is who you are letting on. Anyone on your main network can see your other devices and use your bandwidth. For guests, contractors, and short-term visitors, most routers can run a separate guest network with its own password. Share that one instead. When the visit is over, change the guest password and every device that used it drops off, while your own devices stay connected.
If you have shared your main password with more people than you can remember, changing it is the reset button. Every device you own will need the new one, which is exactly the situation the QR code was made for.
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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 can't I share my WiFi password?
Nine times out of ten, one of the requirements is missing: Bluetooth off on one phone, Personal Hotspot on, or the contact card lacking the other person's Apple Account email. Check the troubleshooting section above, and if the prompt still will not appear, use the QR code instead.
Do I have to be near the other device?
Yes, for the nearby share. It uses Bluetooth, so both devices need to be within a few feet. The QR code has no distance limit; you can text a screenshot of it to someone across the country.
Can I share a WiFi password I don't know?
Yes. As long as your iPhone is connected to the network, both the nearby share and the QR code work without you ever seeing the password. You can also reveal it in Settings if you want to know it.
Can I share my WiFi password to a Mac?
Yes. The Mac needs WiFi and Bluetooth on, must be signed into an Apple Account, and needs you in its Contacts with your Apple Account email. Have the Mac select your network, then tap Share Password on your iPhone.
Does the person I shared with keep the password?
Their device saves it and reconnects automatically. They can view it on their own device the same way you can. If that is a concern, share a guest network password instead, and change it when they leave.
Why is the QR code option missing on my iPhone?
Show Network QR Code lives in the Passwords app, which arrived with iOS 18. Update your iPhone, or if it cannot run iOS 18, read the password from Settings, WiFi, info button, Password and type it in.
