There are moments when you want to view and access your Wi-Fi passwords through your iPhone. Be it to share with friends, or login into another device, like your Mac.
Unfortunately, there’s no specialized feature or direct method to get to your passwords easily, unless the iPhone runs specific apps for this, but there are workarounds that can help.
As a tech enthusiast and avid iPhone user for a decade now, I know a lot about software technology and in this article, we will walk you through step-by-step how to view and share your saved Wi-Fi passwords on your iPhone.
I’ll outline three methods that you can use.
Contents
Method 1: Retrieving Password from Wi-Fi Settings and Router
If you’re looking to access your current network’s Wi-Fi password, follow the steps below:
Step 1: On an iPhone, navigate to Settings then to Wi-Fi. Press the i icon next to your current network to get to the router details (these steps only work for the router you’re currently connected to).
Step 2: Scroll and trace the Router number in the IPV4 ADDRESS section, hold down on the numbers next to the router to Copy.
Step 3: Long hold the search bar on your browser and Paste (on your iPhone, you may use any browser, such as Safari or Chrome).
Step 4: Input the username and password for your router (the username and password for your router may not be the same as your WiFi login password. Usually, the username and/or password for your router may be written somewhere on the router or in the router manual)
Step 5: Click on Wireless settings. This is normally found in a menu on the left side of your screen. However, depending on your router, this button may have a different name.
You may have to tap through additional buttons to access your wireless router’s basic or security settings, which normally include your WiFi password.
Step 6: Finally, under the network name, you will find your WiFi password.
From here, you may choose to erase your WiFi password and replace it with something more memorable. Just make sure to save your changes after you’re done because otherwise, they won’t take effect.
Method 2: Sharing Wi-Fi Password with Other iPhone Users via Bluetooth
Although you can’t look up your Wi-Fi password on your iPhone directly, there is a simple method to share it with others. As long as you’re both on iOS 11 or later, you should be fine.
To start off, as mentioned you’ll need to both be running iOS 11 and up, additionally, both have Bluetooth on, and have the person’s contact ID in your Contacts app.
Follow the steps below next:
- Place your iPhone in close proximity to your friend’s iPhone (or iPad). To use this function, the devices must be in close physical proximity.
- Your contact should use their iPhone to connect to the Wi-Fi network whose password you wish to share.
- From the bottom of your iPhone screen, the Share Your Wi-Fi window will appear. Tap the Share Password button.
- Your iPhone will send your Wi-Fi password to your friend’s device, and their iPhone will auto-connect to your Wi-Fi network.
Your friend will now be able to gain access to your Wi-Fi and use it.
Method 3: Using iCloud Keychain to View WiFi Passwords
You cannot access your stored WiFi passwords on your iPhone. However, this does not prevent you from accessing any of your device’s stored passwords. On your iPhone, the Keychain function allows you to access all of your stored passwords, including those from other websites.
WiFi credentials are usually recorded in the iCloud Keychain. Apple’s iCloud Keychain is a password management tool that allows you to save your passwords and effectively sync them across all of your Apple devices. This enables you to access passwords saved on your Mac or iPhone and vice versa.
It first syncs them to iCloud and then to all your other Apple devices. Therefore, you can use Keychain to access and view all your passwords. To do this, follow the steps below.
Step 1: From your iPhone’s home screen, open the Settings app. Tap on your name banner at the top, and select iCloud.
Step 2: Scroll down and select Keychain.
Step 3: Activate this setting to sync the passwords, they should now be visible and accessible on your Mac.
Conclusion
It can be very difficult to directly access your Wi-Fi password on the iPhone itself, this is done for your own protection and security.
Accessing your Wi-Fi password should not be an issue, if you have access to your router login information, are trying to log in using your Mac, or maybe looking to share it with your friends, significant other, colleagues, or family.
There are other ways of gaining access to your Wi-Fi passwords involving the use of “low effort” third-party apps and/or jailbreaking your iPhone. Please note that the use of these methods should be done with a lot of care and discretion.
Hope the steps I’ve outlined above work for you and of course, feel free to leave any questions you might have below.