A situation when friends come to visit you or you need to connect a new gadget, but you don’t remember Wi-Fi password, is extremely common. Writing down complex character combinations on pieces of paper that are then lost has become a bad habit, affecting millions of users. Fortunately, modern smartphones often store this data in encrypted storage, allowing you to retrieve it if needed.
The methods for restoring access to your network security key vary greatly depending on your device's operating system. If you own Android versions 10 and higher, the process is maximally simplified by the built-in system tools. For owners iPhone You'll have to resort to the Apple ecosystem or more complex workarounds. In this article, we'll detail all the legal ways to extract a phone's WiFi password without using malware.
It's worth noting that this applies exclusively to networks to which your device has previously connected. Hacking someone else's Wi-Fi is illegal, and the methods discussed below are intended only for administering your own networks or restoring access to known access points with the owner's permission.
View saved networks on Android 10 and later
Starting with the tenth version, the operating system Android has a native QR code generation feature for Wi-Fi sharing. This isn't just a convenient way to grant access to guests, but also a great way to see the password itself in plain text. You don't need to install any third-party apps or get root rights, which makes this method the safest and fastest.
To get started, open your smartphone's settings and go to the section Network and Internet or Connections. Select an item Wi-Fi Find the network you're currently connected to or a previously saved network in the list (in some apps, you need to tap the gear next to the network name). If the network is active, you'll see a "Share" button or a QR code icon.
After clicking on the sharing button, the system will ask you to confirm your identity using biometrics (fingerprint, Face ID) or screen unlock PIN. This is an important security measure to prevent data theft by thieves if your phone is lost. After successful authentication, a QR code will appear on the screen.
⚠️ Note: On some smartphone models (e.g., Xiaomi or Samsung), the password may be hidden by asterisks under the QR code. In this case, take a screenshot and open it in Google Lens or any QR code reader app from your gallery – it will recognize the code and display the password text.
If the text doesn't appear under the QR code, use the "Share" feature via messaging apps. Send the network card to yourself via WhatsApp or Telegram (in "Favorites"). The text message you receive in response often contains the full connection string, including the password.
How to view your password on older versions of Android
For owners of devices with the operating system version Android Below 10 (e.g. 6, 7, 8, 9) you will have to deal with security restrictions. In these versions, the file storing the Wi-Fi network configuration (wpa_supplicant.conf), is closed to regular user access. Simply changing the settings won't help here.
The only working way to access this file is to have root rights (superuser rights). If your phone is already rooted, you can use a file manager with access to system folders, for example, Root Explorer or ES File Explorer (with root functions enabled). You need to go to the path /data/misc/wifi/ and find the file wpa_supplicant.conf.
Opening this file with a text editor will show you a list of all the networks ever connected. Look for the line ssid="Network_Name", and immediately below it there will be a line psk="Your_Password"This is the desired character combination. Be extremely careful when editing system files to avoid disrupting the communication module.
- 📱 Make sure that superuser rights are installed on your device (Magisk, SuperSU).
- 📂 Use a file manager with root access support.
- 🔍 Go to the directory
/data/misc/wifi/. - 📝 Open the file
wpa_supplicant.confand find the fieldpsk.
If you don't have root access, your only option is to access the router settings through a browser if you know the password for the device's admin panel. We'll discuss this method in the following sections.
What to do if root access blocks banking apps?
Many banks don't work on rooted devices. In this case, you can use Magisk Hide's root hiding feature or temporarily disable security modules before launching financial apps. However, this reduces the overall level of data security.
Finding a WiFi password on an iPhone (iOS)
Ecosystem users Apple For a long time, there was no way to easily view saved passwords. The situation changed with the release of iOS 16The key viewing function is now built directly into the settings, making the process simple but requiring a current operating system version.
To find out the password, open Settings and go to the section Wi-FiFind the network whose password you want to find out. Next to the network name, click the blue information icon. (i)In the menu that opens, find the "Password" field. It will initially be hidden by dots.
Tap the field with dots. The system will ask you to authenticate via Face ID, Touch ID or a passcode. Once successfully confirmed, the password will be displayed in plain text. You can copy it or use the "Share" button to send it to another nearby Apple device.
| iOS version | Viewing method | Do I need a jailbreak? | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| iOS 16 and later | Wi-Fi settings | No | All models |
| iOS 15 and later | Via Keychain Access (Mac) | No | Only with Mac |
| Any version | Jailbreak + Tweaks | Yes | Risky |
For older versions of iOS, the only legal method is to use a Mac with iCloud Keychain sync enabled. On your Mac, open the Keychain app, find your network name, and check "Show password" in the Properties.
Login to the router admin panel via a browser
A universal method that works on any smartphone (Android, iOS) and regardless of the operating system version, this is the login to the router's web interface. If you've ever changed the router's settings or know the password for its admin panel, you can find the Wi-Fi security key there.
First, make sure your phone is connected to the router's Wi-Fi network (even if there's no internet, the local connection should work). Open any browser (Chrome, Safari, Yandex) and enter the router's IP address in the address bar. Most often, this is 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1The exact address is often written on a sticker on the bottom of the device.
After entering the address, the system will ask for a login and password. By default, this is often admin/admin or admin/password, but if you've changed them before, use your own details. Once in the menu, look for the sections Wireless, Wi-Fi or Wireless networkIn the "Security" or "Security Settings" subsections there will be a field Wireless Password or PSK.
⚠️ Note: Router interfaces (TP-Link, ASUS, Keenetic, D-Link) vary significantly. If you can't find the field you need, use the page search (magnifying glass in the menu) or consult the official manual for your router model, as the menu layout may change after firmware updates.
This method is great because you see not just the saved password, but the current key that the router is currently distributing. If someone changed the password remotely, you'll see the new version.
☑️ Checking access to the router
Using the ADB Command Line (Advanced)
For users who don't want to root but have technical skills, there is a debugging method through ADB (Android Debug Bridge)This method requires connecting your phone to a computer and having a set of ADB drivers and utilities installed on the PC.
The method involves sending a special command that queries the Android system for saved Wi-Fi configurations. However, starting with Android 10, Google patched this vulnerability, and the command may not work without root access on newer devices. On Android 9 and below, this method works perfectly.
Connect your phone to your PC in USB debugging mode. Open a command prompt on your computer in the ADB folder and enter the following command:
adb shell dumpsys wifi | grep "mConfigKey"Or a more complete option to view all networks:
adb pull /data/misc/wifi/wpa_supplicant.confThe second option requires superuser privileges even via ADB on most devices. The first option may output some information to the log, but modern smartphone shells often mask sensitive data even in debug logs.
- 💻 Enable "USB debugging" in the developer menu.
- 🔌 Connect the cable to a computer with ADB installed.
- ⌨️ Enter the command
adb devicesto check the connection. - 📜 Use commands
dumpsysto analyze configs.
Resetting the router to factory settings
If none of the software methods helped, you don’t remember the password for the router admin panel, and you don’t have a computer with saved passwords at hand, the last resort is a complete reset (Reset). This will return the device to its out-of-the-box state.
There is a small hole with an inscription on the router body. Reset or DefaultPress it with a paperclip and hold it for 10-15 seconds until the lights blink. After rebooting, the router will broadcast Wi-Fi with the factory password (indicated on the sticker) or without a password.
However, remember: after resetting, you'll need to reconfigure your internet connection (enter your ISP login and password if you're using PPPoE or L2TP) and set a new network name. Make sure you have your ISP contract or login information handy before beginning the process.
⚠️ Note: Resetting the settings will delete all changes: network name, Wi-Fi password, port settings, parental controls, and static IP addresses. Only use this method if you are willing to spend 15-20 minutes reconfiguring your equipment.
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions
Is it possible to find out the Wi-Fi password without rooting Android 7?
On Android 7, this is extremely difficult to do using standard tools. System file wpa_supplicant.conf Closed. The only option without root is to use ADB backup with a full app backup, but this requires extensive knowledge and may not work on some firmware versions. The easiest way is to view the password in the router's admin panel.
Why isn't my iPhone showing my password even though I have iOS 16?
Make sure you're viewing the network your phone is currently connected to or that's saved in iCloud Keychain. Also, check that keychain sync is enabled in your Apple ID settings. If the network is a corporate network with a special security certificate, viewing the password may be prohibited by corporate policy.
Is it safe to use Wi-Fi hacking apps?
Apps from the Play Market with names like "WiFi Password Hacker" are 99% fake or advertising garbage. They can't crack WPA2/WPA3 encryption by brute-force in a reasonable amount of time. Moreover, they often steal your personal data. Use only trusted system functions or administration software.
What to do if the QR code cannot be read?
Try increasing your screen brightness and cleaning the camera. If that doesn't help, take a screenshot and open it in Google Photos or Gallery—they often have a built-in "Search by Image" feature (Google Lens), which recognizes QR codes directly from images and displays the text.