Forgot your home Wi-Fi password, and your router is in an inconvenient location where you can't find the sticker with the code? Or do you need to share your network with guests, but don't have time to tweak the router settings? iPhone There are several ways to retrieve the saved password from Wi-Fi — some of them work even without jailbreak and additional programs.
Unlike Android, where network passwords are often available in clear text, Apple hides this information deeper, supposedly for security reasons. But workarounds do exist. In this article, we'll look at 5 proven methods, including official ones (through iCloud Keychain And Mac) and semi-official (using short commands and third-party utilities). We'll also explain why some methods stopped working after updates. iOS and what to do if you have an old version of the system.
1. Method via "Settings" (only for iOS 16+ and Mac owners)
With the exit iOS 16 AppleFinally added the ability to view passwords from Wi-Fi right in the settings iPhone — but with an important limitation: this method works only if you have Mac with the same account iCloudWithout a computer from Apple It won't be possible to do without it.
Here's how to do it:
- 📱 Open
Settingson iPhone and go toWi-Fi. - 🔍 Find the network whose password you need to know in the list and tap on the icon
ⓘnext to its name. - 🔑 In the menu that opens, select
Password- the system will ask for confirmation throughFace ID,Touch IDor a password code. - 🖥️ If you see a message instead of a password
Wi-Fi passwords are synced with your iCloud Keychain., then you'll have to use Mac (instructions below in section 3).
⚠️ Attention: On iPhone With iOS 15 and this method is older doesn't work — Apple didn't provide direct access to passwords. If you have an older version of the system, skip this section and read on.
If you have successfully seen the password, you can copy it (hold your finger on the field with the code) or share it via AirDrop/MessagesBut what to do if Mac Don't have it at hand?
2. How to find out your Wi-Fi password using Personal Hotspot (without a Mac)
Little-known life hack: if your iPhone ever shared internet through modem mode (hotspot) for the same network Wi-Fi, the password may have been saved in the access point settings. This method works on all versions. iOS, but it doesn't always work.
Instructions:
- Open
Settings → Tethering(orCellular → Personal Hotspoton some models). - Check if the slider is enabled
Allow othersIf not, turn it on. - Tap on
Wi-Fi password(orPassword for connection). The same code as for your home network may appear here.
Why does this work? The thing is that iOS sometimes copies the password from the connected network to the distribution settings if the network is the same. However this is not a rule, but an exception - if the passwords do not match, the method will not work.
3. View password via iCloud Keychain on Mac
The most reliable way is to use key chain iCloud on the computer MacThis method works even if iPhone A message about password synchronization is displayed. The main condition: Mac And iPhone must be tied to one Apple ID.
Step-by-step instructions:
- 🖥️ On Mac open the application
Search(magnifying glass in the upper right corner) and enterKeychain Access(orBunch of keys(in Russian). - 🔍 In the window that opens, enter the name of your company in the search bar. Wi-Fi-networks.
- 📋 Double-click on the found entry → check the box
Show password. - 🔐 The system will ask for your account password Mac - enter it.
After this, the password will be displayed in clear text. You can copy it or write it down.
| Condition | Will this method work? | Note |
|---|---|---|
Mac And iPhone on one Apple ID |
✅ Yes | Passwords are synchronized automatically. |
| Mac on macOS Ventura or newer | ✅ Yes | Interface Keychain Access may differ slightly. |
| No Mac, only Windows-PC | ❌ No | For Windows needed iCloud for Windows, but passwords Wi-Fi they are not displayed there. |
| iPhone with jailbreak | ⚠️ Partially | You can use tweaks like WiFi Passwords, but it's not safe. |
⚠️ Attention: If you recently reset your network settings on iPhone (Settings → General → Transfer or reset → Reset network settings), password fromKeychainmay have been deleted. In this case, you will have to reconnect to the network.
4. Using Shortcuts to Extract Password
For users who do not want to connect Mac, there is a workaround through the app Teams (Shortcuts). This method requires one-time setup, but then allows you to get passwords in a few seconds.
How does this work:
- Download this shortcut (or create it manually using the instructions below).
- Open
Teamson iPhone → go to the tabMy teams→ click+→Add a command. - Select
Actions→Scripts→Execute a shell command(Run Shell Script). - In the code field, paste:
security find-generic-password -wa "YOUR_NETWORK_NAME"(replace
YOUR NETWORK NAMEin real name Wi-Fi). - Save the command and run it. The password will appear in the output.
This method works because iOS stores passwords in a system vault that can be accessed through shell-commands. However starting from iOS 17.4, Apple started blocking such requests without superuser rights, so the method may stop working in the future.
Why does Apple restrict access to passwords?
The company justifies this by security considerations: if an attacker gains physical access to an unlocked iPhone, they can retrieve all stored passwords. However, this creates inconvenience for legitimate users who have simply forgotten their network code.
5. Third-party applications: risks and alternatives
IN App Store There are dozens of applications that promise to show passwords from Wi-Fi — from WiFi Password Show to Network Analyzer. But most of them don't work on current versions iOS for two reasons:
- 🚫 Apple Prevents applications from accessing system passwords without jailbreaking.
- 🕵️♂️ Many "viewers" simply show saved in
iCloud Keychaindata that you can already see on Mac. - 💣 Some programs require root access, which automatically voids the warranty iPhone.
The only exception is utilities for devices with jailbreak, For example:
WiFi Passwords (from the repository BigBoss) or NetworkListThey extract passwords directly from system files, but their use is associated with risks:
- 🔓 Security breach (jailbreaking exposes vulnerabilities).
- 📱 Loss of warranty from Apple.
- 🔄 After the update iOS The jailbreak will be lost and passwords may become inaccessible.
If you decide to jailbreak, remember: Starting with iOS 15, Apple has been actively blocking vulnerabilities used for hacking, so the chances of success decrease with each new version of the system..
6. What to do if none of the methods worked?
If all the above methods do not help, there are three options left:
- Reset the password on the router.
- 🔧 Find the button
Reseton the back of the router (usually it's recessed and requires a paperclip). - 🕒 Hold it for 10-15 seconds until the indicators flash.
- 📋 The password will be reset to the factory default (indicated on the router sticker).
- 🔧 Find the button
If you have access to Mac or Windows-PC, connect it to the router via Ethernet-cable, go to the router control panel (usually at the address 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1) and look at the password in the settings Wi-Fi.
If your router was provided by your internet service provider, call support—they can reset your password remotely or provide it based on your contract details.
⚠️ Attention: After resetting the router, all personal settings (includingIP-addresses,DNS, guest networks) will return to factory settings. If you changed them, you will have to set them up again. Check in advance whether you have access to your provider's settings (login/password forPPPoE, if used).
If you rent a place or use a corporate network, resetting your router may not be possible without the administrator's permission. In this case, the only option is to ask the network owner for the password.
Do you have physical access to the device? | Are the factory login/password (from the sticker) written down? | Is there a backup copy of the router settings? | Have other network users been warned in advance?
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions About Wi-Fi Passwords on iPhone
Is it possible to find out the Wi-Fi password on an iPhone without a Mac?
Yes, but with restrictions:
- On iOS 16+ The password is sometimes displayed in the network settings (section 1 of the article).
- If iPhone distributed the Internet through
Modem mode, the password may be the same (section 2). - On jailbroken devices, you can use special tweaks.
Without Mac and the chances of jailbreaking are minimal.
Why isn't there a "Password" button for my network in iPhone settings?
This happens for three reasons:
- Do you have iOS 15 or older - the function appeared only in iOS 16.
- Password not saved in
iCloud Keychain(for example, if the network was added manually without synchronization). - You are connected to the network via
WPSor another protocol that does not require a password.
Is it possible to find out the password for someone else's Wi-Fi connection that their iPhone has connected to?
No, unless you own the network. All legal methods (through iCloud Keychain, Mac or settings) require confirmation of access rights (password from Apple ID, device passcode, etc.).
Attempts to hack into someone else's network violate:
- 📜 Law "On Personal Data" (in some countries).
- 📜 Terms of Use Apple (may lead to blocking
Apple ID).
How to save your Wi-Fi password so you don't forget it?
Three reliable ways:
- Notes with lock: Create a post in
Notes, password protected (Note Settings → Block). - Password Manager: Use
1Password,Keeperor built-iniCloud Keychain. - Photo of the router sticker: Take a photo of the sticker with factory data and save the photo in
Photoin the albumHidden.
Why did Shortcuts stop working after updating iOS?
Apple regularly tightens its security policy. Starting with iOS 17.4:
- 🔒 Access to system passwords is blocked through
shell-commands without rightsroot. - 🛡️ Application isolation (sandboxing) has been strengthened, preventing third-party utilities from reading data Wi-Fi.
If this feature is critical to you, please roll back to iOS 16 (if possible for your model) or use Mac to view passwords.