How to find your phone's Wi-Fi password: full instructions

It's quite common to need to connect a new device to your home network or share access with guests, but you've forgotten your password. Fortunately, modern smartphones Android And iOS Store data about previously used access points in memory, allowing for easy restoration without resetting the router. Users don't need to be networking experts to perform the necessary steps in just a couple of minutes.

The security key recovery procedure depends on the operating system and firmware version installed on your device. In the latest versions Android 10-14 And iOS 16+ The developers have significantly simplified access to this data by building in convenient visualization tools. However, on older devices, additional steps or the use of specialized tools may be required.

It's important to understand that you can only find the password for a network to which your phone has already connected at least once. If you've never entered a security key on this device, you won't be able to recover it software-based—you'll have to look for the information on the router itself or in your ISP contract. Below, we'll cover all the current methods for different platforms.

⚠️ Please note: Access to saved passwords is only possible if you have previously successfully connected to this network and your phone has remembered its settings.

Password recovery on Android 10 and later

Starting with OS version 10, Google has implemented a native feature for viewing passwords through the Wi-Fi menu. You don't need to install third-party apps or gain root access. Simply go to the standard system settings to view saved data.

To get started, open the settings menu and go to the section Connections or Network and Internet. Find the item Wi-Fi and tap it. If you're within range of the network you need to find the password for, simply tap the gear icon next to the access point's name. If you're far from the router, find the network you need in the "Saved Networks" list.

In the network settings menu that opens, look for the button QR code or ShareThe system will ask you to verify your identity using your fingerprint, Face ID, or screen unlock PIN. Upon successful authentication, a square code will appear on the screen, and below it, a text string containing the access key will often appear.

In some shells, for example, MIUI from Xiaomi or OneUI from Samsung, the password text may be hidden by asterisks even in the QR code menu. In this case, you can take a screenshot and open it in the app. Google Lens or any similar QR scanner that recognizes text in an image.

• 📱 Go to Wi-Fi settings and select your active network.
• 🔑 Click the "Share" button or "QR code".
• 👁️ Complete biometric verification or enter your PIN.
• 📝 Copy the password from the text field below the code.

Finding a Password on iPhone (iOS 16 and later)

For smartphone owners Apple We're no less fortunate: starting with iOS 16, the company added the long-awaited ability to view saved Wi-Fi passwords directly in System Preferences. Before this version, users had to use command macros or sync with macOS, which was inconvenient.

To find the key you need, open the application Settings on yours iPhone or iPad. Go to the section Wi-FiIn the upper right corner of the screen you will see a button Editing (or three dots in some versions), click it. A list of all networks the device has ever connected to will open.

Find the desired access point in the list and click on the blue information icon (i) next to its name. In the menu that opens, find the field Password, which will be hidden by dots. Tap this field, and the system will ask for confirmation via Face ID, Touch ID or the device passcode.

After successful verification, a text password will appear under the dots. You can copy it to the clipboard or simply remember it. This feature works reliably on all devices supporting current versions of the operating system, including iPhone 8 and newer.

⚠️ Note: The password viewer feature is only available on devices running iOS 16 and above. This method won't work on older versions (iOS 15 and below).

• 🍎 Open Settings and go to the Wi-Fi section.
• ℹ️ Click the "i" icon next to the desired network.
• 🔒 Tap the hidden "Password" field.
• ✅ Use Face ID or Touch ID to display the key.

Using Google Passwords for Android

If you can't view your password through your network settings (for example, due to a specific manufacturer's security settings), you can use Google Password Manager. This service automatically saves logins and access keys for Wi-Fi networks if syncing is enabled on your device.

Open your phone settings and find the section GoogleIn the services menu, select Autofill, and then Google Autofill. Next, go to Google Passwords or simply type "Passwords" in the settings search.

In the list of saved data that opens, use the search function to find the name of your Wi-Fi network. They are typically sorted alphabetically or by date saved. Click the desired entry, verify your identity, and you'll see your login (if any) and password.

This method is especially useful if you've forgotten the password for a network you connected to a long time ago and are now out of range. Your password manager data is synced via the cloud, so it's accessible even after resetting your phone, as long as you're logged in to your account.

What if the password is not in Google Passwords?

If the entry is missing, syncing was disabled when you connected, or you disabled password saving for that specific network. In this case, the only solution is to reset the router or search for data on other devices.

Viewing via ADB on older versions of Android

For devices running Android 9 and below, as well as for some specific builds, standard methods may not work. In such cases, the only programmatic method (without root access) is to use the debug bridge. ADB (Android Debug Bridge).

This method requires a computer (Windows, macOS, or Linux) and the driver for your phone installed. First, you need to enable developer mode on your smartphone. To do this, go to Settings → About the phone and click on the item 7 times Build number.

After activating the developer mode, go to the menu that appears For developers and turn on the toggle switch USB debuggingConnect your phone to your computer using a cable. On your computer, open a command prompt in the ADB tools folder and enter the following command to test the connection:

adb devices

A prompt will appear on your phone's screen asking if you want to debug from this computer. Click "Allow." If the device's serial number appears in the command line, the connection has been established successfully. You can now request the Wi-Fi configuration file, which stores all passwords in cleartext.

adb pull /data/misc/wifi/wpa_supplicant.conf wpa.conf

The command will copy the system file wpa_supplicant.conf to the root ADB tools folder on your computer. Open this file with any text editor (Notepad, Notepad++). Inside, you will find blocks with the network name (ssid) and the corresponding password in the field psk.

Compatibility table of methods by OS versions

To help you decide which method is best for your device, we've compiled a summary table. It covers the main operating system versions and indicates whether they support native password viewing.

As the table shows, owners of modern devices don't need to resort to complex manipulations. Problems may only arise for users of older devices that haven't updated to the latest software versions. In such cases, using ADB is the safest alternative.

Restoring access via a router

If none of the mobile methods work, or your phone can't connect to the network, you can still retrieve data directly from the router. This is a universal method that works regardless of your smartphone model.

Connect to the router using any available method: an Ethernet cable or Wi-Fi (if the device still remembers the password, even if the internet is down). Open a browser and enter the device's IP address in the address bar, usually 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1.

Enter your administrator login and password. If you haven't changed them, they're located on a sticker on the bottom of the router (often admin/admin). In the interface, find the section Wireless, Wi-Fi or Wireless networkThere in the field WPA-PSK Key or Password The current security key will be displayed.

⚠️ Caution: Be careful when changing router settings. Accidentally resetting the settings may result in the loss of your provider's settings, and your internet will stop working until you reset them.

If the standard addresses do not open, check the sticker on the device body - it often indicates the exact address to enter (for example, tplinkwifi.net or my.keenetic.net). You can also find the default gateway address in your phone's network settings and view detailed connection parameters.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Is it possible to find out someone else's Wi-Fi password if I haven't connected to it?

No, this is technically impossible without hacking. The methods described only work with data already stored in your device's memory after successful authorization. Attempts to guess the password are illegal.

Are password viewer apps safe to use?

Most apps from the Play Market that promise to reveal your password either require root access or are simply wrappers for standard Android functions. Be wary of apps that request suspicious permissions, as they may steal your data.

What to do if the QR code cannot be read?

Try increasing or decreasing the screen brightness. Make sure the camera can focus. If the built-in scanner isn't working, use a third-party QR code scanner app from a reputable source.

Will the router password be reset if I look at it on my phone?

No, simply viewing the password through your phone settings or a QR code does not affect the router's operation. Data is only read from memory; no changes are made to the network configuration.