How to find out a Wi-Fi password through a phone connected to it: working methods 2026

Forgot your home Wi-Fi password, and the router is in the attic, and the sticker with the code has long since worn off? This situation is familiar to many people—especially when guests need to connect their laptop, and you can't remember the 20-character combination. Luckily, if your phone is already connected to the network, the password can be extracted directly from it — without access to the router and without any complicated manipulations. In this article, we'll look at legal methods For Android And iPhone, including bypassing restrictions on new versions of iOS.

But before we get into the instructions, it's important to clarify: We are talking only about your own network.Extracting passwords from other people's access points is violation of the law (Article 272 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation on unauthorized access to computer information). All methods below work. exclusively for networks to which your phone is already legally connected.

On Android The process is simpler - the system allows you to view saved passwords directly (starting with version 10). But for owners iPhone you will have to use workarounds: from viewing through iCloud Settings before temporarily connecting to a Mac. But first things first.

1. Method for Android: standard password viewing (without root)

Starting from Android 10Google has added the ability to view saved Wi-Fi passwords directly in Settings. This is the simplest and most secure method, but it works. not on all firmwareFor example, on Samsung One UI or Xiaomi MIUI the path may differ.

Instructions:

1. Open Settings → Network and Internet (or Connections on Samsung).
2. Select Wi-Fi → Find your network in the list and tap on its name.
3. Click Share (or Share (on English firmware).
4. The system will ask for confirmation. PIN code, fingerprint or pattern.
5. After authorization you will see QR code and a text password underneath it.

⚠️ Attention: On some devices (eg. Huawei or Realme) option Share may be missing. In this case, try alternative methods from the following sections.

If you have Android 9 or later, this method won't work - you'll have to use ADB commands (section 3) or third-party applications (section 4).

Make sure your phone is connected to the correct Wi-Fi network|

Check your Android version (Settings → About phone)|

Battery charge of at least 30% (in case of failure)|

Disable VPN (may block system functions)-->

2. iPhone Method: View via iCloud (only for your networks)

Apple is severely restricting access to Wi-Fi passwords iPhone, but there is a legal workaround through iCloud Keychain (if you have Mac or another Apple device). The method works on iOS 13+ and requires that the function iCloud Password Sync was activated.

Step-by-step instructions:

1. On iPhone open Settings → Apple ID (your name) → iCloud.
2. Make sure the switch is on Keychain (or Passwords and keys (in Russian).
3. On Mac open the application Bunch of keys (Keychain Access).
4. Enter the name of your Wi-Fi network in the search bar.
5. Double-click on the found entry → check the box Show password.
6. Enter your account password Mac - after this the Wi-Fi password will be displayed.

⚠️ Attention: If you don't have Mac, this method won't work. The alternative is to temporarily borrow a friend's laptop with macOS or use cloud service (section 5).

One more nuance: Passwords are only synced between devices with the same Apple ID.If you've signed in to iCloud with multiple accounts, your data may not appear.

3. Universal Method: ADB Commands for Android (No Root)

If your Android older than version 10 or the manufacturer has blocked viewing of passwords, you can use Android Debug Bridge (ADB)This is an official tool from Google that does not require root privileges (root), but are needed USB debugging and a computer.

What you will need:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows, macOS or Linux.
• 📱 USB cable (preferably original).
• 🔧 Installed drivers ADB (you can download it from the Google website).
• 🔑 USB debugging enabled on the phone.

Instructions:

1. Activate Developer mode on the phone: Settings → About phone → Build number (tap 7 times).
2. Return to Settings → System → Developer Options and turn it on USB debugging.
3. Connect your phone to your PC and trust the computer.
4. Open Command line (Windows) or Terminal (macOS/Linux) and enter:

   adb shell
   su -c "cat /data/misc/wifi/WifiConfigStore.xml | grep 'SSID='"

   (replace SSID the name of your network if you need to find a specific one).

5. To see the password, run:

   su -c "cat /data/misc/wifi/WifiConfigStore.xml | grep 'PreSharedKey='"

   The password will be in quotes after PreSharedKey.

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware (for example, MIUI 14+) The path to the password file may differ. If the command doesn't work, try:

adb pull /data/misc/wifi/WifiConfigStore.xml

and open the downloaded file in a text editor.

4. Password Viewer Apps (with caveats)

IN Google Play And App Store There are dozens of apps that promise to reveal Wi-Fi passwords. 90% of them are scams or virusesWe tested several working options, but with important limitations:

Safe Android apps:

• 🔓 WiFi Password Viewer (requires root on older Androids).
• 📱 WiFi Key Recovery (works only on firmware versions up to Android 9).
• 🔍 Network Info II (shows technical data of the network, but not always the password).

For iPhone:

• 🚫 There are no working applications In the App Store, Apple is blocking access to system passwords.
• 💻 The only option is to use Mac And Keychain Access (section 2).

Important: No app can reveal your iPhone's Wi-Fi password without syncing with a Mac or jailbreaking it. Any app in the App Store that promises this is either fake or is collecting your data.

⚠️ AttentionInstall apps only from official stores and check reviews. Fraudulent programs can:

• 🕵️ Steal data from your networks.
• 📱 Install malware.
• 💰 Subscribe to paid services.

5. Cloud services and backups

If you have a backup of your phone, you can try extracting the password from it. This method works for both types of devices, but requires some technical skill.

For Android:

• 📁 Use Titanium Backup (requires root) or Swift Backup to extract data from /data/misc/wifi.
• 🔄 Restore the backup to another device and view the password using the standard settings.

For iPhone:

• 🖥️ Make a backup via iTunes or Finder (on macOS Catalina and later).
• 🔍 Use the program iExplorer or iMazing to view backup files.
• 📂 Find the file com.apple.wifi.known-networks.plist — it can store data about networks.

⚠️ Attention: Passwords in backups iPhone are often encrypted. Without special tools (like Elcomsoft Phone Breaker) they cannot be extracted.

6. Alternative solutions (if nothing helps)

If none of the methods work, there are radical (but legal) options:

Option 1: Reset the router

• 🔄 Click the button Reset on the back panel of the router (hold for 10-15 seconds).
• 📋 The password will be reset to the factory default (indicated on the router sticker).
• ⚠️ Disadvantage: You will have to configure the network again (SSID, password, channel, etc.).

Option 2: Viewing through another connected device

• 💻 If connected to the network Windows laptop, open Command line and enter:

  netsh wlan show profile name="NETWORK_NAME" key=clear

  The password will be in the line Key content.

• 🖥️ On Mac use A bunch of keys (section 2).

Option 3: Contact your provider

• 📞 Call your internet service provider's support (for example, Rostelecom, MTS, Beeline).
• 🆔 Provide your contract details - they can reset the password or give you the factory one.
• ⚠️ This service may be subject to a fee (check rates).

Frequently Asked Questions

adb shell
su -c "ls /data/misc/wifi/"