On iOS 16 or later, open Settings, tap Wi-Fi, tap the information button beside a saved network, and tap Password. Authenticate with your passcode, Face ID or Touch ID to reveal it. On iOS 18 or later, the Passwords app also provides a Wi-Fi section for saved networks.
This is useful when connecting a laptop, helping a guest join your home network or checking which password a device has saved. It does not reveal passwords for every nearby network. Start with a network the iPhone has already joined and make sure you have permission to share its credentials.
Find the currently connected network’s password
- Open Settings on the iPhone.
- Tap Wi-Fi.
- Locate the connected network and tap its information button.
- Tap the Password field.
- Authenticate using the method requested.
- Read or copy the revealed password.
Apple documents this process in its saved Wi-Fi password guide. Authentication is part of the process, so keep the phone in your possession while helping someone connect. You do not need to disclose your device passcode to share the network password.
Before copying, verify the network name. A home may have a main network, a guest network and a network created by an extender. Similar names can make it easy to share the wrong credentials. Check the exact spelling rather than relying only on the first few characters. The password requested by a router may be labelled a network security key; confirm that you are retrieving the Wi-Fi credential rather than an unrelated account password.
Find a previously joined network
If you are no longer connected to the network, open Settings, Wi-Fi and look for Edit. Authenticate to see saved networks, then choose the information button for the relevant one and reveal its password when available.
You do not have to travel back to the location simply to check a saved credential. However, what the phone remembers may not match a password the network owner changed later. Treat it as the saved value, then verify with the owner if a new device cannot connect.
A practical example is a family member setting up a tablet at home while you are elsewhere. You can read the saved home-network password, but first confirm they are selecting the correct network and are authorized to join it. Avoid sending credentials to an unfamiliar number just because a message claims to be from a relative.
Use the Passwords app where available
On iOS 18 and later, open Passwords, authenticate and choose Wi-Fi. Select the relevant network and inspect its password field. This gives you another organized route when you are looking for a network you joined previously.
Use the option that is easiest to recognize on your version of iOS. If Passwords does not look like a separate app on an older device, return to the Settings route rather than downloading an unrelated password viewer.
When helping another person, describe the screen they should see one step at a time. “Open Passwords and choose Wi-Fi” is clearer than telling them to search everywhere for a router password. Ask whether the network appears before moving to the next instruction.
Consider Apple’s nearby sharing option
If you are helping another Apple-device user nearby, Apple’s Wi-Fi sharing instructions describe a sharing prompt that can avoid manually typing the password. The devices and accounts need to meet Apple’s requirements, so read that setup before expecting the prompt to appear.
For a guest using another type of device, revealing and entering the permitted password may be the more straightforward route. A guest network can be useful when the router owner wants visitors separated from the main household network, but configuration belongs to the network owner.
Do not confuse Wi-Fi sharing with sharing an Apple Account password or a phone passcode. Those are different credentials. A person joining your network should not need access to your Apple Account or the ability to unlock your phone.
What to check if the password does not work
Read the network name and password carefully. Characters such as a lowercase letter, an uppercase letter and a number can look similar when copied from a screenshot. Pasting a copied password can reduce typing errors, but check that no extra spaces were added in the destination.
Ask whether the router password recently changed. If the iPhone has a stale saved value, the current network owner is the appropriate source for the new one. Do not reset a router simply because a second device fails to join.
If your iPhone itself cannot connect, use Apple’s Wi-Fi connection troubleshooting guide. A connection failure can involve the network or device configuration, so distinguish it from the narrower task of revealing a stored password.
When no password appears
Check the iOS version and whether the network was actually saved. A network appearing in the list of nearby networks does not mean your phone possesses its password. Some workplace or school connections also use authentication arrangements that do not behave like a simple home-network password.
For a managed device or organization network, ask the administrator for the approved connection method. Do not install a profile or certificate from an unfamiliar website just because it promises to reveal credentials.
If you own the home network but do not know the current password, use the router’s official administration method or your provider’s support instructions. Review the consequences before changing it: other household devices may need to reconnect after a password update.
Frequently asked questions
Can an iPhone show a password for any nearby Wi-Fi?
No. These instructions concern credentials saved by your device, not passwords for networks it has never joined.
Why does the iPhone ask for Face ID or a passcode?
Revealing stored credentials requires authentication. Keep your device passcode private even when you are sharing a permitted network password.
Can I use Passwords instead of Settings?
On iOS 18 and later, Passwords includes a Wi-Fi section. The Settings route remains useful when following the network information screen.
Should I send a screenshot of the password?
Prefer a method appropriate for the recipient and network owner’s rules. Avoid leaving credentials in public chats, shared screenshots or documents that others can access.
Video guide
This related video from Apple Support provides a visual companion. Screens and available features can differ by app version.
Featured photo: Photo by Jakub Żerdzicki on Unsplash.
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