Tired of reciting a complex mix of letters and numbers – or worse, having to get up and physically check the back of your router – every time a guest asks for the Wi-Fi password? Turns out your iPhone can do that for you.
Apple actually launched the password sharing feature back in 2017 alongside iOS 11 and macOS High Sierra, meaning you may have been needlessly recalling your password for years.
The feature essentially allows you to share the password for any Wi-Fi network you’ve connected to with another Apple user with just one tap.
All you need to do is activate Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on both phones and check your Personal Hotspot is turned off. You’ll also want to make sure the email address associated with their iCloud account is saved under their contact on your phone, and vice versa.
It’s also a good idea to check your device is updated to the latest version of iOS, iPadOS or macOS.
Read on to learn how to share Internet passwords from iPhone to iPhone, or scroll down to the Troubleshooting section for advice on how to share passwords with Macs and Android phones.
What you’ll need:
- Two iPhones
- A Wi-Fi password you want to share
The Short Version
- Open the Settings app on both iPhones
- Check the phone that already has the password is connected to the Wi-Fi network you want to share
- Tap Wi-Fi on the phone that does not have the password
- Tap Share Password on the phone that already has the password
How to share Internet passwords on iPhone
Step
1Open the Settings app on both iPhones
This is a good time to check that both phones have Bluetooth enabled and the Personal Hotspot feature switched off. If you haven’t already, you should also make sure you have each other’s iCloud emails saved to your Contacts.
Step
2Tap Wi-Fi on the phone that already has the password
The other phone doesn’t need to do anything at this stage.
Step
3On that same phone, check you’re connected to the network for which you want to share the password
If you’re not, tap on that network to connect.
Step
4On the other phone, tap Wi-Fi
Then wait.
Step
5Tap Share Password on the phone that is already connected
You should see the option automatically appear in a pop-up.
(Image: Apple)
Troubleshooting
To share the Wi-Fi password with a Mac, simply ensure the email addresses associated with your respected iCloud accounts are saved to the Contacts apps on your iPhone and your Mac.
Instead of going to your Settings, open System Preferences on your Mac and go to the Network settings.
To share the Wi-Fi password with an Android, you’ll need to generate a QR code.
You can do this in the Network settings section of your Android or by using the QR Your Wi-Fi option in the Apple Shortcuts app depending on whether you’re sharing the password from an iOS or Android device. You can also use a third-party app to generate a QR code if you’d prefer.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
