Can i share wifi from my phone

What’s the fastest way to share a Wi-Fi password with visiting friends and family? You could write it down and hand it to them on a piece of paper, but that’s not very secure. And setting up a guest Wi-Fi network can be a hassle. Luckily, there are ways to quickly share these credentials without compromising your network. Here's how to do it from an iPhone, iPad, Mac, Android device, and Windows PC.

image: Apple

Apple makes this a seamless process, as long as you all have an iPhone, iPad, or Mac and have everything set up correctly. In order to share your Wi-Fi password, both devices should have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth turned on and be signed into iCloud with their respective Apple IDs. You each also need to have the email address of the other saved in Contacts. 

Once all these requirements are met, bring the two devices within Bluetooth and Wi-Fi range and make sure the sharing device is unlocked and connected to the network. Have the device without internet select the network to be shared and a message should pop up on the sharing device’s screen. Tap Share Password to give the other device access to the Wi-Fi network.

Android devices share Wi-Fi passwords through QR code generation, so Apple devices can receive login credentials this way as well. In order to share and receive a password, your Android device must be running Android 10 or later. Make sure you’re connected to the network you wish to share, then open Settings > Connections > Wi-Fi, or your phone’s equivalent. 

The network that is selected should also have a gear icon next to the network name. Tap the gear, then select the QR code icon at the bottom of the screen. A unique QR code will be generated, which you can then save to your phone or share to a contact.

The network connection is shared when the other person opens their phone’s camera and scans the QR code. All they need to do is tap the pop-up message on the screen to open their Wi-Fi settings and connect to the network.

Are you the one in need of internet? Most smartphones have built-in QR code scanners at this point, but you can also head to the Wi-Fi settings page. Here, you will find a tiny QR code icon at the top of the page that will allow you to scan codes once clicked.

QR Code Generator

For devices that cannot create a QR code or use Apple's Wi-Fi sharing method, use a free QR code generator to share the password. You can find plenty of tools with a quick Google search; just make sure it supports Wi-Fi information. For this demonstration, I am using QR Code Generator(Opens in a new window), but QiFi.org(Opens in a new window) focuses specifically on Wi-Fi codes, while Qrafter(Opens in a new window) has a free iOS app.

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All you need to do is select the Wi-Fi setting (if there is more than one mode), then enter the SSID (network name) and password. You may also need to enter the security type, so check the Wi-Fi settings on your device if you don't already know it. Once all the information is entered, click Generate to produce the code.

At this point, the QR code can be used by any device with a built-in scanner or mobile app. Download the code as an image and send it to those in need or simply have them scan the code from the screen. QR Code Generator even allows you to embed the code or customize what the code looks like by changing its shape, adding color, or even inserting a logo. This makes it easy to print out and make available for guests.

Using a QR code generator is a great option for sharing Wi-Fi from iPhone to Android or to and from Windows PCs, since Microsoft has disabled(Opens in a new window) network sharing with contacts in Wi-Fi Sense.

How to Turn Your Phone Into a Wi-Fi Hotspot

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Share your network password whether you have an iPhone or Android.

Feb 25, 2022 Share
Equipment Guides, How-To, Technology

Sharing your Wi-Fi password from a phone or tablet is easy. You can use Bluetooth to send a Wi-Fi password between iPhones and iPads, or you can use a QR code to send Wi-Fi passwords between Android devices. However, you’ll need a third-party app to share your Wi-Fi password from an iPhone to Android.

We’ll walk you through sharing your Wi-Fi password between mobile devices. It’s the best way to share your password rather than texting it, emailing it, or writing it down on paper.

Want to keep your neighbors out of your Wi-Fi?

Be sure to check out our guide on how to keep your router secure. We show you how to password protect your Wi-Fi, change your default login credentials, and more.

How to share Wi-Fi from iPhone to iPhone

Sharing a Wi-Fi password between Apple devices is a quick and seamless process. However, you cannot AirDrop a Wi-Fi password—that tool is used to send passwords related to apps, websites, and services.

These instructions also work on an iPad, although they focus on iPhones.

Part 1—Get the iPhones ready

Step 1: Swipe a finger down from the top right corner to open the Control Center.

Step 2: Tap on the Bluetooth icon if it’s white to enable Wi-Fi. If it’s blue, move on to the next step.

Step 3: Ensure that both phones are signed in to iCloud with the proper Apple IDs and that the recipient has the sender’s associated email address saved in the Contacts app.

Pro tip:

Both devices must be within range of each other before you try to send the password from one device to the other.

Part 2—On the iPhone receiving the password

Step 1: Tap to open the Settings app.

Step 2: Tap on the Wi-Fi option.

Step 3: Tap on the Wi-Fi network you want to access and wait.

Part 3—On the iPhone sending the password

Make sure that your iPhone is connected to the Wi-Fi network you intend to share.

Step 1: Tap to open the Settings app.

Step 2: Tap on the Wi-Fi option.

Step 3: Tap on the network you want to share.

Step 4: Tap Share Password on the slide-up menu.

How to share Wi-Fi from iPhone to Android

Apple’s phones and tablets don’t have a built-in feature to share your Wi-Fi network password to Android phones. Instead, you need a third-party app to generate a scannable QR code.

In this example, we will use Visual Codes. It’s free to use, but you can unlock the Share & Print Codes feature for $0.99 and the Save Scanned Codes component for another $1.99—neither are necessary to share your password.

Part 1—On the iPhone

Step 1: Tap to open the Visual Codes app.

Step 2: Tap the blue Add Code button.

Step 3: Tap Connect to Wi-Fi on the following screen.

Step 4: Enter your Wi-Fi network’s name in the Name field.

Step 5: Enter your Wi-Fi network’s password in the Password field.

Step 6: Enter a name in the Label field.

Step 7: Tap the blue Create Code button.

Step 8: Tap Create Code again in the prompt to finish.

Step 9: On the main Codes screen, tap on the code you just created to present the scannable QR code (shown below).

Part 2—On the Android phone

Step 1: Tap to open the Camera app.

Step 2: Point your Android phone’s camera at the QR code displayed on the iPhone so that you can clearly read the QR code.

Step 3: Tap on the pop-up bubble that appears on your Android phone’s screen to connect it to the shared Wi-Fi network.

Do you have the best internet to support multiple devices?

If you’re facing internet slowdowns because you use more devices than your connection can handle, then you may need an upgrade. Enter your zip code below to see what’s available in your area.

How to share Wi-Fi from Android to all phones

The instructions for Android are slightly different between stock Android (Google) and modified Android (LG, Samsung, etc.). We’ll show you how to share your Wi-Fi password on Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy phones.

• Part 1a—Generate a code on a Pixel phone
• Part 1b—Generate a code on a Samsung phone
• Part 2a—Scan the code using an iPhone’s Camera app
• Part 2b—Scan the code using an iPhone’s QR reader

Part 1a—Generate a code on a Pixel phone (stock Android 11)

If you have a Samsung phone, skip to Part 1b.

Step 1: Expand the Quick Settings menu and tap the gear icon to open the Settings app.

Step 2: Tap on Network & internet on the following screen.

Step 3: Tap on Wi-Fi.

Step 4: Tap on the cog icon displayed next to your network’s name.

Step 5: Tap on the Share button.

Step 6: Verify your identity to share. The scannable QR code should now appear on your screen.

Pro tip:

With the QR code now presented on your Pixel phone, you can open the Camera app on any other Android phone and scan the displayed code.

Part 1b—Generate a code on a Samsung phone (modified Android 10/11)

Samsung uses a different interface, so we need slightly different instructions.

Step 1: Expand the Quick Settings menu and tap the gear icon to open the Settings app.

Step 2: Tap on the Wi-Fi option.

Step 3: Tap on Connections.

Step 4: Tap on the cog icon displayed next to your network’s name.

Step 5: Tap on the QR Code tab displayed in the bottom left corner. The scannable QR code should now appear on your screen.

Pro tip:

With the QR code now presented on your Samsung phone, you can open the Camera app on any other Android phone and scan the code.

Part 2a—Scan the code using an iPhone’s Camera app

Step 1: Tap to open the Camera app.

Step 2: Point your iPhone’s camera at the Android device’s screen so that you can clearly read the QR code.

Step 3: Tap on the Join “[Name]” Network Wi-Fi QR Code notification.

Part 2b—Scan the code using an iPhone’s QR scanner

Beginning with iOS 12, Apple provides a built-in QR scanner that you can use outside the Camera app. However, it may not be visible in the Control Center. Here’s how to enable and use it:

Step 1: Tap to open the Settings app.

Step 2: Tap on Control Center.

Step 3: Tap on the green Plus symbol next to Code Scanner listed under More Controls.

Step 4: Swipe a finger down from the top right corner to open the Control Center.

Step 5: Tap on the QR scanner icon as shown above.

Step 6: Point your iPhone’s camera at the Android device’s screen so that you can clearly read the QR code.

Step 7: Tap on the prompt to connect.

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FAQ about sharing your Wi-Fi password

What is a QR code?

A Quick Response (QR) code is a matrix barcode that stores information using a random pattern of pixels. It was invented by Japanese company Denso Wave in 1994 to better track parts and vehicles during manufacturing.1

Unlike standard barcodes that are read in only one direction, QR codes are read from top to bottom, and from left to right. As a result, QR codes contain more data. They’re used to store website addresses, passwords, payment information, and more.

Apple added native QR scanning to its Camera app in iOS 11—the standalone QR scanner appeared in iOS 12. Android’s Camera app began supporting native QR code scanning in version 9 (Pie).

Do I need a standalone app to scan QR codes?

No, you do not need a third-party app to scan QR codes. Apple and Android devices have native tools to scan QR codes. You need only the Visual Codes app for iOS and iPadOS to create a scannable QR code for Android devices.

Sources

Author - Kevin Parrish

Kevin Parrish has more than a decade of experience working as a writer, editor, and product tester. He began writing about computer hardware and soon branched out to other devices and services such as networking equipment, phones and tablets, game consoles, and other internet-connected devices. His work has appeared in Tom’s Hardware, Tom's Guide, Maximum PC, Digital Trends, Android Authority, How-To Geek, Lifewire, and others. At HighSpeedInternet.com, he focuses on network equipment testing and review.

Editor - Cara Haynes

Cara Haynes has been editing and writing in the digital space for seven years, and she's edited all things internet for HighSpeedInternet.com for five years. She graduated with a BA in English and a minor in editing from Brigham Young University. When she's not editing, she makes tech accessible through her freelance writing for brands like Pluralsight. She believes no one should feel lost in internet land and that a good internet connection significantly extends your life span.

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