Need to connect to a friend or family member’s WiFi network quickly? If you both have iPhones, you can share your password quickly. Here’s how.
Visting a friend or family? Don’t waste your mobile data—connect to WiFi instead. You’ll need to know the password, of course.
Or do you? If you’re all using iPhones, you can ditch typing in the random numbers and letters that a WiFi password usually contains. Instead, you can try and share a WiFi password using your iPhone.
This solves your password problem and allows you to connect to a shared network in just a single tap. If you’re unsure how, here’s how to share a WiFi password on your iPhone.
How to Share a WiFi Password on iPhone
If you want to share a WiFi password between iPhones, you’ll need to make sure that the devices are near each other. You’ll also need to make sure that your WiFi and Bluetooth radios are switched on, you’re in each other’s contacts list, and that your Apple ID allows you to share passwords with other users.
To share passwords between iPhones:
- On each phone, make sure WiFi and Bluetooth radios are switched on. For WiFi, you can check it in Settings > Wi-Fi and toggle the switch on.
- For Bluetooth, go to Settings > Bluetooth and toggle the switch on.
- Ensure both owners’ Apple ID is in the other’s Contacts. If you don’t have each other’s Apple ID in the Contacts list, the sharing will not work. To do this, both of you will need to open your contacts and add the other’s Apple ID email address. This feature will also work for devices that share the same Apple ID.
- Connect the phone you’re sharing a password from to the WiFi network if it isn’t already.
- Next, on the phone, if you want to connect to the network, tap the WiFi network name from the list.
- The password prompt for the Wi-Fi network will come up. Note the message letting you know you can access it by bringing the phone nearby.
- Unlock your phone if it isn’t already and place it near the other iPhone you’re sharing the password. A screen will come up from the bottom of the screen, prompting you to share the WiFi password. Tap the Share Password button.
- The password for the WiFi network will copy over to the password and will autofill it on the other phone so that you can join the network. After it’s complete and your phone connects to the network, a success message will appear—tap Done.
Connecting an iPhone to WiFi
If you want to quickly share a WiFi password on an iPhone, you can use the steps above to do it in seconds. Just make sure to keep the two devices close. They don’t need to be stacked on top of each other, but they will need to be close enough for your Bluetooth radios to work properly.
This feature comes in handy if someone comes over and needs to connect to your network without typing in a complex password strenuously. If it doesn’t work, the main thing to remember is to have both users’ Apple IDs in their contacts.
Struggling to remember your passwords? If you’re using your iPhone browser, you can quickly view saved passwords in Safari, while Android owners can find Wi-Fi passwords on Android. Mac users can find passwords on macOS easily, too.
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.
Share Passwords Between iPhone, iPad, and Mac
How to Turn Your Phone Into a Wi-Fi HotspotLike What You're Reading?
Sign up for Tips & Tricks newsletter for expert advice to get the most out of your technology.
This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.
Thanks for signing up!
Your subscription has been confirmed. Keep an eye on your inbox!
Sign up for other newslettersAbout Jason Cohen
Editor, Help & How To
As PCMag's editor of how to content, I have to cover a wide variety of topics and also make our stories accessible to everyday users. Considering my history as a technical writer, copywriter, and all-around freelancer covering baseball, comics, and more at various outlets, I am used to making myself into an expert.