We have all been there. A friend comes over, asks for the Wi-Fi, and you realize you haven’t thought about that random string of numbers and letters in three years. You could crawl under the dusty desk to find the router sticker. You could try to remember if it was "P@ssword123" or "P@ssword124." Or, you could just look at the phone already in your hand.
Knowing how to check password for wifi on iphone used to be a nightmare. Before iOS 16, Apple basically treated Wi-Fi passwords like state secrets. If you didn't have a Mac or a jailbroken device, you were out of luck. Now? It’s basically two taps away. It is honestly one of those "finally" features that Apple rolled out to keep us from losing our minds during holiday gatherings.
The quick way to see your current password
If you are currently connected to the network, the process is incredibly fast. First, open your Settings app. It’s that gray gear icon you probably have buried in a folder somewhere. Tap on Wi-Fi.
You will see a blue "i" inside a circle next to the network you’re using. Tap that. You'll see a field labeled Password with a bunch of dots. Touch those dots. Your iPhone will ask for Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode. This is the security layer that keeps a random person from grabbing your phone and stealing your home credentials in three seconds. Once you authenticate, the dots vanish. There is your password. You can even tap "Copy" to text it to someone. Easy.
What about the networks you aren't using right now?
Sometimes the problem isn't the network you're on. Maybe you're trying to help a neighbor, or you're at a coffee shop and want to give the login to a buddy, but you aren't currently connected.
Go back to the main Wi-Fi screen in Settings. Look at the top right corner. See that Edit button? Tap it. Again, you'll need Face ID or your passcode.
This is essentially a graveyard of every Wi-Fi network your iPhone has ever touched. It’s a bit weird to see that hotel Wi-Fi from 2019 still sitting there, right? Scroll through the list until you find the network name you need. Hit that same blue "i" icon. Tap the password dots. Boom. You've got the info. This works for any network saved to your iCloud Keychain, meaning if you joined it on your iPad or Mac, it shows up here too.
Why you might not see the password
Sometimes, things glitch. It happens. If you tap the password and nothing happens, or the option isn't there, you might be on a managed device. If your iPhone is a work phone, your IT department might have installed a "configuration profile." These profiles can block you from seeing sensitive security info.
Also, if you are running an ancient version of iOS—anything older than iOS 16—this feature simply doesn't exist. You’d have to use the "Share Password" pop-up or find a Mac synced to the same iCloud account to peek into the Keychain Access app. But let's be real: most of us have updated by now.
The "Share Password" trick (The lazy person’s favorite)
You don't always need to actually see the password to give it to someone. If your friend has an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, just make sure both of you have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth turned on.
- Ensure your friend is in your Contacts list with their Apple ID email.
- Have them try to join your Wi-Fi network on their device.
- A big card will slide up on your iPhone asking if you want to share the password.
- Tap Share Password.
It feels like magic. No typing. No "Is that a capital O or a zero?" debates. However, this only works in the Apple ecosystem. If your friend has an Android, you're back to the "look it up in settings" method we just talked about.
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Security risks: Should you be worried?
Is it dangerous that your iPhone stores these in plain sight (behind a passcode)? Not really. It’s actually more secure than writing it on a Post-it note stuck to the fridge. Because the phone requires biometric authentication to reveal the text, it’s actually quite robust.
However, it’s a good reminder to prune that "Edit" list occasionally. If you see "Free Public Wi-Fi" or "Airport_Guest" from three years ago, delete them. Your phone might try to auto-join those in the future, which opens you up to "man-in-the-middle" attacks where hackers spoof common public network names to intercept your data.
Checking passwords via Personal Hotspot
People often confuse their home Wi-Fi with their Personal Hotspot. If you're trying to let someone use your cellular data, that’s a different menu.
Go to Settings > Personal Hotspot. The password is right there in plain text. You don't even have to tap to reveal it. You can change it whenever you want, which I highly recommend if you’ve been handing it out like candy at a tech conference.
Summary of Actionable Steps
- For the current network: Settings > Wi-Fi > Blue "i" > Tap Password dots.
- For old networks: Settings > Wi-Fi > Edit (top right) > Find network > Tap Password dots.
- For friends with iPhones: Use the "Share Password" proximity pop-up to save time.
- For Android friends: Copy the password from your settings and text it to them, or have them scan a QR code if you've generated one (though iPhone doesn't natively make these yet, third-party apps do).
- Clean up: Periodically hit that "Edit" button and delete old, unencrypted public networks you no longer use to keep your device from auto-connecting to shady hotspots.
To keep your credentials truly safe, ensure your iCloud Keychain is active. This syncs your passwords across all your devices using end-to-end encryption. If you ever lose your phone, your Wi-Fi passwords aren't lost—they'll just pop back up when you sign into your new iPhone. Stick to these steps and you'll never have to flip over a router again.