How to wifi share?

It's the most important question: what's the Wi-Fi password?

Your new coworker needs to know; you can't remember. You know that Sheryl in marketing wrote it down somewhere, but she's out of office this week. Should you really start digging through all the papers on her desk? Probably not (and now that you did look, you can't find it). Does that mean your new coworker needs to plug into the network using ethernet, like some kind of medieval peasant?

No. You can retrieve the password from your computer or phone. To summarize:

That's the overview, but keep reading if you get stuck or just want more detail. I'm going to walk you through everything.

Windows doesn't have any kind of Wi-Fi sharing feature, which is disappointing, but it is easy to see the password for whatever network you're currently attached to.

1. Open the Control Panel, then head to Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center.

2. Click the name of the network you're connected to, then click Wireless Properties.

3. Go to the Security tab, and you can see the Network security key (that's your password) if you check the Show characters option.

As I said before, this only works for the network you're currently attached to. If you want to see the passwords for other networks, you've got two options.

Sharing passwords from an Android device is straightforward—there's support for browsing every network you've ever connected to, and you can see the password or quickly share it using a QR code.

1. Open the settings on your device, then head to Network & Internet > Wi-Fi.

2. Scroll past the current networks to Saved networks, then tap the network you'd like to share.

3. Tap the Share button and you'll see a QR code, which you can use to share the password. You'll also see the password, in plaintext, below the QR code.

There's no way to browse all of your Wi-Fi passwords on an iPhone or iPad, but it is easy to share the password for the currently connected network with other iPhone and iPad users.

If someone physically near you tries to connect to a network you're connected to, you'll see a pop-up like this:

If you recognize the name, tap Share Password, and their device will connect. It's really slick. Note that both devices need Bluetooth enabled for this feature to work.

This only works for the network you're currently connected to. There's no way to browse other passwords or share them with other users. But there's a workaround, if you also own a Mac: all passwords saved on an iPhone or iPad are synced to macOS devices using iCloud, and that platform supports browsing saved passwords.

Your Mac stores all Wi-Fi passwords in Keychain Access.

1. Open the Finder, and head to Applications > Utilities. Alternatively, you can open Spotlight by hitting command+space, then type "Keychain Access." Either way, you'll find all of your Wi-Fi passwords in the System section.

But password sharing should be done carefully and selectively. In some cases, you might not want to give out your password for security reasons. In others, it’s because the password is so long and complicated it’s a hassle to connect.

If you have two iOS devices, one already connected to the internet and one awaiting connection, you can share the Wi-Fi password without actually sharing it. In other words, you can use your iPhone to allow another device to connect to the private wireless network without manual password entry.

Can you share your Wi-Fi password from iPhone to iPhone? Yes! First, you need to make sure you have an updated version of iOS running on both iPhones. Apple released the Wi-Fi password-sharing feature in iOS 11, so make sure you’re on that or a later version. You’ll also need to turn on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for both devices.

Also, you’ll need to add your Apple ID and the connecting iPhone’s Apple ID. If they both use the same Apple ID, you’ll have no problem. But if you’re trying to share the password with a friend’s iPhone, you’ll need to add one another’s Apple ID to your contacts list.

Once that’s all set, get your iPhone and the other device that you want to share the Wi-Fi password with. Similar to connecting via Bluetooth, you’ll have an easier time and stronger connection if the devices are close to one another.

On the receiving device, take the following steps:

Now it’s time for the host device to share access. On that iPhone, follow the below steps:

After the password was successfully shared, you should be able to tap Done.

Yes. To share Wi-Fi from an iPhone to an iPad, first make sure both devices have Bluetooth turned on and personal hotspots turned off. The owners of each device will also have to add each other as contacts and include their Apple ID email addresses. Make sure to install the latest iOS updates and stand within 6 ft. of each other. The owner of the iPad can then select a Wi-Fi network and the iPhone user will be prompted to share the password.

Yes. Because Android devices don’t operate on the iOS operating system, you’ll need to take different steps. First, you’ll need to download a QR code generator on the iPhone. An app like Visual Codes or Qrafter will do the trick.

When you launch the app, you’ll be able to create a QR code for your home Wi-Fi password. When you want to give the password to an Android device, simply open the QR code on your iPhone and scan it with the Android. You can scan it with your camera or a dedicated QR scanner app. A message may pop up on the Android to confirm network connection.

Yes. Because Macbooks and iPhones are Apple devices, their software works more seamlessly. This allows for simple file transfer, data backup and Wi-Fi password sharing.

Connect your Macbook to the Wi-Fi network and put your iPhone next to it. On the iPhone, choose the Wi-Fi network you want to connect to (it should be the same network the Macbook is connected to). On your Mac, you should get a pop-up message requesting access to the Wi-Fi password. You’ll click Share to grant access to the iPhone.

Note that you’ll need to be running macOS High Sierra or a newer version.

If you’re having trouble with any of the steps above, try the following troubleshooting tips:

For more information on securing and optimizing your home Wi-Fi network, be sure to connect with our experts on Facebook and Twitter and be sure to bookmark our Resource Center.

• Make sure that your device (the one sharing the password) is unlocked and connected to the Wi-Fi network.
• Select the Wi-Fi network on the device you want to connect.
• On your device, tap Share Password, then tap Done.

But when your friend comes over to watch The Bachelor and needs the WiFi so they can follow the discourse on Twitter, sharing a password that looks like your cat walked on your keyboard is the definition of tedious. Thanks to Apple, there is now a feature that helps you easily share your WiFi password from your iPhone.

If you're not sure how to share your WiFi password from your iPhone, have no fear. We're here to help.

First things first: Make sure that both the device that's sharing the WiFi password and the device receiving the WiFi password are up to date with the latest iOS versions. Otherwise, sharing your WiFi password via iPhone won't work. Apple added the convenient feature to the iOS 11 update, so sharing your WiFi password via iPhone is only possible with devices that have iOS 11 or higher. Remember: As a practice, it's good to always keep your devices up-to-date with software updates for security reasons.

If your iPhone has iOS 11 or higher, you're good to go. Skip this next section and scroll straight down to "How to share your WiFi password via iPhone." If your phone isn't on the latest update we'll walk you that first.

Before you update your iOS(opens in a new tab) on an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, make sure your device is backed up to ensure you don't lose any valuable info. Next, plug in your device and connect to a WiFi network. Go to Settings, then scroll down to General. If a new iOS update is available, there will be a little red dot next to the Software Update button.

Tap Software Update, which will lead you to an option that says Download and Install. When you tap this button, you may be asked to enter your device's passcode. Following that, the iOS update will automatically begin installing.

If you need to update your MacOS(opens in a new tab) on your laptop or desktop, again, make sure all your data is backed up. Since updating your OS takes some time and processing power, connect to a reliable WiFi source and make sure your computer is plugged in so the update doesn't drain your battery. Once your device is connected to WiFi and plugged in, open System Preferences from the Apple menu, which can be found in the upper left corner of your screen. When the System Preferences window pops up, click Software Update. Any available upgrades will show up here.

If there is an available update, click the Upgrade Now button to begin installation. The download will automatically begin, and once it's finished, the installer window will appear. Follow the instructions in the window to complete installation.

Once you're done updating you're ready to embark on the exciting journey that is sharing your WiFi password from your iPhone.

Before you get started, make sure that the WiFi and Bluetooth settings are enabled on both devices.

The key here is that the email address you use for your Apple ID is saved in the other person's contacts, and vice versa. For example, if you are sharing your WiFi password with your friend and the email address you use as your Apple ID is and theirs is , make sure that your email address is saved in their device's contact info and their email address is saved in your device's contact info. If you don't remember the email address you use as your Apple ID, you can find it by signing into iCloud.com(opens in a new tab). (If you forgot your Apple ID password, here's how to change it.)

Sharing your WiFi password is pretty simple from here. Keep both devices close together, within WiFi and Bluetooth range. First, connect the device that's sharing the WiFi password. Then, open WiFi settings on the device that's receiving the password. A window will pop up on the device that's sharing the password asking if you want to share the password with the other device. Tap Share Password, and voila!

Now that you know how to share your password between iPhones, sharing your password to a Mac is a breeze.

First, just like sharing a password between iPhones, the Apple ID of each device must be saved in the other. To add a contact on a Mac, go to Finder then Applications and open Contacts. Click the plus sign, then click New Contact in the drop-down. From there, you can add all the info in the window that appears.

Next, connect your iPhone to the WiFi network. Then, on the Mac that's receiving the password, open your Network Preferences from the toolbar, or by opening System Preferences, followed by Network. Click on the WiFi network to which you want to connect. This will prompt a pop-up window asking for the password.

At this point, a notification on the iPhone should appear asking if you want it to share your password with the Mac. Tap Share Password.

Sharing your password with an Android takes a bit more effort since there is no native compatibility, but it's easy to do habitually once you get through the complicated setup. It's also kind of a nifty trick, and if desired you can also use it from iPhone to iPhone instead of the method described above.

First, you have to create a QR code. This can be done by installing any QR code generator found on the app store such as Qrafter(opens in a new tab).

Once in the app, find the option for making a WiFi code. Next, enter your WiFi password and SSID (network name.) Depending on which app you're using, you might also need to add the type of encryption your WiFi uses, which can be found on your WiFi router. The options are typically WEP, WPA/WPA2, or none.

Once you've added all of your WiFi information, create the QR code and let it work its magic. To share your password, open the camera on the Android phone and position it over the QR code. A notification about the WiFi network will open. Tap the message to connect.

Step 1: Open the Camera app.

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

If this method doesn’t work on your Samsung phone, continue to the next steps to see how you can scan a QR code using the Samsung Internet browser.

Samsung Internet Browser

Step 1: Tap to open Samsung Internet.

Step 2: Tap the Hamburger icon in the bottom right corner.

Step 3: Tap on the QR code scanner icon on the menu.*

Step 4: Point your phone’s camera at the Android device’s screen so that you can clearly read the QR code.

* If you don’t see the icon, you need to add it to the menu. To do so, follow this path: