See Passwords for Wi-Fi Networks You’ve Connected Your Android Device To.
Since you’ve had your Android device, you’ve undoubtedly connected to dozens of Wi-Fi networks, and your phone or tablet remembers each of them.
Every time you enter in a Wi-Fi password, your Android smartphone remembers it for safekeeping and simple access later, whether it’s at home, school, work, the gym, a coffee shop, a relative’s apartment — or even from a friend’s phone.
The problem arises when you need to view the password for one of the networks you’ve already connected to.
Perhaps you wish to connect a second device to a stored wireless access point, or perhaps you’re sharing a hotspot with a buddy.
If you can’t retrieve the password from the source, you might assume to hunt for the credentials on your Android phone or tablet.
However, glancing at the saved Wi-Fi network in your settings won’t provide the password in plain text.
The plain text password for the Wi-Fi network can be found in the settings of your device, but it is not immediately obvious.
It will be much less noticeable if you have an Android skin on your phone or tablet, such as any Samsung Galaxy than if you have plain Android on a Google Pixel model.
Let’s jump into the tutorial
Android 10 & Up
On stock Android 10 and above, finding the plain text password for a saved Wi-Fi network is the easiest. There is no need for root or even an additional app.
Many OEMs in the Android One program have smartphones that can run vanilla Android 10 and above, and all of Google’s Pixel devices can. LG, Nokia, Motorola, and Xiaomi are just a few examples.
Quick Steps:
- Open the Wi-Fi in Settings. (that is if you have Wifi from the main settings)
- Open ‘Network & Internet’ before clicking on Wifi (Tecno User and Other Android User)
First, visit the “Wi-Fi” submenu in your Settings app. You can select it from a search for “wifi,” via Settings –> Wi-Fi (on Android 11 only), via Settings –> Network & internet –> Wi-Fi, or by long-pressing the Wi-Fi symbol in the Quick Settings.
- Tap the current network or select “Saved networks” and choose one.
On the Wi-Fi settings page, tap the network up top that you’re currently connected to if that’s the one you need the password for.
Otherwise, scroll down and select the “Saved networks” option.
On the saved list, you’ll see the SSID, or service set identifier, for each Wi-Fi network your phone or tablet remembers — choose the one you need.
- Tap below the network’s name.
- Authenticate yourself if you have device security set up. (your pin)
- Tap ‘SHARE’ below the network’s name.
Now, hit the “Share” option below the network name and status.
It will ask to scan your fingerprint, scan your face, or enter your PIN or password if you have security set up.
- See the plain text password under the QR code.
Below the QR code that stores the network’s credentials, you’ll see the password in plain text.
You can also directly connect the device, whether it’s an Android phone or tablet, iPhone, or iPad, to the access point by using its QR code scanner to scan the code.
Android 10 & Up on Samsung Galaxy Devices
Samsung adds a layer to the core Android system called One UI, which changes the way things appear and perform, including how you acquire plain text passwords for stored Wi-Fi networks.
While there are ways to access the plain text password on Galaxy devices running previous Android versions, the easiest method is given below for those running Android 10 or higher.
Steps:
- Open the “Connections” submenu in Settings.
- Tap on the “Wi-Fi” submenu.
- Tap the cog for the current network.
- Tap “QR code.”
- Tap “Save as image” to save it to your gallery.
- Open Google Lens or open the image in Google Photos.
- Open the image in Google Lens or tap the Lens icon in Google Photos.
- Expand the crop beyond the QR code’s perimeter if needed.
- See the plain text password in the results.
Full Details:
First, visit the “Wi-Fi” submenu in your Settings app. You can:
- Search for “wifi,” choose “Wi-Fi” or “Connections,” then hit “Wi-Fi.”
- Open Settings –> Connections –> Wi-Fi.
- Long-press the Wi-Fi symbol in the Quick Settings.
- Tell Bixby to “open Wi-Fi settings.”
Select “QR code” at the bottom of the network’s details by tapping the cog next to the network SSID you’re presently linked to.
One of the most noticeable differences between One UI and stock Android is that you can only acquire the QR code for the network you’re connected to.
Is there another one? The password for the network will not be displayed in plain text. You also won’t be able to get it from Bixby.
To save the QR code to your gallery, go to the page where it says “Save as image.”
After that, scan the saved image using Google Lens.
You may accomplish this by opening the image in Google Photos and pressing the Lens button.
Alternatively, you may open the saved image by pressing the Lens button on the Google app’s widget on your home screen, if you have one.
You may also use the Google Lens app to access the image you’ve saved.
In any case, Google Lens may focus on everything within the QR code’s border, which will not provide you with the information you want.
If that’s the case, crop the image to extend beyond the QR code’s boundary.
The network credentials, including the password, will be shown in plain language underneath the image if you do so.
See Passwords for Wi-Fi Networks You’ve Connected Your Android Device To
Android 6 – Android 9 (Non-Rooted Devices)
Unlike the phones and tablets listed above, most phones and tablets running stock or skinned Android 9 and lower are unable to produce QR codes that include a Wi-Fi network’s credentials.
There are programs that assist you in creating QR codes for Wi-Fi hotspots, but you must know the password, which is useless if you don’t know it.
The file holding stored Wi-Fi credentials is in a protected directory on Android 9 and below, and you can only access it if you’re rooted (see the following method).
If you have a QR code for a Wi-Fi access point from another device, you can scan it using the Google Lens app or the Lens in Google Photos to get the password.
Steps for Google Lens:
- Open the Google Lens app or tap the Lens icon in the Google app or Google app’s home screen widget).
- Select the image from your gallery or choose “Search with your camera.”
- If using the camera, point it at the QR code and tap the shutter button.
- Expand the crop beyond the QR code’s perimeter if needed.
- Pull up the results to see the plain text password.
Steps for Google Photos:
- Open the Google Photos app.
- Select the image from your gallery.
- Tap “Lens” on the image.
- Expand the crop beyond the QR code’s perimeter if needed.
- Pull up the results to see the plain text password.
Comment down below if you face any challenges. My team will be glad to help you.