How to Share WiFi Password With a QR Code (Android & iPhone)

Updated: 2026-11-03 · 6 min read

Spelling out "capital K, zero, not O, hash..." to every guest gets old fast. A WiFi QR code lets anyone join in two seconds by pointing their camera.

How WiFi QR codes work

A WiFi QR code doesn't link to a website. It stores a short line of text in a standard format that phone cameras recognise:

WIFI:T:WPA;S:MyHomeWiFi;P:MyPassword123;;

• T is the security type: WPA (covers WPA, WPA2 and usually WPA3), WEP, or nopass for open networks.
• S is the network name (SSID), exactly as it appears, including capital letters and spaces.
• P is the password.
• An optional H:true marks a hidden network.

When someone scans it, their phone reads these details and offers to join the network. No typing, no spelling mistakes.

Share WiFi from an Android phone

Most Android phones running Android 10 or newer have this built in. Menu names vary slightly by brand:

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to Network & Internet (Pixel) or Connections (Samsung), then Wi‑Fi.
3. Tap the network you're connected to, or the gear icon next to it.
4. Tap Share or the QR code icon.
5. Confirm with your fingerprint, face or PIN.
6. A QR code appears. Your guest scans it with their camera.

Many Android phones also show the password in text below the code, which is handy if the other device can't scan.

Tip: On Samsung phones you may find a "QR code" button at the bottom of the network details page. On Xiaomi and some others, tapping the connected network directly shows the QR code.

Share WiFi from an iPhone

iOS 18 and later:

1. Open the Passwords app.
2. Tap Wi‑Fi.
3. Select your network.
4. Tap Show Network QR Code.
5. Let your guest scan it.

Between Apple devices: If both people use Apple devices, are in each other's contacts and are nearby with WiFi and Bluetooth on, the guest just selects your network and your iPhone shows a Share Password prompt. Tap it and they're connected without seeing the password.

On older iOS versions without the QR option, you can still create a QR code with a third-party app or generator.

Make a printable QR code for guests

A printed code on the fridge, guest room or shop counter saves you from repeating the process. To make one:

1. Use a WiFi QR generator app or tool.
2. Enter the network name (SSID) exactly as it appears.
3. Choose the security type, usually WPA/WPA2.
4. Enter the password.
5. Generate, then save or print the code.
6. Test it with both an Android phone and an iPhone before printing many copies.

Add a short label: "Scan to join WiFi: GuestNet". People are more likely to scan a code when they know what it does.

The Wifi QR Connect Android app can do this in one place: create a WiFi QR code by entering the SSID, security type and password, share your hotspot with a QR code, and scan other WiFi QR codes to connect. It also includes a speed test and current network info, and stores scan history locally on your device.

How guests scan the code

• iPhone: open the Camera, point it at the code and tap the "Join network" banner.
• Android: open the Camera or Google Lens, or tap Wi‑Fi in Settings and use the QR icon next to "Add network".
• Older phones: use a QR scanner app that supports WiFi codes.

Safety: what you should know

A WiFi QR code is not encrypted. Anyone who scans it, or photographs it, can read the password with a scanner app. So:

• Use a guest network for printed codes, so visitors don't share the network used by your work laptop or smart cameras. Most routers have a guest WiFi option.
• Don't post the code online or in photos on social media.
• Change the password if a printed code has been widely seen, then make a new code.
• Use WPA2 or WPA3 security, never an open network for your main WiFi.
• Be careful scanning unknown codes in public places; a QR code can point to any network or a malicious website. Check what your phone shows before tapping "Join" or "Open".

Troubleshooting

• "Couldn't connect": check the password was typed exactly when creating the code; special characters like ; or : need escaping with a backslash in the raw text, which good generators handle automatically.
• Code doesn't scan: increase screen brightness, clean the camera, or print larger with good contrast.
• WPA3 network fails: try security type WPA instead of SAE in the generator.
• Hidden network: enable the "hidden" option when creating the code.

Sharing WiFi in special situations

• Home with many visitors: set up a guest network on your router, print its QR code and place it where visitors sit. Your main network stays private.
• Shop, café or clinic: print a table tent or counter sign with the code, the network name and a short line like "Free WiFi – scan to join". Change the password every few months and reprint.
• Airbnb or rental: put the code in the welcome folder and inside a cupboard door rather than a window where outsiders could photograph it.
• Office or event: use a separate event network and remove it after the event ends.
• Phone hotspot: most phones can show a QR code for the hotspot in hotspot settings, or you can create one with an app, so friends join your mobile data quickly.

A little planning keeps sharing quick for guests and safe for you.

Keeping your shared QR code up to date

A WiFi QR code contains the network name, security type and password exactly as they were when you created it. If any of these change, the old code stops working, so a little maintenance avoids confused guests.

1. Regenerate after a password change. Whenever you change the router password, create a new code and replace every printed copy.
2. Regenerate after a router swap. A new router often comes with a different default network name and password, even if it looks similar.
3. Label the code. Print the network name and, if you want, the date under the QR code so you can tell which version is current.
4. Use a guest network for public places. Sharing a separate guest network means you can change its password regularly without disconnecting your own devices.
5. Test before printing. Scan the new code with at least one Android phone and one iPhone to confirm it connects.

Saving the code on your phone also helps: you can show it on screen to a visitor instead of reading the password aloud.

FAQ

Can I share WiFi from Android to iPhone with a QR code?

Yes. QR codes are the easiest cross-platform method: show the code on Android and scan it with the iPhone Camera.

Is sharing WiFi by QR code safe?

It's convenient and safer than writing a password on paper, but the password can be read by anyone who scans it. Use a guest network for printed codes.

Why doesn't my iPhone show a WiFi QR code option?

The Show Network QR Code option is in the Passwords app on newer iOS versions (iOS 18). On older versions, use a generator app instead.

Do I need internet to scan a WiFi QR code?

No. The code contains the network details itself, so the phone can read it offline.

Does the QR code still work after I change my password?

No. Create a new code after changing the password, and replace any printed copies.