How to share a Wi-Fi network password on Android - Android Police

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We've all been there. You've invited your friends or family members round for a birthday/ dinner party/ to watch the game/ just hang out, and someone asks for the Wi-Fi password. You stare blankly back at them, racking your brains trying to think where you left the card that came with your router detailing the network's name and password. Either that, or you can't be bothered reeling off a series of letters and numbers, arduously going back and forth as a capital letter is mistaken for a lower case and everyone eventually loses their minds. Wouldn't life be so much easier if you could just share the Wi-Fi network with the help of the best Android phone? Well... you can!

There are two ways you can share Wi-Fi networks with your Android device, and both are largely the same up to a few final steps. We'll start by talking you through sharing the network with the help of a QR code.

These steps outline the process on a Google Pixel phone, but they should be pretty much identical on any Android smartphone.

Using the QR Code

1. To share a Wi-Fi network with another Android device, you first need to be connected to it (or at least have the details saved on your phone). Navigate to your Internet settings, either by long-pressing the Internet option within your Quick Settings on an Android 12 device, or by going to Settings -> Network and Internet -> Internet.

2. Select the Wi-Fi network you'd like to share by tapping it from the list of networks that appear. If this is the one you're currently connected to, it'll be at the top of the list.

3. Within the Network Details screen, you'll have the option to Share with an icon of a QR code just above it. Tap this and a QR code will appear on-screen (and conveniently, the network password will be listed just underneath it). Depending on the security settings on your phone, you might have to scan your fingerprint to verify your identity before you reach the QR code. Android 12 also introduces the option to share the password with 'Nearby Share', too.

Image Gallery (3 Images)

4. Now move over to the device you want to share the Wi-Fi network with and have them navigate to the same Internet menu listing all nearby Wi-Fi networks as noted above. Alternatively, you can just open your Camera app on your phone and it should automatically detect the QR code and connect to the Wi-Fi network.

5. At the bottom of the list of available networks, there will be an option to Add Network. Just to the right of this, you'll see another QR code icon. Tap on this.

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Share Wi-Fi Network on Android smartphone QR Code scanning

Scanning Wi-Fi Network QR Code on Android Smartphone

6. Scan the QR code on the first phone and your Android smartphone will do the rest of the work, connecting to the network as long as you're within range.

Alternatively, you can use the Nearby sharing option that Android devices can use when in close proximity to one another.

1. To do this, follow the steps above for getting the QR code for the Wi-Fi network you want to share on your screen.

2. Rather than having the other device scan this, though, instead, tap the Nearby option just below it and directly below the Wi-Fi password. Your phone will then begin searching for devices nearby to share.

3. Now on the phone you want to share the Wi-Fi network with, you should now receive a notification informing you a device nearby is sharing.

4. Tap on this, and then on the smartphone you're sharing the network from, select the name of the device when it appears in the window at the bottom of your screen.

5. Finally, on the phone you want to connect to the network, tap the Accept option. The device will then automatically connect to your Wi-Fi network.

6. If the device doesn't appear in the Nearby Share window on the smartphone you're sharing from, make sure that Nearby Share is enabled within your settings. This can be accessed by going to Settings -> Google -> Devices and Sharing -> Nearby Share.

Just like that, you've got your friend's device (or maybe just your own shiny new one) connected to the Wi-Fi network. If you're looking for more handy Android tips, check out our guides on preventing apps from 'sleeping' in the background on Android, backing up SMS text messages on Android, and the five easiest ways to transfer files from your Android phone to PC or Mac.

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About The Author

Chris Jecks (12 Articles Published)

Chris has been a passionate Android fan since the Samsung Galaxy S5 days. Since then, he's long championed the Google Pixel line of phones and believes they're the best Android phone you can get. Having left his full-time job back in 2016, Chris has been writing about games and technology for over 5 years around the web. In his spare time, he can be found drowning in a backlog of games, catching up on the latest Netflix craze, or snapping photos in the great outdoors.