See Any Saved WiFi Password on Android Without Root

The 5-step QR code method (Android 10 and newer)

This is the official method that Google added to Android 10 in 2019. It is exposed in the WiFi settings of every certified Android device shipped since then. Behind the scenes, the operating system decrypts the credential from secure storage, asks for your device lock, and renders a QR code plus the plain text password.

1. 1

   Open Settings → Network & internet → Internet (or Wi-Fi).

   On Samsung OneUI the path is Settings → Connections → Wi-Fi. On Xiaomi MIUI it is Settings → Wi-Fi.

2. 2

   Tap the gear icon next to the saved network.

   You do not need to be currently connected. Any previously saved network works, provided the device still has its record.

3. 3

   Tap the Share button.

   It is usually at the top or the bottom of the network details screen. Look for a square-with-arrow icon labeled Share or a QR icon.

4. 4

   Authenticate with PIN, pattern, fingerprint, or face unlock.

   Android refuses to reveal a saved WiFi password without a fresh device unlock. This is intentional and prevents someone with physical access from copying passwords silently.

5. 5

   Read the password below the QR code, or scan the QR code from another phone.

   On stock Android, Pixel, and most OEMs the password is printed in clear text under the QR code. On older Samsung and some Xiaomi builds only the QR is shown; point another phone's camera at it to reveal the plain text string.

What the QR code actually contains

Android WiFi QR codes follow the standard WIFI-Payload format used by most phone cameras, 1Password, and Bitwarden. If the text password is hidden on your build, scanning the QR with any modern camera decodes it into a human-readable string that looks like this:

WIFI:T:WPA;S:MyHomeNetwork;P:sup3r_secret_2026!;H:false;;

T is the security type (WPA, WEP, or nopass). S is the SSID. P is the password in clear text. H marks a hidden network. That is the whole secret. There is nothing magical about the QR image, it is just a wrapper around a short string.

OEM-specific notes

If you are stuck on Android 9 or older

The Share WiFi QR feature was introduced in Android 10. On Android 9 Pie and earlier, the saved credential is still on the device but the UI does not let you read it without root. Here are the three practical workarounds that do not require unlocking the bootloader:

• Google account WiFi sync

  If you signed into the device with a Google account and enabled WiFi backup, new Android phones automatically receive the saved networks at setup. Sign into the same account on a modern phone and check the Share QR there.

• Router admin panel

  Connect to the router via Ethernet or from any device already on the network, open 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1 in a browser, log in, and read the WiFi password in the Wireless section. See our detailed walkthrough on the forgot-router-wifi-password page.

• Router sticker or ISP app

  Most home routers ship with a default WPA key printed on a sticker on the underside. If nobody changed it, that string is still the password. ISP apps like Xfinity, Spectrum, Sky, and BT also display the key remotely.

Root-only methods (not recommended)

Before Android 10, the standard trick was to open /data/misc/wifi/wpa_supplicant.conf with a root file manager. The file still exists on modern Android but moved to /data/misc/apexdata/com.android.wifi/WifiConfigStore.xml and is now encrypted with a hardware-backed key. Reading it requires root, an unlocked bootloader, and usually a custom recovery. You lose SafetyNet, banking apps, and the device warranty.

What to do if the password is for a network you own but no device remembers

The QR trick only works for networks saved on the phone in your hand. If you own the network but every device that ever connected to it has been wiped, sold, or lost, skip straight to the router admin panel. Routers always know their own WiFi key and will display or reset it from the admin UI. If admin access is lost too, a factory reset returns the router to the default credentials printed on its sticker.

When the network is yours and none of those paths work, a captured WPA or WPA2 handshake can be processed by an authorized recovery service. Read what a WPA handshake is and compare options on router admin vs handshake recovery before starting.

Frequently asked questions