Apple devices can share a saved Wi-Fi password without reading the password aloud. Keep both iPhones nearby, make sure Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are on, and have the receiving iPhone try to join the network.
Quick steps
- Turn on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on both iPhones.
- Unlock the iPhone that already knows the Wi-Fi password.
- On the other iPhone, choose the Wi-Fi network.
- When the sharing prompt appears on the connected iPhone, tap Share Password.
- Tap Done.
Requirements for password sharing
Both devices should be signed into Apple Accounts, and the people involved should have the relevant Apple Account contact information saved when Apple’s contact-based sharing requirement applies. Keep Personal Hotspot off during troubleshooting.
Move the devices closer together, lock and unlock the sharing iPhone, and confirm both have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled. Restarting both devices can clear a stuck proximity or Bluetooth connection.
Another option on newer iPhones
The Passwords app can also display saved Wi-Fi credentials, which is useful when automatic proximity sharing is not practical or when you need to enter the password on a non-Apple device.
Before you finish
Password sharing is convenient because the recipient does not need to type or necessarily see the password, but the receiving iPhone can remember the network afterward. If you routinely provide access to visitors, consider using a router’s guest-network feature so you do not have to share the credential for your main home or business network.
For iPhone-to-iPhone Wi-Fi sharing, have the receiving phone stop at the password field instead of manually entering part of the password first. Keep both phones unlocked and close together while waiting for the sharing card. If the prompt still does not appear, confirm the sender is connected to the intended network and the receiver has selected that exact network name.
What both iPhones need
Keep the devices near each other with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled. The receiving iPhone should select the network and wait at its password screen. Apple’s automatic sharing also depends on the people’s Apple Account/contact information being available to each other.
Unlock both iPhones, confirm neither is using Personal Hotspot, and toggle Wi-Fi and Bluetooth if necessary. If sharing still fails, restart the devices. On current iOS versions, a saved Wi-Fi password can also be viewed from the Passwords app or Wi-Fi network details when authentication succeeds.
Matthew Roberts created this site to help his friends and family with questions that they might have about how to change the settings on their iPhones. It now serves as an archive of iPhone how-to guides to help anyone that stumbles upon this website.