How to find the Wi-Fi password on your Android phone if you forgot: all working methods

Forgetting your home Wi-Fi password is a familiar situation to many. Especially when guests need to connect, and the sticker with the router has long been lost. Fortunately, on smartphones Android there are several ways to retrieve the saved password - without resetting the router or calling the provider. The main thing: the phone had to connect to this network at least once.

In this article we will look all current methods from standard settings to advanced tricks with ADB and the file system. Please note: some methods require root access or special applications, but we will start with the simplest solutions that work on most devices without additional manipulations.

If you use Android 10+, some methods may not trigger due to tightening security policies. In this case, alternative options will come in handy - we also described them below. And for device owners Samsung, Xiaomi or Huawei there are certain nuances that you should know about in advance.

Before you begin, make sure that your phone is connected to the target Wi-Fi network (or has been connected previously). If the network is deleted from the list of saved ones, you will not be able to recover the password via your phone.

1. Standard method: viewing the password in Android settings

Starting from Android 10, Google has added the ability to view passwords for saved networks directly in the settings menu. This is the fastest and safest method, but it does not work on all firmwares (for example, on MIUI from Xiaomi it may not be available).

Instructions:

1. Open Settings → Network and Internet → Wi-Fi.
2. Click on the name of the current network (or select the one you need from the list Saved networks).
3. Tap on the button Share (or Share in English firmware).
4. The system will request confirmation by PIN code, fingerprint or pattern key.
5. After authentication it will be displayed QR code and a text password underneath.

⚠️ Attention: On some devices (for example, Samsung Galaxy c One UI) only a QR code may be displayed instead of a password. In this case, use the methods from the following sections.

If the buttons Share no - it means your version of Android or shell does not support it. Move on to alternative methods.

2. Using a QR code to retrieve a password

Even if the text password is not displayed in the settings, it is almost always available QR code from it, you can extract network data, including the password, using third-party services.

How it works:

1. Generate a QR code in the Wi-Fi settings (as in the previous method).
2. Take a screenshot of the code or take a photo of it.
3. Open any online QR decoder (for example, ZXing Decoder).
4. Download the code image.
5. In the decoding results, find the line WPA:... —there will be a password after the colon.

Example of decoded data:

WIFI:S:MyWiFi;T:WPA;P:my_password_123;;

Here P:my_password_123 is the password.

⚠️ Attention: Do not upload QR codes to dubious sites. Use trusted services or offline applications for scanning (for example, QR & Barcode Scanner from Gamma Play).

3. Viewing the password through the configuration file (root required)

On devices with root access Wi-Fi passwords are stored in the system file /data/misc/wifi/WifiConfigStore.xml (on new versions of Android, the path may be different. To read it, you will need a file manager). root support, for example Root Explorer or FX File Explorer.

Step-by-step guide:

1. Open the file manager and follow the path:

   /data/misc/wifi/

   Or (for Android 10+):

   /data/misc/apexdata/com.android.wifi/

2. Find the file WifiConfigStore.xml or wpa_supplicant.conf.
3. Open the file with a text editor.
4. Find the block with the name of your network (<string name="SSID">...) - next to it there will be a line with the password (PreSharedKey).

Example content file:

<Network>
<string name="SSID">MyWiFi</string>
<string name="PreSharedKey">my_password_123</string>
</Network>

⚠️ Attention: Changing or deleting files in /data/misc/wifi/ may cause the Wi-Fi module to fail. Make a backup copy before editing!

Make a backup of the file. WifiConfigStore.xml

Install a file manager with root access

Check the path to the file (depending on the Android version)

Do not edit the file manually unless necessary -->

4. Applications for viewing Wi-Fi passwords

If you do not have root access, but the phone has previously connected to the network, you can use specialized applications. They do not work on all devices (depending on the manufacturer and version of Android), but it’s worth a try.

Top 3 tested applications:

• 🔹 WiFi Password Viewer - shows saved passwords on some firmware (for example, Samsung and LG). Link in the Play Market.
• 🔹 WiFi Key Recovery —works on devices with Android 4.4–9.0, requires root for full functionality.
• 🔹 WiFi Password (Root) —only for rooted phones, but supports new versions of Android.

How to use:

1. Install the application from the list.
2. Run it and provide the necessary permissions.
3. In the list of networks, find the one you need and tap on it - the password will be displayed.

⚠️ Attention: Applications without root may not show all networks or display the error "Password not found." This is an Android security limitation, not a app failure.

On Xiaomi devices with MIUI 12+, most of these applications do not work due to additional system protection. In this case, only the ADB method will help (see the next section).

5. Extracting the password via ADB (without root)

ADB (Android Debug Bridge) is a debugging tool. which allows you to execute commands on your phone from a computer. Using it, you can extract the Wi-Fi password, even if you do not have root access. The method works on most devices, but requires preliminary setup.

What you will need:

• 🖥️ A computer with ADB drivers installed.
• 📱 Enabled USB debugging on the phone (Settings → About phone → Build number — tap 7 times, then return to Settings → System → For developers).
• 🔌 USB cable for connection.

Instructions:

1. Connect your phone to the PC and open the command line (cmd on Windows or Terminal on macOS/Linux).
2. Enter the command to check the connection:

   adb devices

   The serial number should be displayed device.

3. Run the command to get a list of saved networks:

   adb shell su -c "cat /data/misc/wifi/WifiConfigStore.xml"

   Or (for new versions of Android):

   adb shell "cmd wifi list-networks"

4. Find in the output the name of your network (SSID) and its identifier (networkId).
5. Get the password with the command (replace X with networkId):

   adb shell "cmd wifi show-password X"

If the command show-password is not supported, try an alternative method:

adb pull /data/misc/wifi/WifiConfigStore.xml C:\temp\

Then open the downloaded file on your PC and find the line with PreSharedKey.

⚠️ Attention: On some devices (for example Huawei c EMUI) access via ADB may be limited. In this case, you will need to unlock the bootloader or root.

6. Specific methods for different brands

Smartphone manufacturers often modify Android to suit their needs, so universal methods may not work. Below are the nuances for popular brands. data-i="164">Brand

Brand	Features	Working methods
Samsung	On One UI the password can be seen in the QR code or via SmartThings (if the router supported).	Methods 1, 2, 4 (applications)
Xiaomi/Redmi/Poco	MIUI blocks access to passwords without root. On older versions (MIUI 11 and below), ADB may work.	Methods 3 (root), 5 (ADB)
Huawei/Honor	On EMUI Often you need to unlock the bootloader for ADB commands.	Methods 2 (QR), 5 (ADB unlocked)
Google Pixel	Stock Android allows you to use method 1 (settings) and ADB without restrictions.	Methods 1, 5

For devices Xiaomi s MIUI 12+ there is a workaround:

• 📱 Install the application Mi Home (if you have devices Xiaomi Smart Home).
• 🔄 Connect the router Xiaomi to your account - the password will be available in the router settings via application.

On Samsung s One UI 5.0+ sometimes the following trick helps:

1. Open Settings → Connections → Wi-Fi.
2. Tap on the current network and select Manage networks.
3. Tap Share —if the password is not shown, take a screenshot of the QR code and decode it (see method 2).

7. If all else fails: alternative solutions

When all of the above methods do not work, their downside is that you will need access to a router or the help of a provider.

Options:

• 🔧 Reset the router —press the button Reset on the back panel (hold for 10–15 seconds). After resetting, use the standard password (indicated on the sticker of the router).
• 📞 Contacting your provider —call support and ask to reset your password (you will need to confirm your personal password). data).
• 🖥️ Router web interface — connect to the router via cable, open in a browser 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1 and log in as admin/admin (or specify the login/password on the sticker).

⚠️ Attention: Resetting the router will return all settings to factory settings, including the network name, password and associated devices. After this, you will have to set up the Internet again (connection data is usually specified in the contract with the provider).

If the router is rented from the provider (for example, Rostelecom or Beeline), a reset may block access to the Internet until reactivation. In this case, it is better to immediately contact support.

How to enter the router settings if you have forgotten the IP address?

Open the command line on your PC (Win + R → cmd) and enter ipconfig. In the "Default gateway" line there will be the IP of the router (for example, 192.168.1.1).

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about recovering the Wi-Fi password

❓ Is it possible to find out the password for Wi-Fi to which the phone has never been connected?

No. The phone stores passwords only for those networks to which it has previously connected. If the network is not in the list of saved ones, it is impossible to recover the password via your phone. In this case, only resetting the router or contacting the provider will help.

❓ Why is there no "Share" button in the Android settings to view the password?

This depends on the version of Android and the manufacturer's shell. For example, on Xiaomi s MIUI i Huawei s EMUI this function is often missing. Try alternative methods (QR code, ADB or root).

❓ Does the method work with the WifiConfigStore.xml file on Android 13?

On new versions of Android, the path to the file has changed, and access to it is limited. For Android 12+ it is better to use ADB or specialized applications that support the latest versions.

❓ Is it possible to find out the Wi-Fi password from someone else's phone without root?

Technically yes, if the phone has connected to this network before. For example, via QR code (method 2) or ADB (method 5). However, this violates privacy - use such methods only on your devices or with the permission of the owner.

❓ What to do if the Internet does not work after resetting the router?

Most likely, the router requires re-configuring the connection to the provider. Find the login information for the web interface (IP, login, password) on the sticker, then enter the connection parameters (these can be clarified in the contract or with support).