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To share Wi-Fi from a computer, either reveal the password saved for the network and give it to the other person, or use your device’s built-in sharing option. On Windows, open the network’s properties and select Show; on a Mac, find it in Passwords; on a Chromebook, use Wi-Fi sync for devices on the same account. These steps share access to an existing network. Turning your computer into a hotspot is a separate task.

Share a saved Wi-Fi password in Windows

Windows can display the password for the Wi-Fi network currently in use or for a network saved previously. The wording and layout may vary slightly by Windows version.

For the network currently in use

  1. Open Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi.
  2. Select the connected network to open its properties.
  3. Choose Show beside Wi-Fi network password.

For a network saved earlier

  1. Open Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi > Manage known networks.
  2. Select the saved network.
  3. Choose Show beside its Wi-Fi network password.

Give the password to the person joining, or use a QR connection option if one is available. If the other device displays a Wi-Fi QR code and the Windows computer has a camera, Microsoft describes scanning it with the Camera app: switch to barcode mode, scan the code, select the link, then confirm the network in Settings. See Microsoft’s Windows Wi-Fi password instructions.

Free tools Windows power users keep installed

One-click scans. No signup required.

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Share a saved Wi-Fi password from a Mac

On current macOS versions, the Passwords app can reveal or copy a saved Wi-Fi password and display a QR code for the network.

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  1. Open the Passwords app.
  2. Select Wi-Fi in the sidebar.
  3. Choose the saved network. Reveal the dots beside Password, or click them to copy the password. Use the network’s QR-code option if you want the other device to scan it.

For older macOS versions, Apple documents another route on macOS Ventura or later: open System Settings > Network > Wi-Fi > Advanced, select the More button beside a known network, then choose Copy Password. See Apple’s Passwords guide and Apple’s instructions for finding a saved Wi-Fi password.

Share directly with a nearby Apple device

If the recipient has an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, you may be able to share without reading the password aloud. Keep your Mac unlocked and connected to the network. The recipient selects that network on their device, and you accept the prompt to share.

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Apple’s sharing guidance requires both people to be signed in to their Apple Accounts and to have each other’s Apple Account email address or phone number saved in Contacts. The devices should be within Wi-Fi and Bluetooth range, with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth turned on; neither device should be using Personal Hotspot. If no prompt appears, check those conditions, restart both devices if needed, or have the recipient enter the password manually. Details: Apple’s Wi-Fi password sharing instructions.

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Sync Wi-Fi networks on a Chromebook

Chromebook offers account-based Wi-Fi syncing rather than a general feature for revealing and sending a saved password. When settings allow, saved password-protected household or consumer networks can sync to other Chromebooks signed in to the same primary account, or to a connected Android phone.

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  1. On each Chromebook, open Sync settings and enable syncing for Wi-Fi networks.
  2. For a connected Android phone, turn on Wi-Fi Sync in the Chromebook’s connected-device settings.

This applies to secure, password-protected consumer or household networks; enterprise EAP networks are excluded. A work or school administrator may disable syncing. See Google’s Chromebook instructions for sharing Wi-Fi networks.

Sharing a router password is not the same as creating a hotspot

If you want another device to join the same home or office router, use the saved-password or sharing steps above. A Windows Mobile hotspot instead rebroadcasts the computer’s internet connection under a separate hotspot name and password.

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  1. Open Settings > Network & internet > Mobile hotspot.
  2. Choose which connection to share and whether to share it over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.
  3. Turn on the hotspot. The other device joins using the hotspot’s displayed password or QR code.

Microsoft’s instructions cover Windows 10 and Windows 11. Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025; see Microsoft’s Mobile hotspot guide.

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If the computer cannot show the password

The saved-password method works only if the computer previously joined the network and still has its credentials. If the network is not saved, ask its owner or administrator. For a network you manage, check the router’s administration settings, label, or documentation. At a public venue, ask staff or check posted instructions.

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  • When relaying a password manually, preserve uppercase and lowercase letters; Wi-Fi passwords are case-sensitive.
  • If you manage the network and want visitors to use separate credentials, a guest network may be preferable. Google documents viewing and sharing a Nest Wifi or Google Wifi password, including a guest-network password, in Google Home, and advises sharing only with trusted people. See Google Nest’s Wi-Fi password and guest-network instructions.

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