How To Easily View Wi-Fi Passwords on Any Android Device

Have you ever needed to share your Wi-Fi password with a friend or family member? Or maybe you wanted to connect a new smart home device and realized you couldn‘t remember those random letters and numbers? Don‘t worry – it‘s actually pretty simple to view wireless network passwords right from your Android device.

In this guide, I‘ll show you step-by-step how to see Wi-Fi passwords on both new and old Android phones and tablets. We‘ll also discuss important security precautions to keep your network safe, written specifically for tech enthusiasts.

Overview: Two Ways to View Passwords on Android Devices

Android devices running version 10 or newer (released in 2019) can view Wi-Fi passwords directly using a handy QR code scanner built into the Google Photos app.

However, older Android devices require rooted admin access to display passwords in system files. The rooting process grants higher-level permissions but also poses risks like voiding warranties or performance instability.

So depending on your Android OS version, here are the two main methods to view Wi-Fi passwords:

Android 10 or Newer

• Access QR code in Wi-Fi network settings
• Save QR code image and scan with Google Photos
• Password revealed in plaintext automatically

Android 9 or Older

• Root device using apps like Magisk or SuperSU
• Gain admin permissions to system files
• Manually lookup password in root directories
• Risks device damage if errors occur

Now let‘s walk through each process in greater detail…

Viewing Passwords on Android 10 or Newer

If your phone or tablet runs Android 10 or newer, you can use the simple QR code scanner technique:

Step 1) Access Your Wi-Fi Settings

Open your Settings app either from your homescreen or app list. Tap into Connections > Wi-Fi to access the list of detected wireless networks.

Step 2) Select Your Network Then Tap the Settings Icon

Choose the Wi-Fi network you want the password for. Your selected network will have a settings gear icon – tap this to open more options.

Step 3) Tap the Share Button Then "Save as Image"

Within your network settings, tap the Share or QR code generation button (depends on Android version). Then choose "Save as image" to download the QR code.

Step 4) Open Google Photos App and Locate Image

Launch the Google Photos app on your device and find the recently saved QR code image.

Step 5) Scan Image Using the Camera Icon

Finally, tap the camera icon in the bottom right and scan your QR code picture. This will instantly reveal your Wi-Fi password in plain text right on your phone screen! It‘s almost magical.

And that‘s all there is to it! With just a few taps, you can now easily view passwords for any Wi-Fi networks you have access to.

Next let‘s explore how to view passwords on older Android devices…

Viewing Passwords on Android 9 or Older

Since older Android systems can‘t natively generate QR codes, an advanced technique called rooting is required instead.

Rooting gives you "superuser" or admin-level access to an Android device, allowing you to view and modify critical system files normally hidden from average users.

This means when properly rooted, you can manually browse to system directories containing your Wi-Fi SSID names and password credentials in plaintext.

However, gaining root access also involves tampering with your device‘s firmware. And if the rooting process goes wrong, it risks:

• Permanently bricking/damaging your device
• Voiding manufacturer warranties
• Losing OTA (over-the-air) system updates
• Performance instability or battery life issues

So rooting requires accepting a bit more device risk for viewing otherwise locked Wi-Fi passwords.

Rooting also makes your device more vulnerable to malware or unauthorized access. Once in an administrative state, malicious apps or users could tamper with core settings.

That said, when done correctly, rooting remains an extremely powerful option for complete device customization control.

How to Root Your Android Device

If you decide to root despite the warnings, this high-level process is involved:

1. Research and Select Rooting App

Popular and trusted choices like Magisk, SuperSU, or KingRoot simplified the rooting procedure into a single app. Compare features among the main options:

2. Fully Backup Your Data

As mentioned, if anything goes wrong during rooting, it can spell disaster for your device‘s data and OS files. So please make sure to:

• Copy data to local storage or cloud drives
• Ensure contacts are synced to accounts like Google

This guarantees you have data backups if trouble occurs.

3. Enable Developer Options and USB Debugging

To allow system modification via your PC connection:

• Go to Settings > About Phone > Tap "Build number" 7 times
• Return to Settings > Select "Developer options"
• Enable USB debugging

4. Run Root App and Follow ALL Steps

Finally, launch your chosen root app such as Magisk. Carefully work through each screen while avoiding any interruptions:

• Accept legal disclaimer
• Initialize rooting utility
• Confirm Superuser access privileges

Once successful, your device reboots with admin permissions allowing you to view Wi-Fi passwords directly in /data/misc/wifi/ files after connecting to each network!

But again, ONLY attempt rooting if you fully grasp the risks. For many users, using the standard QR code method on Android 10+ avoids this complexity.

Security Tips: Keep Wi-Fi Networks Safe

Now that you can access wireless passwords, let‘s briefly discuss a few security best practices:

Use Strong Passwords

Always set Wi-Fi passwords that are 8+ characters with mixed case letters, numbers, and symbols. Examples:

✅ Mx73#pwJkjU
❌ mywifi1234

Change Periodically

Rotate your home Wi-Fi credentials every 3-6 months in case an old password gets compromised from a past guest.

Don‘t Broadcast Your SSID

You can hide your network name (SSID) from publicly broadcasting to make it harder for hackers to target your router.

Enable Updated Encryption

Make sure to use modern WPA3 encryption on your wireless router for enhanced security algorithms over the older WPA2 standard.

Use a Password Manager

This allows you to generate and store very strong, randomized passwords for ALL your accounts while remembering only one master access key. Try managers like LastPass or 1Password.

Conclusion

I hope this guide gives you a thorough understanding of how to view hidden Wi-Fi passwords on both new and old Android devices. The QR code method works great if your phone runs Android 10 or higher. But only attempt rooting older devices if you fully understand the risks around admin permissions access and accept voided warranties.

And most importantly, please secure any Wi-Fi network credentials you uncover. Set strong, complex passwords that you periodically update. Enable modernWPA3 encryption, disable SSID broadcasting, and use password management to generate long randomly secure keys.

What questions do you still have about viewing Android Wi-Fi passwords or securing wireless networks? Let me know in the comments!