How to Share Your Wi-Fi With a QR Code

A Wi-Fi QR code lets a compatible phone read your network name and password, then offer to connect. Your guest scans the code and confirms instead of typing a string of letters and symbols.

The safest everyday approach is to share a guest network, not your main network. A QR code makes access convenient, but it does not make the password secret or limit who can reuse it.

Prepare a guest network first

Open your router's official app or management page and look for Guest Network, Guest Wi-Fi, or a similar setting. Menu names vary by brand. Enable the guest network, give it an obvious name, and choose a strong, unique password.

If available, turn off access to your local network so guests cannot browse shared computers or other household devices. Some routers also provide client isolation, which separates guests from one another. These are different controls, and their behavior varies, so read the explanations in your router's app.

1. Enable the guest network on your router.
2. Select WPA2-Personal, WPA3-Personal, or an appropriate compatibility mode supported by your devices.
3. Set a password that differs from your main Wi-Fi password.
4. Disable guest access to local devices unless you intentionally need it.
5. Connect a test device and confirm internet access works.

Older devices may not support WPA3-only networks. Avoid weakening your main network just to accommodate a visitor. Our guide to setting up a guest Wi-Fi network explains the separation options in more detail.

Collect the exact network details

A Wi-Fi code normally includes the network name, security type, password, and sometimes whether the network is hidden. Network names and passwords are case-sensitive, so copy them carefully from the router's settings.

Make sure you are using the wireless password, not the router administrator password. The administrator login controls your network settings and should never be included on a guest sign. Also avoid using your internet provider account password.

A hidden network still has a name. If yours is hidden, the code may need a hidden-network setting, and device support can be inconsistent. Broadcasting a guest network name is usually simpler; hiding it is not a substitute for encryption and a strong password.

For a home guest network, you usually want a personal-password network. Workplace or school Wi-Fi that asks for individual usernames, certificates, or browser-based approval may not work with a simple Wi-Fi QR code.

Use your phone's built-in sharing option

Many phones can display a Wi-Fi QR code directly. This reduces the chance of mistyping credentials and avoids giving a third-party website your password. Availability and exact labels depend on the operating system and manufacturer.

Android

1. Open Settings > Network & internet > Internet on supported Android phones.
2. Select your connected Wi-Fi network or tap its settings icon.
3. Choose Share and authenticate if prompted.
4. Show the QR code to your guest.

Samsung phones commonly place these options under Settings > Connections > Wi-Fi. Tap the gear beside the connected network and look for QR code. If your phone uses different wording, search Settings for Wi-Fi and inspect the connected network's details.

iPhone

On supported iOS versions, open Passwords, authenticate, select Wi-Fi, and choose the saved network. Look for Show Network QR Code. If that option is unavailable, use another supported device or create a code from the network details yourself.

Apple devices can also offer nearby password sharing between compatible devices when the required account, contact, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi conditions are met. That is a separate feature, not a printed QR code, so do not rely on it for every visitor.

Create a printable code when needed

If your router or phone cannot provide a reusable image, choose a generator that explicitly supports Wi-Fi credentials. A generic QR generator that only encodes website addresses will not automatically create a join-network prompt.

The QR Code Generator is a starting point for creating a shareable code; use its Wi-Fi option if available. Confirm the available input mode rather than putting a plain password into a website-address field.

Wi-Fi codes commonly use a structured text format containing the network name, authentication type, and password. Special characters such as semicolons and backslashes need proper escaping. A dedicated Wi-Fi mode handles that more reliably than manually assembling the text.

Prefer a tool that clearly explains whether processing happens on your device. Do not submit your main network password to an unfamiliar site. If you cannot verify how a service handles credentials, use built-in sharing or a trusted local option instead.

Test the code before displaying it

Scan the code using a device that is not already connected to that guest network. Otherwise, an existing saved connection may hide a mistake. You want to verify that scanning actually offers the correct network and successfully joins it.

iPhone

Open Camera and point it at the code. Tap the network prompt when it appears, then approve joining. Code Scanner in Control Center is another option on supported devices.

Android

Open Camera and try scanning the code. If no prompt appears, open the Wi-Fi settings and look for a QR scanner near Add network. Camera support differs across phone makers.

Print the code with strong contrast, a clear border, and enough physical size for comfortable scanning. Avoid stretching it, placing it on a curved surface, or covering it with a decorative logo. Add the guest network name and a short instruction such as “Scan to join guest Wi-Fi.”

Troubleshooting and privacy checks

If scanning fails, increase lighting and reduce glare. Try the original image rather than a compressed screenshot. If the code scans but joining fails, check capitalization, security settings, and whether the guest network is enabled.

A saved QR image does not update when you change the Wi-Fi password. Generate and test a replacement, then remove old prints and shared copies. See how to change your Wi-Fi password and network name if you need a fresh start.

Treat the code like a written password. Anyone who photographs it may be able to connect later while within range. Keep it inside your home, avoid public social posts, and rotate guest credentials when appropriate.

Make joining easy without oversharing

Use a separate guest network, generate the code from accurate details, and test it on another phone. Keep a written network name available for visitors whose devices cannot scan.

A small, readable card can replace repeated password dictation. Just remember that convenience comes from sharing credentials more efficiently, not from making those credentials private.