How to share your Wi-Fi with a QR code

A Wi-Fi QR code holds your network name, security type and password, so a guest can join just by pointing their phone camera at it. Most recent Android phones can show one for the network you are on, and you can also create one to print. For safety, share a guest network rather than your main one.

What is inside a Wi-Fi QR code?

A QR code is a square pattern that stores a short piece of text. A Wi-Fi QR code uses a standard format that phones recognise. It contains three things:

The network name, also called the SSID.
The security type, such as WPA or WPA3.
The password.

When a phone scans it, the camera or QR reader spots the format and offers to join the network. Nothing is uploaded and there is no website involved. The code itself is the password, written in a way a camera can read.

How to show a Wi-Fi QR code on Android

Most recent Android phones can create a QR code for a saved network. The exact menu differs by brand, but it usually works like this:

Open Settings and go to Wi-Fi, or search Settings for "Wi-Fi".
Tap the network you are connected to, or the gear icon next to it.
Look for a "Share" button or a QR code icon.
Confirm with your fingerprint, face or PIN.
Hold the screen up for your guest to scan.

Many phones also show the password in plain text under the code, which is handy for devices that cannot scan.

How to scan a Wi-Fi QR code

On most Android phones, open the camera and point it at the code. A notification or pop-up offers to connect. If nothing happens, look for a QR scanner in the camera modes, in Google Lens or in the Quick Settings panel. iPhones can also scan Wi-Fi QR codes with the built-in camera.

Some devices, like laptops, smart TVs and games consoles, cannot scan codes. For those you still need to type the password, so keep it somewhere you can find it.

How to make a Wi-Fi QR code to print

A printed card by the door or on the fridge saves you reading out the password every time someone visits. It is also useful for a holiday let, a small office or a café.

Decide which network to share. A guest network is the best choice.
Use an app or tool that creates Wi-Fi QR codes on your device, so your password is not typed into a website.
Enter the network name, security type and password exactly. Names and passwords are case-sensitive.
Save the code as an image and test it with a phone before you print.
Print it with a short line of text, like "Scan to join the guest Wi-Fi".

The code is as sensitive as the password, because anyone who scans it, or photographs it, can join. A few habits keep it safe:

Share the guest network. Guests get internet access but are kept away from your own laptops, phones and smart devices. If your router has a guest network, use it for QR codes.
Do not post it online. A photo of a QR code works just as well as the real thing.
Keep printed codes indoors. Not in a window or by the front gate.
Change the password when needed. If the code has spread too far, change the guest password and print a new card.

For the wider picture, see our steps to secure your home Wi-Fi.

Be careful with QR codes you did not make

QR codes are useful in cafés, hotels and airports, but they can also be swapped or stuck over by someone else. A Wi-Fi QR code should only ever offer to join a network. If a code in a public place opens a website and asks for personal details or payment, close it. Our guide to using hotel and café Wi-Fi safely covers this and more.

What if the QR code does not work?

Check the network name and password for typos, including capital letters.
Check the security type. A code set to WPA will not join an open network, and the other way round.
Make sure the phone is in range of the network.
Try another scanner, such as Google Lens.
Re-create the code if you changed the password since printing.

Once your guests are on, you will want the password stored somewhere safe for next time. Our guide on where to keep Wi-Fi passwords safely has options.

How CellRadar helps

CellRadar can scan a Wi-Fi QR code to join a network, or create one to share yours. It also has a password vault with encrypted storage for your Wi-Fi passwords, so the password behind the code is easy to find when you need to type it on a TV or laptop.

Frequently asked questions

Does a Wi-Fi QR code expire?

No, it keeps working until you change the network name or password. If you change the password, make a new code.

Can someone hack my Wi-Fi from a QR code?

A QR code is simply your password in another form. Anyone who scans it can join, so share a guest network and keep the code private.

On many Android phones, yes. You can show a QR code for a network your phone is already connected to, after confirming with your screen lock.

Do iPhones read Android Wi-Fi QR codes?

Yes, Wi-Fi QR codes use a common format, and the built-in iPhone camera can read them and offer to join.