When a guest asks for your Wi-Fi password, reading a long string out loud is awkward—and easy to mistype. Many Android devices let you share a saved network from Settings using a QR code, so the other person can scan it instead.
Find the share control
On Android, open Settings > Network & internet > Internet, then select the Wi-Fi network you are connected to. Look for Share or a QR-code option; your phone may ask you to verify with its screen lock. Let the guest scan the code with their camera or Wi-Fi settings. The exact wording and availability can vary by Android version and manufacturer.
Google’s Android help documents sharing Wi-Fi information from Settings, while its menus can vary between devices. If you do not see the option, use the phone maker’s instructions for your model instead of installing an unknown Wi-Fi-sharing app.
Pause before showing the code
A Wi-Fi QR code can grant access to the network, so treat it like a password. Check that the selected network is your guest or home network—not a workplace or other restricted connection—and show the code only to the person you intend to connect. Avoid posting the QR code in a public place or sending it to a group chat.
For a short-term visitor, consider using a guest Wi-Fi network if your router supports one. That can separate guest devices from your personal computers and smart-home devices. When access should end, change the guest password or turn off the guest network using your router’s official controls.
QR sharing saves time, but it does not make a shared network private from its owner or other devices automatically. Choose the right network and share access deliberately.
Featured image credit: Zamanological on Wikimedia Commons — CC BY-SA 3.0 (license).
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