How To Share Your WiFi Password Safely

You can share your WiFi password safely by using a strong password, creating a guest network, enabling your router’s encryption and regularly updating your router. Sharing your WiFi password safely is important because someone with bad intentions could use it to hack into your network, steal your personal information or infect your devices with malware.

Keep reading to learn about the consequences of insecurely sharing your WiFi password, ways to securely share it and best practices for sharing it with others.

The risks of insecurely sharing your WiFi password

When guests visit your house for the first time, one of the first things they might ask for is your WiFi password. Here are several insecure ways you could share your WiFi password with friends, family or other guests:

• Leaving your WiFi password on a sticky note
• Sending it via unencrypted methods, such as emails or text messages
• Sharing it in a group chat on a messaging app
• Saying it during a phone call
• Showing guests the default password on your router

Imagine inviting a few friends over to watch a movie, and they ask for your WiFi password. You may have never changed your WiFi network’s default password, or you might be using a very weak WiFi password because it’s easier for people to type. Regardless of how secure your WiFi password is, sharing it with your friends through a group chat, individual text messages or email can leave your router vulnerable to hacking. Since emails and text messages are unencrypted, a cybercriminal could intercept your messages, revealing your WiFi password.

With your password, a cybercriminal could access your WiFi network, launch a malware infection and potentially infect other Internet of Things (IoT) devices connected to your network. By sharing your WiFi password via text with one of your friends, you risk a cybercriminal gaining unauthorized access to your WiFi network and potentially spying on you through any devices with cameras that are also connected to it.

How to securely share your WiFi password

Now that you know several insecure ways of sharing your WiFi password, let’s dive into how you can securely share it between Apple devices, Android devices and other devices.

Sharing your WiFi password between Apple devices

Before sharing your WiFi password with someone using an Apple device, make sure that both of your devices’ software is updated with the latest iOS version, WiFi and Bluetooth are turned on and you are signed in to your iCloud account with your Apple ID. Once you’re ready to share your WiFi password, unlock your device and connect to your WiFi network. A pop-up will appear at the bottom of your screen asking if you want to share your WiFi password with the other person. Tap Share Password, and the screen will indicate that the sharing was successful.

Sharing your WiFi password between Android devices

One way to share your WiFi password from one Android device to another is by turning your password into a scannable QR code. On Pixel and other Android phones, visit Settings, tap Network & Internet, then select Wi-Fi. Tap the settings icon next to your network, then tap Share. A screen will appear with a QR code displaying the name of your WiFi network and your WiFi password.

Not all Android devices follow the same steps, but the process is relatively similar. For example, if you use a Samsung phone, you will need to visit Settings, tap Connections, then select Wi-Fi. Tap the settings icon, then select QR Code in the bottom-left corner of your screen. On Samsung devices, you will not see your WiFi password written out.

How to safely share your WiFi password between any device

For a safe way to share your WiFi password between devices, consider using a password manager like Keeper^®. Although you may think password managers only store passwords, you can use Keeper Password Manager to send passwords safely through its One-Time Share feature without jeopardizing your privacy. If your WiFi password is saved as a record in your digital vault, you can share that record for a limited time using the One-Time Share feature, even if the recipient doesn’t have a Keeper account. One-Time Share encrypts your WiFi password and other login credentials with zero-knowledge security, reducing the risk of someone intercepting your WiFi password while it’s being shared.

Best practices to follow when sharing your WiFi password

Whenever you share your WiFi password with someone, follow best practices to do so safely and minimize your chances of allowing a hacker access to your network or connected devices.

Use a strong, unique WiFi password

Change your default WiFi router’s password, if you haven’t already, to a strong, unique password that you don’t use for any other account. Even if you have changed the default password but it is weak or reused, update it with a randomly generated, secure password. A strong password for your WiFi should consist of at least 16 characters, with a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols. An easy way to create a strong, unique password for your WiFi network is by using a password generator, which produces random passwords based on customizable criteria.

Create a guest network

Instead of having guests use your primary WiFi network, create a guest WiFi network with a limited connection that won’t affect your devices. Your guest WiFi network should have a different password than your primary network, but it should be just as strong to keep your guests’ devices secure. Creating a guest network is a smart practice because you never know if any of your guests’ devices might be infected with malware. If an infected device connects to your primary WiFi network, malware could spread to other devices connected to your network.

Enable your router’s encryption

Make sure your WiFi router is encrypted to prevent cybercriminals from stealing transferable information by hacking into your network. Enable your router’s encryption with WPA3, which is the newest and best type of encryption protocol for WiFi. To enable encryption on your router, update it through your Internet Service Provider (ISP) settings.

Keep your router up to date

It’s important to keep your WiFi router up to date with the latest software because software updates equip your router with the most recent security patches, bug fixes and improved features. Keeping your WiFi router updated ensures it remains secure and stable, protecting your network and devices from cyber threats.

Securely share your WiFi password using Keeper

Instead of jeopardizing your network’s privacy by sending your WiFi password via email or SMS, securely share it using Keeper’s One-Time Share feature. With Keeper Password Manager, you can create a strong WiFi password, update it to be more unique, store it in a secure vault and share it with anyone you choose for a limited time to protect its safety.

Start your free 30-day trial of Keeper Password Manager today to protect your WiFi password and securely share your other login credentials.