How to create and share a Wi-Fi QR code

💡Need to know

• Android users can create a Wi-Fi QR code right in Settings.
• iPhone users can use the Shortcuts app.
• Don't have either? Try a secure site like qifi.org to create a local QR code.

It's your turn to host game night, and everyone is clamoring to get on your Wi-Fi network. But the last thing you want to do is sound out your complicated password: "Lower-case A... then capital J... then a zero..." Talk about a pain. With a Wi-Fi QR code, your guests can just scan an image to get online, no passwords necessary.

At Asurion, we help millions of people get online and troubleshoot their tech. From teaching you how to fix Wi-Fi that keeps disconnecting to helping you connect smart home devices to Wi-Fi, we keep the devices you rely on most working 24/7. Here's how to create a Wi-Fi QR code if you have an iPhone® or an Android®.

How to create a Wi-Fi QR code on Android

Phones with Android 10 and newer have a built-in Wi-Fi QR code generator, so you don't need to download anything. Here's how to create a code:

1. Connect your phone to the Wi-Fi network you plan to share.
2. Open the Settings app.
3. Tap Wi-Fi or Network & internet > Internet.
4. Tap the gear icon next to your network name.
5. Tap QR code or Share.
6. Enter your phone password or use your fingerprint to confirm your identity.

To share your Wi-Fi Android QR code, ask your guests to scan the code with their phone cameras. This lets them immediately connect with your network without entering the Service Set Identifier (SSID) and password.

Plan to reuse your code later? Take a screenshot of the image, or print it out. You can also regenerate it by repeating these steps.

Some phones let you bypass this whole process by using the Android Wi-Fi share button. This creates a hotspot that tethers the guest's phone to your own. Here's how:

1. Swipe down to open your phone's main menu.
2. Tap Hotspot to activate it.
3. On the other device, go to Settings > Internet.
4. Tap your phone's hotspot name and tap Connect.

Using a mobile hotspot is often slower than connecting to the internet directly, so consider how fast the Wi-Fi needs to be. If your guest wants to stream videos or scroll social media, a Wi-Fi QR code may give them a better connection.

How to share your network on iPhone

Creating an iPhone Wi-Fi QR code takes a few more steps, but you can still do it in the time it takes to heat up your party dip. Follow these steps:

1. Download the Shortcuts App from the App Store® and open it on your iPhone.
2. Tap Gallery.
3. Swipe through the rectangular boxes until you see Shortcuts for Accessibility, then tap it.
4. Tap QR Your Wi-Fi.
5. Tap Add Shortcut > My Shortcuts.
6. Tap QR Your Wi-Fi in the list of shortcuts and enter your Wi-Fi network name. Press Done.
7. Type in your Wi-Fi password and tap Done.

After you generate the Shortcuts app Wi-Fi QR code, the icon should appear on your screen. If someone else points their camera at it, it will grant them guest network access.

Maybe you want to send your guests the QR code directly, say, before they arrive. Tap the QR code on your phone, then tap the Share icon. This gives you the option to send the code through AirDrop®, social media, email, and other channels.

Using a web-based QR code generator safely

If you want to secure your Wi-Fi network and safeguard your privacy, consider generating a local QR code in your browser. That way, you don't have to send your Wi-Fi password to a third-party website when you create the code.

QiFi.org is one popular option. It uses HTML5 local storage to create a Wi-Fi password QR code in your browser. Nothing gets sent to an outside server, so you don't have to worry about hackers. Here's how to use this website:

1. Go to QiFi.org.
2. Enter your SSID, which is the name of your Wi-Fi network. This identifier is often printed on the bottom of routers.
3. Choose WPA2 encryption from the drop-down menu. Some older routers may still use WEP.
4. Enter your password.
5. Click Generate!

Your guests can scan the local QR code with their camera apps to get online. There's no expiration date, so you can also print it for future use. This option is more convenient if you have a lot of guests or don't want to keep opening your phone to show people the code.