How To Share A Wi-Fi Network With Android 10

If you have guests visiting your house and they ask for the password to connect to the Internet, you may have to spend some time helping him or her get the passphrase right. Setting an easy password and you risk having someone you do not want to connect their device to the network, but a too hard one will make it time-consuming for your friends and guests.

With Android 10, you have a simpler way to share the information without memorizing anything. The OS will generate a QR code that you can display on the phone’s screen and all your friend needs to do is to scan it to connect to the Internet.

While you need a phone having Android 10 to create a QR code for the Wi-Fi network, the best part is, any smartphone, even those running older versions of Android can scan the code.

How To Generate QR Codes For Your Wi-Fi Network

This guide is based on a Pixel 4 but as long as yours runs Android 10, the process should be similar:

Step 1: Swipe down to open the notification shade and access the Wi-Fi settings by pressing and holding the icon for Wi-Fi. Another way is to select Settings, Network and Internet, and then Wi-Fi.

Step 2: Choose the Wi-Fi network you wish to share with others, which is usually the one right on top.

Step 3: Select the Share option, which looks like a QR code. Now you have to confirm your identity with a face or fingerprint scan, entering the PIN is another option.

Step 4: After the confirmation step, the phone should display a QR code with a password underneath.

Some smartphones running earlier of Android can do the same task. For example, owners of Samsung Galaxy S10 with Android 9 can generate QR code too. Repeat the steps above and choose the network you want to share. You now see the QR code at the top.

How To Join A Wi-Fi Network By Scanning The QR Code

The ability to generate QR code is limited to some certain phones only but almost all Android handsets can read one. Most of the cameras on phone running Android or iOS 11 or later can scan QR code. Here is how the feature works and what to do if you have some trouble:

Step 1: Access the camera app and hover the phone on the QR code for a while. Hold it still in the process so that the camera can pick up the image.

Step 2: When you see a notification or a link popping up on the screen, tap on it to join the network.

If you cannot access the network and your phone runs on Android 10, here is how you can troubleshoot:

Step 1: Go to the Wi-Fi Settings again by swiping down to conjure the notification shade and holding the icon for Wi-Fi. Another way is to tap on Settings, Network and Internet, and then Wi-Fi.

Step 2: Now look at the bottom of the list to find an option reading “Add network with a blue QR code icon,” choose the option.

For those having an older version of Android, here is what to do:

Launch the settings for the camera app and enable Google Lens. Once you have had Google Lens running, try scanning the QR code again. If that does not work for you, try installing Google Lens to scan the code. Another solution is to download an app that reads QR code.