Your device keeps saying the Wi-Fi password is incorrect, even though you’re sure you typed it correctly. Start by confirming the current password and clearing outdated saved credentials. Then use the checks below to narrow the problem down to your device or router before reaching for a reset.
Check the password and network name first
Confirm the exact Wi-Fi network name with its owner.
Check the password’s capitalization. Uppercase and lowercase letters must match.
Look at the router label or installation paperwork for the default network name and password. These credentials work only if they haven’t been changed.
Ask the network owner or your internet service provider for the current password if the default credentials no longer work.
Enter that password again on the device that won’t connect.
Treat the router label as a starting point. The owner’s current settings take priority.
Retrieve the password from a connected device
Use a saved password to check what you’ve been typing. Saved and shared credentials also become outdated after a password change, so check them against the network’s current settings.
On an iPhone or iPad with the Passwords app, open Passwords.
Authenticate to unlock it.
Select Wi-Fi > your network > Password. On iPad, if you don’t see Wi-Fi, tap the Sidebar button at the top of the screen first.
For the Settings route on iOS 16 or later and iPadOS 16.1 or later, open Settings > Wi-Fi > the network’s Info button > Password. That route covers the network you’re using right now.
For a network you joined previously, open Settings > Wi-Fi > Edit, authenticate, then select the network’s Info button > Password.
Authenticate to reveal the password.
On a Mac running macOS Ventura 13 or later, select Apple menu > System Settings, then click Wi-Fi in the sidebar. Scroll down, click Advanced to open the list of known networks, then select the network’s More button > Copy Password. Apple’s Wi-Fi password article routes to that same list through Network > Wi-Fi > Advanced, so use whichever item your Mac shows in the sidebar. You can also copy the password from the Known Networks list on the Wi-Fi page itself. Copy Password is unavailable for some networks.
Paste the copied password into the joining device, using Universal Clipboard where available.
In current Windows 11, open Settings > Network & internet > Properties.
Select Show beside Wi-Fi network password. Availability depends on installed Windows updates.
If Show is missing, retrieve the password from another connected device or ask the network owner.
Prefer to skip typing? On a connected Pixel or stock Android phone, select Settings > Network & internet > Internet > the connected network > Share. Other Android manufacturers use different menus.
On a sharing iPhone, select Passwords > Wi-Fi > the network > Show Network QR Code.
Scan the generated code with a device that supports Wi-Fi QR codes.
If the current password or QR code still fails, forget the saved network and reconnect using the next section.
Forget the saved network after a password change
Use this when your device has saved incorrect or outdated credentials. Have the current password ready, then follow the route for your device.
On iPhone or iPad, select Settings > Wi-Fi > Edit > the network’s More Info button > Forget This Network > Forget. For devices using iCloud Keychain with the same Apple Account, forgetting the network on one device causes those devices to forget it too.
On a Mac, select System Settings > Wi-Fi > Advanced > the network’s More Options button > Remove From List > Forget.
In Windows 11, select Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi > Manage known networks > your network > Forget.
On a Pixel, select Settings > Network & internet > Internet > Saved networks > your network > Forget.
On Samsung Galaxy, open Settings > Connections > Wi-Fi. Galaxy menus vary by device.
Touch and hold the affected network.
Select Forget network.
On Chromebook, select the time > Settings > Network > Wi-Fi > Known networks > the network’s More menu > Forget.
Select the intended network again.
Enter its current password to reconnect.
Narrow down the connection problem
These checks isolate the failing device or network and address range and router connection problems.
Try connecting another device to the same Wi-Fi network with the current password.
Test the original device on a different Wi-Fi network. Failure limited to one device points toward that device; failure across several devices points toward the network.
Move the affected device within range of the router.
Try the other band’s network if your router already offers separate networks and your device supports that band, such as 5 GHz instead of 2.4 GHz.
Disconnect power from your home router and modem, following the equipment manufacturer’s restart timing. This temporarily disconnects other users.
Reconnect their power.
Retry Wi-Fi after the equipment finishes restarting.
Review your home router’s security settings
Open your router’s configuration app or webpage if the current password is still rejected. Exact menus depend on the router model.
Select a compatible security mode. Apple recommends WPA3 Personal for supported devices, WPA2/WPA3 Transitional for a mix of newer and older devices, or WPA2 Personal (AES) when necessary.
Apply consistent security settings across the network’s access points.
Give your network a unique name that stays consistent across its bands if duplicate network names are causing confusion.
Disable Hidden network if the network is hidden.
Disable MAC address filtering if it is enabled.
Turn off an unnecessary old router if you replaced it while keeping the same network name and password.
Forget the network on the affected device using its path above.
Rejoin with the current password.
For a TP-Link OneMesh or EasyMesh extender, check the main router’s credentials because the extender synchronizes with it.
Save a network reset for last
A network reset clears saved configuration for persistent connection problems.
Keep the current Wi-Fi password handy. Network resets remove saved configuration; on iPhone and iPad, that includes saved Wi-Fi credentials and other network settings.
Consult IT before resetting network settings on a managed iPhone or iPad.
On iPhone or iPad, select Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone or Transfer or Reset iPad > Reset > Reset Network Settings.
On Pixel, select Settings > System > Reset options > Reset Bluetooth & Wi-Fi > Reset settings.
On Samsung Galaxy, select Settings > General management > Reset > Reset Wi-Fi and Bluetooth settings > Reset settings.
In Windows 11, select Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings > Network reset > Reset now > Yes.
Restart your Windows PC after the reset.
Reconfigure networking software if it requires setup again.
Connect to Wi-Fi again with the current password.
Ask IT about work or school Wi-Fi
If your managed network blocks removal or requires an identity or certificates, a shared Wi-Fi password alone won’t resolve the connection. The administrator controls those requirements.
Ask your administrator to check the managed network profile, required identity and certificates, and address-based access rules.
Consult IT before resetting network settings on a managed iPhone or iPad.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use the old Android WPS option instead of entering a password?
There is no current stock Android WPS connection procedure. Android 9 and later disable WPS in WiFiManager. Use the current password or supported Wi-Fi QR sharing.
Will opening a browser fix an incorrect Wi-Fi password on public Wi-Fi?
A browser sign-in page works only after Wi-Fi authentication succeeds. Once you’ve joined the network, open an http:// website to trigger its sign-in portal.
What should I check if an iPhone hotspot rejects the password?
On the host iPhone, open Settings > Personal Hotspot, or Settings > Cellular > Personal Hotspot. Enable Allow Others to Join. Check Wi-Fi Password; it must contain at least eight ASCII characters. Keep this screen open while the other device connects.
Should I factory-reset my router for a password error?
A router factory reset is a last resort. It erases custom settings and requires you to configure internet and Wi-Fi settings again. Button functions and reset timing depend on the model, so follow its manufacturer’s instructions.
