Wi-Fi Password Sharing Not Working, How to Fix
Several users have said that the wireless Wi-Fi password sharing feature is not working as expected. Users have reported these problems:
- When attempted to share a password, an error message appears saying “Password Not Shared. There was a problem sharing your Wi-Fi password.”
- The Share Password popup window (set up animation) does not appear.
- Tapping the Share Password button does not work.
It is possible to share your Wi-Fi password using your Mac, iPhone, iPad or iPod touch with another nearby iPhone, an iPad, or any Mac computer that has macOS Sierra or later. But this feature may not always function as you wanted. This article explains what you can do to fix if you are unable to share or receive a Wi-Fi password.
Apple makes it very easy to share Wi-Fi passwords between iPhones, iPads, and Macs. You can wirelessly share your Wi-Fi password with your friends and family members as long as you have everything set up correctly. This will allow others to connect to your network, without actually entering the password manually. This way, you do not have to disclose the actual password.
Check these first
- Make sure that each device has the latest version of iOS, iPadOS, or macOS. You can check for updates and update your device if there is an update available easily:
- iOS or iPadOS: Settings > General > Software Update.
- macOS: System Preferences > Software Update.
- On each device, ensure that Wi-Fi and Bluetooth is enabled:
- iPhone or ipad: Settings > Wi-Fi or Bluetooth
- Mac: Click the Wi-Fi icon and choose choose “Turn Wi-Fi on.” if it is off. If you do not see this icon, go to System Preferences > Network and select “Show Wi-Fi status in menu bar”. Also click the Bluetooth status icon to turn on Bluetooth if it is turned off. If you do not see the icon, go to Apple menu > System Preferences > Bluetooth, and select the “Show Bluetooth in menu bar.” box.
- On both devices, turn off Personal Hotspot if it is on (Settings > Personal Hotspot).
- Make sure that the Apple devices are close to each other. If not, move the devices closer.
- Make sure that both devices are unlocked.
- Make sure that the sharing device is connected to the Wi-Fi network.
- Make sure that you are signed into your Apple ID on your Apple device.
- Make sure that the receiver’s Apple ID is saved in your Contacts. Furthermore, ensure that your Apple ID is saved in the receiver person’s Contacts.
- Make sure that on the receiver’s device, choose the Wi-Fi network.
See also: How to Change your Apple ID Password
If it is still not working
If you still cannot share your Wi-Fi password or if you cannot receive your friend’s Wi-Fi password, then try these:
- On your iPhone or iPad, turn on Airplane Mode and wait 30 seconds and then turn it off. On your Mac, turn off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and wait 30 seconds and then turn them back on.
- Restart both devices, the device that provides sharing and the other device that needs to connect to the Wi-Fi network. After restarting, try to share your Wi-Fi password again. I had this problem a few times too. And when I restart the Apple device that is supposed to receive the password, the problem is fixed. If this does not work for you, restart the other device too.
- Change your device’s name and then try again. You can do that on your iPhone or iPad by going to Settings > General > About. On your Mac, go to Apple menu > System Preferences > Sharing.
- On the sharing device, reset your network settings. Please note that this will erase all of your network settings. For example, your saved Wi-Fi passwords will be erased. On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > General > Reset, then tap Reset Network Settings. You can reset your network settings on your Mac also.
See also: