While on Windows and other operating systems it is possible to see the stored passwords of Wi-Fi networks, Android does not facilitate it too much without root access, at least until the last eds. Even so, there are two possible ways to view Wi-Fi passwords saved on the mobile without root, at least on relatively modern terminals.
If you want to recover the password of a Wi-Fi network saved on your mobile and you do not have your mobile rooted, there is still hope as long as one of these assumptions is fulfilled: that you have at least Android 10 or a customization layer that allows you to share the connection via QR code.
1. With Android 10 or higher
Android 10 was launched in 2019, so it is increasingly on devices. Among its novelties were improvements on all fronts such as security, privacy and usability. One of those usability improvements is something that was already in the layers of customization: sharing the connection with a QR code.
Since the third beta of Android 10 (called Android Q at the time), Google added the possibility to finally see the saved passwords without having to root the system. This is possible both for the current connection and for any other connection registered on the mobile phone.
For saved networks, you must open the Wi-Fi section of the Android settings and tap on Saved Networks. You will then have to tap on the network from which you want to find out his password and then press Share.
This generates a QR code that someone else can scan with a compatible application to add the profile directly to the mobile, but the password is also displayed in plain text, just below.
2. With the QR code of EMUI, MIUI and others
As always, pure or stock Android is very different from the Android that comes to mobile phones hand in hand with the different layers of customization. The good news is that some of these layers of customization have long included the possibility of sharing the Wi-Fi network using a QR code. The option is relatively common among Chinese layers such as Xiaomi MIUI or Huawei EMUI.
The only disadvantage of this system is that usually these layers only allow you to share the connection to which you are connected at that time, thus limiting the utility, but taking into account that we have not been able to do it in any other way than with root for almost a decade, something is something.
First of all, you need to generate the QR code in question. The process can vary from layer to layer, although it is usually as easy as opening the Wi-Fi section and tapping on the network to which you are connected.
Now comes the interesting part: scan the code. You don’t need any additional applications, but Google Lens is enough for you. For convenience, you can use another mobile phone to scan the code of that one, although it is also possible to open the screenshot in Google Photos and tap on the Google Lens icon to achieve the same effect.
It seems like many steps simply to see the password of the saved Wi-Fi, but remember that at least it is easier than rooting the phone. Hopefully, future versions of Android and its customization layers will end up implementing the Android 10 QR codes that show the password in flat code below, saving you the second step of the process.