How to find a WiFi password on a Xiaomi phone

The situation when a new gadget needs to be connected to the home network, and the password is long forgotten or written on a piece of paper that is lost, occurs quite often. Owners of Xiaomi smartphones are more fortunate than users of many other brands, thanks to the deeply redesigned shell of MIUI and the new HyperOS, where network management functions are brought to an affordable level. You do not need to be a system administrator or have access to a router to find out the forgotten combination of characters.

Modern versions of the Android operating system, which run the phones Redmi and Poco, store the keys to access previously used networks in a secure storage system. However, the standard interface often hides this data from normal viewing, requiring the use of certain manipulations or the use of built-in generation tools. QR-Understanding how your device's security system works will help you quickly extract the information you need without wasting time.

In this guide, we will look at all the current methods, from regular shell tools to advanced ways for power users. Regardless of the version of your firmware, you can restore access to network data. The main thing is to carefully follow the steps described below so as not to get confused in the settings menu.

The standard way through QR-code MIUI HyperOS

The simplest and most secure method available on the vast majority of current Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco models does not require the installation of third-party software. The shell allows you to generate a special encrypted code that contains all the information about the network, including the password itself. This method works even if you are not connected to the network right now, but previously saved data for automatic connection.

To start, go to the settings menu. Find the Settings section on your desktop and select Wi-Fi. You will see a list of available networks where your current active connection will be marked with a blue tick or lock icon. Click on the arrow to the right of your network name or the lock icon itself to reveal additional options.

⚠️ Note: to view a password or generate code, the system will necessarily require verification of your identity, PIN-unlocking the screen code or scanning the fingerprint through the built-in fingerprint module.

After successful authorization on the screen will appear QR-It usually shows a line of text like P: password; If the text is hidden with asterisks, take a screenshot of the screen (usually a combination of buttons Volume down). + Then open the gallery, select a screenshot and run the Google Lens feature or the built-in scanner. QR-The camera recognizes the text in the image and shows the password in plain form.

Use the Share Menu and Google Lens

If the standard path through the settings seems too long, you can use an alternative method that is also based on data visualization, the mechanism of work is similar to the previous one, but allows you to get to the desired interface faster, avoiding unnecessary transitions, this is especially convenient on older versions of MIUI, where the location of the elements may differ.

Go to the Settings menu → Find the network you want to know the key from, and click on the gear icon or arrow next to the name. In the window that opens, find the Share button. The system will again request confirmation of the owner through biometrics or pin. QR-The code we saw in the first method.

Here there is an important nuance: on some versions of firmware, the password can be written directly under the text. QR-If you only see the code, take a screenshot. Then open the Google app on your phone, click on the camera icon in the search bar (Google Lens) and hover over the screenshot or select it from the gallery. Artificial intelligence instantly reads data and will give a text string with a password.

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If Google Lens doesn’t see text, try to increase the brightness of the screen by the maximum and take a screenshot again to make the barcode as contrasting as possible.

Viewing saved networks through system settings

The latest updates to HyperOS and MIUI 14 have a feature that allows you to manage your stored network list in more detail, so you can see not only your current network, but your connection history, which is useful if you want to know the password from a friend's network you used to connect to a month ago but are out of range now.

Go to Settings → Wi-Fi. In the upper right corner of the screen, there is often a three-dot menu or gear. In some regions and firmware versions, there is Save Networks or Network Management. When you click on it, you'll see a list of all access points ever used. Choose the one you want and click on the "i" icon or arrow.

The interface can vary depending on the regional version of the firmware (Global, China, EEA). If there is no share button, try pressing and holding your finger on the network name in the shared list, which sometimes triggers a context menu with options for copying data or generating code.

Using ADB commands for advanced users

For those who are not afraid of the command line and have basic skills in debugging over USB, there is a method that does not require superuser rights (Root), but requires a computer. This method allows you to pull out a configuration file where all passwords are stored in plain form, if the Android version allows it (relevant for Android 10 and below, on new versions, access to files is limited).

First, activate the developer mode. Go to Settings → About Phone and quickly press 7 times on the MIUI Version or OS Version. Once you have the "You became a developer" label, go back to the main settings menu, find the "Additional → For Developers" section. Turn on the USB Debugging switch.

Connect your phone to your computer through USB-The computer must have a Platform-tools package installed (ADB). Open the command line or terminal in the folder with ADB and enter a command to check the connection:

adb devices

On the screen of the smartphone will appear a request for debugging permission - confirm it. Next, to try to copy a file with WiFi settings (works on old Android without encrypting backups), use the command:

adb pull /data/misc/wifi/wpa_supplicant.conf c:/wifi_config.txt

⚠️ Attention: on modern versions of Android (11, 12, 13, 14) directory-access /data/misc/wifi/ through ADB If you don't have a Root license, you'll get a "permission denied" error, and then it won't work without getting full rights.

Getting a password through Root rights and file manager

If your Xiaomi phone has an unlocked bootloader and installed Superuser rights (via Magisk or similar utilities), you get full access to the file system.This is the most reliable way that works on any version of Android, as you bypass system restrictions.

You'll need a Root-enabled file manager, such as Root Explorer, Solid Explorer, or MT Manager, and once you install the application, give it superuser rights when you first start it.

/data/misc/wifi/

In this directory, find the file. WifiConfigStore.xml (on new Android devices, or wpa_supplicant.conf (Open the file with the built-in text editor or HTML-Inside, you'll find tags or strings like Passphrase or psk, followed by the password you want in plain text.

Restoring access through the router’s web interface

If none of the software on the phone itself has worked (e.g., the device is reset or the password never saved), the classic method is to log in to the router's settings. To do this, your Xiaomi phone must be connected to the router's network, even if there is no Internet connection, or you can connect to it from another device.

Open the browser (Chrome, Mi Browser) and enter in the address bar IP-The router's address. 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1. The exact address is usually written on a sticker at the bottom of the device. You will need a login and administrator password (often admin/admin), And they are also on the label, unless you change them.

Once you log into the control panel, look for Wireless or Wireless → Wireless Security, where the PSK Password or Password field will display the current key, and you can not only see it, but also change it to a more complex one if you suspect a hack.

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The fastest way for modern Xiaomi is to scan. QR-code through Google Lens, as it does not require superuser rights and runs on any version MIUI.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)