How to Connect a Samsung Phone to Wi-Fi (and Share the Password)

Connecting is two taps. The parts worth knowing are hidden networks, sharing by QR code, and what to do when a network refuses to connect.

Connect to a network

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Connections › Wi-Fi.
3. Turn Wi-Fi on.
4. Tap your network from the list.
5. Enter the password and tap Connect.

Faster route: swipe down for Quick Settings, long-press the Wi-Fi icon — this opens the full network list directly rather than merely toggling the radio.

Join a hidden network

A network that does not broadcast its name will not appear in the list.

1. Settings › Connections › Wi-Fi.
2. Scroll to the bottom and tap Add network.
3. Type the network name (SSID) exactly — it is case-sensitive.
4. Choose the security type (usually WPA2/WPA3 Personal).
5. Enter the password and connect.

Getting the security type wrong produces an authentication failure that looks identical to a wrong password, so check both.

Share your Wi-Fi with a QR code

Far better than reading a 30-character password aloud.

1. Settings › Connections › Wi-Fi.
2. Tap the gear beside the connected network.
3. Tap QR code.
4. The other person scans it with their camera.

This works across Android and iPhone. To join a network from someone else's code, just point your camera at it — see scanning QR codes on Samsung.

Connect to a public network with a sign-in page

Hotels, cafés and airports use a captive portal — you join the network, then must sign in through a browser.

If the sign-in page does not appear automatically:

1. Open a browser.
2. Go to a plain HTTP address such as http://neverssl.com.
3. The portal page appears.

An HTTPS address fails silently instead of redirecting, which is why typing a normal website address often appears to do nothing.

If you have set a Private DNS provider, some captive portals will not load at all. Temporarily set Settings › Connections › More connection settings › Private DNS to Off or Automatic, sign in, then re-enable it.

When a network will not connect

Work through these in order.

1. Forget and rejoin. Tap the network, choose Forget, then reconnect and re-enter the password. This clears corrupted saved credentials, a common problem after a router firmware update.

2. Turn off MAC randomisation. Samsung presents a random MAC address per network for privacy, which some routers reject.

Tap the gear beside the network › MAC address type → Phone MAC.

Do this only on networks you own. Leave randomisation on for public Wi-Fi, where it is a genuine privacy protection.

3. Turn off automatic switching. Samsung's Intelligent Wi-Fi moves you to mobile data when it judges the connection weak, which causes constant flapping.

Settings › Connections › Wi-Fi › ⋮ › Intelligent Wi-Fi → turn off Switch to mobile data.

4. Check the date and time. A wrong system clock breaks certificate validation and produces vague connection errors. Enable Settings › General management › Date and time › Automatic date and time.

5. Reset network settings. Settings › General management › Reset › Reset network settings. Clears all saved Wi-Fi networks, Bluetooth pairings and mobile preferences. You will re-enter Wi-Fi passwords afterwards; nothing else is affected.

Our full guide covers this in more depth: fixing Android Wi-Fi that keeps disconnecting.

Connected but no internet

The phone joined the access point but cannot reach anything beyond it.

• An unfinished captive portal sign-in — see above.
• A Private DNS host the network blocks.
• A VPN left half-connected.
• A wrong system clock.
• The router itself has no internet — check another device before blaming the phone.

Wi-Fi 6E and 6 GHz networks

If a 6 GHz network is invisible on a phone that supports it, the router is usually the cause. 6 GHz requires WPA3 with Protected Management Frames, and routers in WPA2/WPA3 mixed mode frequently fail to hold 6 GHz clients. Setting the router to WPA3-only resolves it, at the cost of very old devices.

Save battery and data

• Settings › Connections › Wi-Fi › ⋮ › Advanced — turn off Switch to mobile data to stop unexpected data use.
• Settings › Location › Wi-Fi scanning — turn off. It scans continuously even with Wi-Fi disabled.
• Turn on Wi-Fi automatically near saved networks is worth leaving on; it saves more battery than it costs.

In short

Settings › Connections › Wi-Fi, tap the network, enter the password. Use Add network for hidden SSIDs and the gear › QR code to share. When a network misbehaves, forget and rejoin first, then switch MAC address type to Phone MAC.

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