Technologies

This Hidden iPhone Feature Saves Wi-Fi Passwords You Forgot

Can’t remember a Wi-Fi password? Your iPhone stores the ones you used to connect to a network. Here’s how to find them.

I always need a reliable, high-speed internet connection on my iPhone, whether it’s for work or leisure. That’s why, when my cellular connection is weak, I seek out and connect to Wi-Fi at home, friends’ houses, coffee shops, restaurants, airports and libraries. But with so many networks, it’s impossible to remember all these passwords.

For the most part, I don’t need to remember any Wi-Fi passwords — once I connect to a network, my iPhone automatically reconnects to it when it’s nearby.

But there are times when I do need to know the actual password, if, for example, a friend or family member wants to connect to that same network and there’s no other way to share the password with them.

Helpfully, iPhones store the passwords of all the Wi-Fi networks you connect to — you just need to know where to find them.

Interested in other lesser-known features on your iPhone? Check out these 14 hidden features on iOS 16 and the trackpad hidden in your iPhone keyboard.

iPhone pro tip: The phone stand you didn’t know you needed

The Lisen phone stand is ergonomically designed to provide you with a more comfortable viewing angle to help reduce strain on your neck and back. Simply adjust the height, set down your phone (vertically or horizontally) and read the news or watch videos on your phone while you multitask.

$13 at Amazon

Get Price Alerts

You’re receiving price alerts for LISEN Cell Phone Stand, Adjustable Phone Stand for Desk, Thick Case Friendly Phone Holder Stand, Taller iPhone Stand Compatible with All Mobile Phone, iPhone 14, iPad, Tablet 4-10» Desk Accessories

View password for Wi-Fi network you’re currently connected to

This first method allows you to view the password of the Wi-Fi network you’re either currently connected to or have connected to in the past and are near enough to the router for the network to appear in your settings.

If you meet these requirements, go to Settings > Wi-Fi, find the Wi-Fi network you want the password for and tap the information icon. Next, tap Password and use Face ID, Touch ID or enter your passcode to view the Wi-Fi network password. Finally, hit Copy to save the password to your clipboard.

Wi-Fi network settings on iOS 16 — You can view passwords for any Wi-Fi networks you’ve ever connected to, as long as you’re currently connected to it or near enough that it appears under My Networks.

Screenshots by Nelson Aguilar/CNET

However, as mentioned, this only works for Wi-Fi networks you’re currently connected to or near to, but there is a way to find the passwords to all the other Wi-Fi networks you’ve connected to in the past.

Find the rest of your saved Wi-Fi passwords

If you want to view every single stored Wi-Fi password on your iPhone, go to Settings > Wi-Fi and tap the Edit button on the top right. A list of your known networks, or every single Wi-Fi network you’ve ever connected to, will appear in alphabetical and numerical order.

To view a password, tap the information icon and then hit Password.

Saved Wi-Fi passwords in iOS settings — You can copy the password to your clipboard or have the password spoken out loud to you.

Screenshots by Nelson Aguilar/CNET

If you want to check out more about iOS, check out our review of the iPhone 14 and everything you need to know about the iPhone 14 series.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Tuesday, Oct. 14

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Oct. 14.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Today’s Mini Crossword has an odd vertical shape, with an extra Across clue, and only four Down clues. The clues are not terribly difficult, but one or two could be tricky. Read on if you need the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Smokes, informally
Answer: CIGS

5A clue: «Don’t have ___, man!» (Bart Simpson catchphrase)
Answer: ACOW

6A clue: What the vehicle in «lane one» of this crossword is winning?
Answer: RACE

7A clue: Pitt of Hollywood
Answer: BRAD

8A clue: «Yeah, whatever»
Answer: SURE

9A clue: Rd. crossers
Answer: STS

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Things to «load» before a marathon
Answer: CARBS

2D clue: Mythical figure who inspired the idiom «fly too close to the sun»
Answer: ICARUS

3D clue: Zoomer around a small track
Answer: GOCART

4D clue: Neighbors of Norwegians
Answer: SWEDES

Technologies

Watch SpaceX’s Starship Flight Test 11

Technologies

New California Law Wants Companion Chatbots to Tell Kids to Take Breaks

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the new requirements on AI companions into law on Monday.

AI companion chatbots will have to remind users in California that they’re not human under a new law signed Monday by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

The law, SB 243, also requires companion chatbot companies to maintain protocols for identifying and addressing cases in which users express suicidal ideation or self-harm. For users under 18, chatbots will have to provide a notification at least every three hours that reminds users to take a break and that the bot is not human.

It’s one of several bills Newsom has signed in recent weeks dealing with social media, artificial intelligence and other consumer technology issues. Another bill signed Monday, AB 56, requires warning labels on social media platforms, similar to those required for tobacco products. Last week, Newsom signed measures requiring internet browsers to make it easy for people to tell websites they don’t want them to sell their data and banning loud advertisements on streaming platforms.

AI companion chatbots have drawn particular scrutiny from lawmakers and regulators in recent months. The Federal Trade Commission launched an investigation into several companies in response to complaints by consumer groups and parents that the bots were harming children’s mental health. OpenAI introduced new parental controls and other guardrails in its popular ChatGPT platform after the company was sued by parents who allege ChatGPT contributed to their teen son’s suicide.

«We’ve seen some truly horrific and tragic examples of young people harmed by unregulated tech, and we won’t stand by while companies continue without necessary limits and accountability,» Newsom said in a statement.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

One AI companion developer, Replika, told CNET that it already has protocols to detect self-harm as required by the new law, and that it is working with regulators and others to comply with requirements and protect consumers.

«As one of the pioneers in AI companionship, we recognize our profound responsibility to lead on safety,» Replika’s Minju Song said in an emailed statement. Song said Replika uses content-filtering systems, community guidelines and safety systems that refer users to crisis resources when needed.

A Character.ai spokesperson said the company «welcomes working with regulators and lawmakers as they develop regulations and legislation for this emerging space, and will comply with laws, including SB 243.» OpenAI spokesperson Jamie Radice called the bill a «meaningful move forward» for AI safety. «By setting clear guardrails, California is helping shape a more responsible approach to AI development and deployment across the country,» Radice said in an email.

One bill Newsom has yet to sign, AB 1064, would go further by prohibiting developers from making companion chatbots available to children unless the AI companion is «not foreseeably capable of» encouraging harmful activities or engaging in sexually explicit interactions, among other things.