iOS 11: iPhone users won’t need to type a Wi-Fi password again

It’s a slick solution to an annoying, everyday issue, and should prove an instant hit

Aatif Sulleyman
Friday 09 June 2017 11:07 BST
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iOS 11 will arrive as a free update this autumn
iOS 11 will arrive as a free update this autumn

Apple is introducing a convenient new Wi-Fi password-sharing feature in iOS 11.

The next time somebody wants to connect to your home network, you won’t need to go through the hassle of rummaging around for your password card and, once you’ve found it, desperately hoping they type out the complex string of characters correctly.

Instead, you’ll be able to get them connected with a single tap of a button.

When an Apple device running iOS 11 tries to connect to your Wi-Fi network for the first time, your Apple device - as long as it is also running iOS 11 - will display a prompt saying ‘Share Your Wi-Fi’.

If you’re happy to proceed, simply hit the ‘Send Password’ button, and the other person’s handset will connect to the network automatically.

The new feature was spotted by 9to5Mac, which says that the devices need to be close to each other and unlocked for the feature to work.

It’s a slick solution to an annoying, everyday issue, and should therefore prove an instant hit.

iOS 11 will arrive as a free update this autumn, but not all Apple customers will be able to use the software.

It will not support the iPhone 5, the iPhone 5C or fourth-generation iPad, leaving the devices stuck on iOS 10.

Though it’s the currently the latest and greatest version of the operating system, it will stop receiving important security and performance updates from Apple when iOS 11 launches, leaving users potentially vulnerable to bugs and glitches.

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