Have an iPhone 12 Pro I recently updated to iOS 26.1. Afterwards I discovered that the list of passwords used on networks prior to the update have disappeared from the Passwords app. Only passwords for networks to which I have connected after the update are in the WiFi list in Passwords. What happened to the earlier WiFi passwords and can they be recovered?
iPhone 12 Pro
The update may have reset the network settings as a requirement to install. The update was updating network settings.
It’s noted in the corresponding support article that resetting network settings will result in loss of passwords.
“This resets Wi-Fi networks and passwords, cellular settings, and VPN and APN settings.”
If you can't connect to Wi-Fi on your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support
spdsail wrote:
Jeff Donald's reply states the update "may have reset the network settings". That sounds like speculation the reset occurred. If a reset did occur as part of the update, suspect that would have affected a lot of people. I have not seen others report an experience similar to mine.
You’re correct; I’ve also not seen widespread reports, and a settings reset shouldn’t clobber saved passwords
I’ll assume you’re looking for the previous Wi-Fi passwords in Passwords app?
Is iCloud Keychain enabled? If so, the password sync might not be working correctly.
Jeff Donald's reply states the update "may have reset the network settings". That sounds like speculation the reset occurred. If a reset did occur as part of the update, suspect that would have affected a lot of people. I have not seen others report an experience similar to mine.
spdsail wrote:
Jeff Donald's reply states the update "may have reset the network settings". That sounds like speculation the reset occurred. If a reset did occur as part of the update, suspect that would have affected a lot of people. I have not seen others report an experience similar to mine.
No one here can know, definitively, what happened to your phone and why. We can make educated guesses based on years/decades of experience.
During an update, things can happen to a very small number of people who share some particular constellation of settings, apps, and good luck charms. Also, I suspect that a very significant number of people wouldn't ever notice if passwords to networks they rarely or even use were missing. So it's possible that more people are experiencing this than are aware of. And, even among those who notice, they might do what I'd do which is shrug, assume I didn't actually save it.
spdsail wrote:
Only passwords for networks to which I have connected after the update are in the WiFi list in Passwords.
Bearing in mind the article MrHoffman linked, there are two very different methods of accessing previously used Wi-Fi passwords. At least in my case, they yield different results.
Method 1:
Method 2:
In my case, method 1 only retains recently accessed networks while method 2 goes back many years.
You mentioned using the Passwords app so I assume you used method 2. If so, as MrHoffman suggested, perhaps you have an iCloud issue.
spdsail wrote:
Have an iPhone 12 Pro I recently updated to iOS 26.1.
Correction: My iPhone is current with iOS 26.2.1. I made a typo when writing my initial question to the community.
Previously used WiFi passwords disappeared after updating to iOS26.1.
