How do I get my iOS saved WiFi passwords back?

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Level 1

70 points

How do I get my iOS saved WiFi passwords back?

For reasons that are not important, I had to reset the network settings on my iPhone 4. After rebooting, I found that all of my saved WiFi passwords were gone. Not only that, all of the saved WiFi passwords on my iPad 3 are also gone. So, every time I visit an old venue with WiFi I have to locate the WiFi password and re-enter it on both devices.

I have iCloud Keychain turned ON on both devices and on my MacMini and MacBook Air.

When I look at the System Keychain on my Mac I see all the saved WiFi passwords, but somehow they are not being synced to my iOS devices.

However, the date for the WiFi password at my condo is October 2nd. It should be sometime back in December 2014 when I first logged on there.

The date for the WiFi password at my home LAN is today, when I logged on with my iPad and iPhone. It should be years ago when I first set up my LAN.

How can I get all my saved passwords put back on my iPhone and iPad?

Posted on Oct 4, 2015 3:33 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

David Pennell

Level 1

13 points

Jan 14, 2017 3:49 PM in response to ivanlinares

You will lose not only iOS passwords, but all the wifi passwords on all your Macs. There is a lot of smoke and mirrors out there pretending that's not the case, but it is. First of all, avoid Network resets unless you have a very good reason to think they'll solve your problem. At least half the time, the recommendation is pointless. Secondly, turn off icloud keychain before you reset, if you do. I would also go into keychain and write down any special wifi passwords you have. A couple places closed off one of their wifis - the more reliable, faster one - but didnt mind the older customers who still had the pass for it, we were essentially grandfathered in. But after a network reset of one iPad - to fix a bluetooth issue - wiped out all the wifi passwords on all of my macs, in the blink of an eye - I of course couldn't get them to tell me it again (wasnt even the same staff), and i'd been using it for years automatically so i didnt remember it.

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Answer 2

Jan 14, 2017 2:41 PM in response to David Pennell

Apple really has a lot of issues with admitting to bugs and mistakes. Even though no sane person would ever want this, they'll pretend it's a feature, not a bug. In that respect they're like Microsoft not admitting their update process is now broken.

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Answer 3

mvan231

Level 3

949 points

Oct 3, 2017 1:58 PM in response to Buadhai

Just for information, the passwords are stored in your keychain. If you disable icloud keychain before you reset network settings, then re-enable it afterwards, all your passwords will be restored upon disable / re-enable wifi and connection to data to download the keychain data of course 🙂

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Answer 4

wjosten

Level 10

95,321 points

Oct 4, 2015 3:49 AM in response to Buadhai

If you had an encrypted iPhone backup...the backup MUST be encrypted..., made prior to resetting network settings, & you have not synced since resetting network settings, restoring from that backup will restore the WiFi passwords. Otherwise, there's no way to do what you want.

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Answer 5

Buadhai Author

Level 1

70 points

Oct 4, 2015 3:55 AM in response to wjosten

SO, what you're saying is that Keychain Sync doesn't actually work.

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Answer 6

wjosten

Level 10

95,321 points

Oct 4, 2015 4:00 AM in response to Buadhai

Once you reset network settings, you negated the Keychain sync for WiFi passwords.

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Answer 7

Buadhai Author

Level 1

70 points

Oct 4, 2015 4:12 AM in response to wjosten

It would have been nice to have warned about that in advance. All I got was what is in the attached image. Nothing about deleting all WiFi passwords across all iOS devices. All I did was reset network settings on my phone, why did that have to delete passwords on my iPad? And, what is the rational for preventing syncing back from the keychain on my Mac? This ***** big time. Dozens and dozens of passwords I've collected all have to be reinterred. Huge hassle.

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Answer 8

Buadhai Author

Level 1

70 points

Oct 4, 2015 4:46 AM in response to Buadhai

I guess that ends the discussion.

Let this be a warning to others:

IF YOU RESET THE NETWORK SETTINGS ON YOUR IOS DEVICE, YOU WILL LOSE ALL OF YOUR WIFI PASSWORDS ON ALL OF YOUR IOS DEVICES WITHOUT ANY ADVANCE WARNING.

Procede with caution.

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Answer 9

Jan 14, 2017 3:48 PM in response to Buadhai

I have lost years of saved passwords because of this. Be very carefully.

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