Show HN: Quickly connect to WiFi by scanning text, no typing needed
23 comments
·March 16, 2025jmusall
That's a nice idea. I wish stuff like this was builtin. Small suggestion: API level 29 (Android 10) introduced WifiNetworkSuggestion[1], which allows an app to prompt the user to add WiFi credentials to the system. The suggestion has to be sent as an extra in an ACTION_WIFI_ADD_NETWORKS intent[2] (which was added in API 30 for some reason, not sure right now what happens in between).
[1] https://developer.android.com/develop/connectivity/wifi/wifi...
[2] https://developer.android.com/reference/android/provider/Set...
amenghra
For anyone interested, the wifi QR code format is described here: https://www.wi-fi.org/system/files/WPA3%20Specification%20v3...
These QR codes usually work with your device's default camera app -- point at QR code and get prompted to join the network.
nkrisc
I created a few stickers with my guest network WiFi details QR code to put on my fridge and around the house for when I have guests. I also recommend writing the SSID and password on it for those times the QR code won’t work with someone’s device (usually my mom’s ancient Android phone).
IanCal
I do like people building things, but isn't this what the share network button is in android? It creates a qr code with ssid and password, and when scanned with lens it gives you a "join" button.
Edit - ah is the point taking a photo of credentials and joining from that?
nyx
Yeah, from the demo video, it looks like this OCRs a photo of text and turns it into one of those QR codes. Then you can use Google Lens against the QR code onscreen to get the "join" button.
jeroenhd
From this state, adding a button to join the network shouldn't be too complicated, at least not on Android. There's an API for offering a WiFi connection to the user. I don't know about iOS but I presume there's a similar API there.
syndeo
Yep, `NEHotspotConfigurationManager`: https://developer.apple.com/documentation/NetworkExtension/N...
kleiba
While this is def neat, it shows signs of a classical computer scientist fallacy: "There's a recurring problem I occasionally run into, and each time it takes me about 3 minutes to solve it. No more! Instead, I'm going to spend a few weeks programming an app that solves the problem for me!"
tcoff91
The thing is though that it takes 1 person a few weeks and then could save many more people time.
Also if you are already familiar with Android this app should take hours not weeks.
rrix2
it's too bad they didn't release it so a few hundred or thousand people benefit from it and save a few minutes each!
tootie
I have a Pixel 8a and there is a built-in feature like this already. If you connect to a protected wifi it give the option to use the camera to read the password off a sign.
mvdtnz
Surely Android exposes an API to connect to the network? Screenshotting a QR code then googling it feels kind of janky. I have devices like robot vacuums that use a local wifi connection to set themselves up, implying that such an API must exist? I don't do mobile development so maybe I'm off base.
netsharc
Yeah, I agree it feels janky.
They could probably use this API: https://developer.android.com/develop/connectivity/wifi/wifi... or https://developer.android.com/reference/android/provider/Set... to skip the step with Google Lens. Showing the QR-Code is still an interesting functionaliy, for the use case if they had a second phone they wanted to connect that doesn't have this app.
XorNot
What driving me nuts is that we still don't have a widely deployed standard for this though.
Work gave me an iPhone recently and I was shocked the wifi initial connection screen had no option to scan a QR code. It took Android way too long to get this as well.
But on top of that, even when the option is there it's so limited - i.e. it gets presented as "must be a wifi QR code" without the option to just fill a text box from a plain text one (although on reflection I'm now wondering why that's not just a global UX option on phones).
coder543
On iPhone, WiFi QR codes work just fine. You just open the camera app, and point the phone at the QR code. They're automatically detected and scanned, the same as any other normal QR code. (No, you can't open the camera app during initial setup... but, it's not for a lack of the standard or the feature.)
frizlab
If I’m not mistaken iOS can scan the text directly from the text field though (not a very well known feature).
coder543
Also true. Tap on any text field. In the menu where the "paste" option lives, there is also a Scan Text option. I've used that for a number of things over the years.
ajsnigrutin
With 5g less and less people use random wifi hotspots, and for home locations, phone manufacturers assume that it's easier for the user to just type in the password than to generate qr codes for their new phone every few years.
lxgr
It's still very common for guests to connect to the host's Wi-Fi, as not nearly everybody has unlimited data, and not every home has good 5G coverage.
QR codes are a convenient way to make that happen.
cassepipe
Meanwhile there is still a WPS option on my old 2016 phone and half the routers n my country have one.
There's also a nmcli connection modify option for the linux laptop.
Lucky me
MortyWaves
Very lucky for WPS to ever work for you. I stopped even trying a long time ago.
mvdtnz
Unlikely to have a WPS button in a hotel room.
I travel and work remotely a lot. Every new place—hotels, cafes, coworking spaces—means dealing with a new WiFi network. Sometimes there's a QR code, which is convenient, but usually, it's a hassle: manually finding the right SSID (especially frustrating when hotels have one SSID per room), then typing long, error-prone passwords.
To simplify this, I made a small Android app called Wify. It uses your phone's camera to capture WiFi details (network name and password) from printed text, then generates a QR code right on your screen. You can instantly connect using Google Circle to Search or Google Lens. You can also import an image from your gallery instead of using the camera.
Currently, it's Android-only since I daily-drive a Pixel 7, and WiFi APIs differ significantly between Android and iOS. Play Store link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.yilinjuang...
I'd appreciate your feedback or suggestions!