Should you change your WiFi password?
Often you do not have to, and one provider will tell you so itself. BT’s help page says it does not recommend you change WiFi password settings on its hubs, because the password it gives you is already very secure. The default is printed on the hub’s settings card.
That is a fair point, so the real question is why you would want to change WiFi password details at all. There are a few good reasons, and they are the same whatever router you have.
- You have shared it widely. Guests, flatmates, builders and old tenants may all still have it.
- You have moved in. If a router came with the property, you do not know who has the details.
- You want something you can read out. A long string of random characters is hard to give to a visitor, and a password you can actually say is easier.
- You think something is off. An unfamiliar device on your network, or a slow connection you cannot explain, is a reason to look.
The Do Nothing Default applies to home WiFi as much as bills. If you never change WiFi password details, or even look at them, you never find out.
How do you change WiFi password settings on your router?
The exact steps depend on your router, and providers move menus around, so treat this as the general route to change WiFi password settings. Most let you change WiFi password settings in one of two places: the provider’s app, or the router’s settings page opened in a web browser.
- Find your router’s sign in details. On many routers they are printed on the router itself or on a settings card. BT’s page says the hub’s WiFi password is on the settings card.
- Sign in through your provider’s app, or through the settings page in a browser while connected to your WiFi.
- Look for a section called WiFi, wireless or network settings.
- Enter the new password in the password field, and save the change.
- Reconnect each of your devices using the new password.
If you are a BT customer, its help page has separate instructions for the Smart Hub 3, Smart Hub 2, the Smart Hub and Ultrafast Smart Hub, and the Home Hub 3, 4 and 5. Other providers have similar pages, so search for your router model on your provider’s help site rather than following a generic video.
One thing to know before you start. The password for signing in to your router settings is often a different thing from your WiFi password. If you cannot get in, check your provider’s help page for how to reset or find the sign in details.
What makes a good WiFi password?
Before you change WiFi password settings, decide what to change them to. The National Cyber Security Centre suggests using three random words to create a password that is difficult to crack. It is the easiest advice to follow, because three unrelated words are much easier to remember than a jumble of symbols.
In practice, that means choosing words that do not go together and are not connected to you. Avoid obvious choices such as your surname, your address or your favourite team. That is our suggestion rather than a rule, but it follows the same logic.
A password manager can also help, and the NCSC lists them in its top tips for staying secure online. It means you do not have to carry the password in your head.
Key takeaways
- You do not always need to change WiFi password settings, and BT says its default is very secure.
- Change it if you have shared it widely, moved into a new home or suspect an unknown device.
- Use three random words, then reconnect all your devices.
What happens to your devices when you change WiFi password settings?
After you change WiFi password settings, expect to reconnect everything. Phones, laptops, tablets, TVs and smart speakers all remember the old password, and they will usually drop off the network once you save the new one. Do not panic when the connection disappears.
It helps to have a short list of the things that connect. Phones and laptops are quick, but smart home gadgets and games consoles are the ones people forget. If one of them is hard to reconnect, check the manufacturer’s instructions.
Do you need to rename the network too?
Not unless you want to. The network name is separate from the password, and some people change it so it does not give away the provider or their address. If you do rename it, you will need to reconnect your devices in the same way.
How else can you keep your home WiFi secure?
A new password is one step. If you have visitors, our guide to a guest WiFi network shows how to give people access without handing over your main password. Our checklist for home WiFi security covers the other basics, and our news piece on broadband router security explains why updates matter.
If your WiFi is slow rather than insecure, you can change WiFi password details all day and it will not help. Our guide to WiFi devices is a better place to start. And if your broadband is old or costly, it may be worth checking whether you are paying more than you need to.
Frequently asked questions about how to change WiFi password
- Where do I find my default WiFi password?
- For BT hubs, the WiFi password is on the settings card. Other providers usually print it on the router or an accompanying card.
- Will I lose my internet if I change WiFi password settings?
- You will not lose the broadband connection, but your devices usually disconnect from WiFi until you enter the new password.
- Is the router login the same as the WiFi password?
- Often it is not. The sign in details for your router settings can be different, so check your provider’s help page if you cannot get in.
- What kind of password should I choose?
- The NCSC suggests three random words, which is difficult to crack but easier to remember than a mix of symbols.
For more detail, see BT’s help page on changing your hub’s WiFi password and the NCSC’s top tips for staying secure online.
