Google is developing a new set of Wi-Fi controls for Android that will allow users to choose whether to share a saved Wi-Fi network with other profiles on the same device (via Android Authority).
Currently, when a device connects to a Wi-Fi network, all other profiles on the device automatically gain access without the need for verification. However, a new Share Network switch in the latest Android Canary build allows users to disable it so that only the profile that entered the credentials first can connect automatically.
Other profiles would need to enter the network password to join the network. There’s also a new “Allow users to edit network” option that aims to control whether users can change network settings (although this isn’t fully functional yet). Both updates are expected to arrive with the Android 16 QPR3 beta update ahead of a wider release.
The update fixes a long-standing issue in Android’s multi-user Wi-Fi system. When sharing a device with family members, roommates, or friends, automatic sharing of Wi-Fi credentials poses a privacy risk by allowing each user access without your consent.
However, more granular control allows the primary user to decide which networks other profiles can access. Whether for parental supervision, privacy or workplace security reasons, the new feature ensures that sensitive networks are not accessible to everyone. This change allows regular users to prevent automatic access to certain Wi-Fi networks.
Let’s say you don’t want your child’s profile to use your network without permission. When the new WiFi control feature is introduced, you can lock it without having to change the password.
Since the new Wi-Fi control is still in testing, it could be a while before Google rolls it out to Android users. Over time, granular Wi-Fi settings could become an integral part of Android’s network options. Most recently, Google released Android 16 QPR2, which improved the Pixel 10’s performance and added new features.
