What does the Wi-Fi feature called WPS stand for?

WPS stands for Wi-Fi Protected Setup.

Wi-Fi Protected Setup was introduced to make it easier to connect home devices to wireless networks. Instead of manually entering a long network password, a user could authenticate a device with methods such as a button press or a PIN. The feature appeared on many consumer routers and wireless products.

WPS is not a replacement for Wi-Fi security protocols such as WPA2 or WPA3. It is a setup mechanism that helps devices obtain network credentials or join a protected network.

The PIN method became controversial because some implementations were vulnerable to brute-force attacks. For that reason, security guidance has often recommended disabling WPS PIN authentication when it is not needed. A physical push-button method can have a different security profile, but users should still keep router firmware updated.