What is your Wi-Fi password? Chances are, a visitor has asked you this question, or you’ve asked yourself this question when you first connected a new device to the web. Remembering passwords can be a real pain. You should never use the same thing twice, so even the most important things can be difficult to retain even if you use them every day. It’s a good idea to write them down in a safe place, because if you don’t, you might be looking at a complete Wi-Fi router reset – something no one wants to spend an hour doing.
Usually your Wi-Fi password should be printed on the back of your device router, but if not, don’t worry. There’s another way to find the passwords for all Wi-Fi networks you’ve ever connected to. They’re all on your computer somewhere.
Wi-Fi passwords are permanently stored in your settings as long as your Windows or Mac computer has connected to the network before. You may have to do some digging, but all the passwords are there, saved and ready to be shared with anyone who wants to connect to Wi-Fi.
Here’s how to find the passwords for all Wi-Fi networks you’ve ever connected to on MacOS and Windows. For more, please discover 17 basic settings for customizing your MacBook or How to get the most out of Windows 11.
How to find Wi-Fi password in MacOS
Every password you enter and save on your Mac is stored in Keychain Access, MacOS’s password management system. This includes the Wi-Fi network password.
First, use the search function to open the Keychain Access application and do the following:
1. Click system under System keychain in the sidebar.
2. Next, click password at the top of the window.
3. Find the Wi-Fi network you want the password for and double-click it.
4. Finally, select the square next to show password and enter your password when prompted.
Find all your stored Wi-Fi passwords in the Keychain Access app on MacOS.
The password field will then display the password you use to log in to that Wi-Fi network. If necessary, you can double-click the password field to select a password and copy it to the clipboard.
How to find Wi-Fi password on Windows
Finding the password for the currently connected Wi-Fi network is easy on Windows, but getting all stored Wi-Fi passwords requires some work, so we’ll discuss both methods below.
To find the password for the Wi-Fi network you’re currently connected to on Windows:
1. Click start button and go to control Panel > Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center (Windows 11) or settings > Network and Internet > status > Network and Sharing Center (Windows 10).
2. beside connectclick the Wi-Fi network name highlighted in blue.
3. In the enabled Wi-Fi status page, click wireless characteristic then in Safety Label.
4. Finally, select the square next to Display characters Your Wi-Fi network password appears above it.
You can easily find the password for the Wi-Fi network you’re currently connected to on Windows.
However, this isn’t the only way to find the password for your Wi-Fi network. The method above only allows you to view the password for any Wi-Fi network you are currently connected to, but there is a way to find the password all Wi-Fi networks you have connected to on your Windows computer.
To find all Wi-Fi network passwords on Windows:
1. Right-click Windows Icon in the desktop taskbar.
2. Click Windows Terminal (Administrator).
3. enter netsh WLAN show contour and hit Enter View every Wi-Fi network you’re connected to on your keyboard.
4. Once you find the Wi-Fi network you want the password for, enter netsh wlan show profile “(Wi-Fi network name)” key=clear (For example, netsh wlan show profile “Netgear667” key=clear),then click Enter key.
You can use Windows Terminal to find passwords for all Wi-Fi networks.
Settings for Profiles, Connections, Security, and Costs will appear. The Wi-Fi network password will appear next to “Key Contents” under “Security Settings.” In addition to Windows Terminal, you can also use the Command Prompt app to type the commands listed above to find your Wi-Fi password.
If you want to learn more about passwords, whether on your computer or smartphone, check out The best password manager and Nine rules to follow when creating a password.
