When you set up your Wi-Fi network, you probably don’t think much regarding your password because your phone, laptop, and other devices are online, which can be a problem if a friend or family member asks to connect to Wi-Fi. Access to Fi. -wifi, but you don’t. You remember your password – you didn’t write it down.
Is that number too long on the back of your router? Or maybe you changed it to something personal?
Fortunately for you, there is a way to find all your Wi-Fi passwords in one place — your computer.
As long as your Windows or Mac computer was connected to the network before, these Wi-Fi passwords are stored permanently in your settings.
It may take some digging on your part, but all of your passwords are there, stored, and ready to be shared with anyone who wants to connect to Wi-Fi.
Here’s how to find the passwords for all the Wi-Fi networks you’ve connected to on macOS and Windows.
Every password you enter and save on your Mac is stored in Keychain Access, the macOS password management system. This includes Wi-Fi passwords.
To get started, use the search field to open the Keychain Access app. Do the following:
1. Click on System under System Keychains in the sidebar.
2. Click on Password at the top of the screen.
3. Find the Wi-Fi network you want to encrypt and double-click it.
4. Check the box next to Show password and enter your password when prompted.
The Password section will display the password that you use to log in to the Wi-Fi network.
You can double-click the password field to select a password and copy it to your clipboard, if needed.
How to find Wi-Fi passwords on Windows
Finding the password for the Wi-Fi network you’re connected to is easy on Windows, but finding all your saved Wi-Fi passwords takes a little bit of work.
To find the password of a Wi-Fi network you’re connected to on Windows:
1. Click the 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. Next to Connections, type the name of the Wi-Fi network highlighted in blue.
3. On the Wi-Fi profile page that opens, click Wireless, then the Security tab.
4. Check the box next to Show characters to display the Wi-Fi password above it.
And this is not the only way to find your Wi-Fi passwords.
The above method only allows you to see the password for every Wi-Fi network you connect to, but there is a way to find the password for all the Wi-Fi networks you connect to on your Windows PC.
To find all Wi-Fi passwords on Windows:
1. Right-click on the Windows icon in the taskbar of your computer.
2. Click on Windows Terminal (Admin).
3. Type netsh wlan show profile and press Enter on your keyboard to see every Wi-Fi network you’re connected to.
4. When you find the Wi-Fi network you want the password for, type netsh wlan show profile “(Wi-Fi name)” key = clear (eg netsh wlan show profile key “Netgear667” = clear), then press the Enter button.
The Profile, Connection, Security, and Value settings will appear. The Wi-Fi password will appear under Security settings, next to Key Content. In addition to Windows Terminal, you can also use the Command Prompt program to type the commands mentioned above to find the Wi-Fi password.
If you want to read more regarding passwords, whether on a computer or mobile phone, check out the best password managers to use and nine rules to follow when creating passwords.
