How to See Your Saved Wi-Fi Password

A guest asks for the Wi-Fi password and your mind goes blank. Good news: any device that has connected to the network before has the password saved, and you can usually reveal it in a few taps. Here's how on Windows, Mac, Android and iPhone. These steps show passwords already saved on your own device; they don't get you into anyone else's network.

Windows 11: Settings

1. Go to Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi.
2. For the network you're on now, open its properties. For one you've used before, select Manage known networks and pick it.
3. Next to Wi-Fi network password, select Show (older builds label this View Wi-Fi security key).

Recent Windows 11 builds also show a QR code on that page, so a phone can join just by scanning it.

Windows 10 and 11: Control Panel (current network)

1. Press Win + R, type ncpa.cpl and press Enter.
2. Double-click Wi-Fi, then select Wireless Properties and the Security tab.
3. Tick Show characters. The password appears in Network security key.

Windows: every saved password via command line

Open Command Prompt and list the saved networks:

netsh wlan show profiles

Then show the password for one of them, putting the exact network name in quotes:

netsh wlan show profile name="NetworkName" key=clear

Look under Security settings for the Key Content line. That's the password.

Mac

• On macOS Sequoia and later, open the Passwords app and choose Wi-Fi, then select the network.
• Or go to System Settings > Wi-Fi, click the ... button next to a known network and choose Copy Password.
• On older versions, open Keychain Access, search for the network name, double-click it and tick Show password.

Each method asks for your Mac password or Touch ID.

Android

1. Open Settings > Network & internet > Internet (on Samsung Galaxy: Settings > Connections > Wi-Fi).
2. Tap the gear icon next to your network.
3. Tap Share or QR code and verify it's you.

Depending on the phone, you'll see the password in text under the QR code, or just the QR code. Either way, another phone can scan the code to join.

iPhone

1. Go to Settings > Wi-Fi and tap the Info button next to the network.
2. Tap Password and authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode.

This works on iOS 16 and later. For networks you've used before, tap Edit on the Wi-Fi screen. On iOS 18 and later, the Passwords app also has a Wi-Fi section.

Still nothing? Check the router

• Many routers have the default password on a sticker on the bottom or side. If nobody changed it, that's the one.
• Log in to the router's admin page (the address is in its manual or on the sticker) to view or change the password in the wireless settings.

For guests, make a Wi-Fi QR code with our QR code generator and stick it on the fridge.

FAQ

The "Key Content" line is missing.

You either left out key=clear, or it's a network where you sign in with a username (common at work), so there's no shared password stored.

Do I need admin rights?

Windows may ask for admin confirmation to reveal passwords. On work PCs, it may be blocked by policy.

How do I change the Wi-Fi password?

Do it in the router's admin page under wireless settings. Every device will then need the new password to reconnect.