How to view saved Wi-Fi passwords on Windows and other systems

If you set a long WiFi password with a thousand symbols to prevent anyone from sneaking into your network, it's very likely that over time you've forgotten it. Windows automatically saves wireless network passwords to which you connect, so as long as you have a device that already connects to that network, you can recover the password without needing to touch the router or reset anything.

In this complete guide you will see All the ways to view a saved WiFi password in Windows (Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10, and 11), whether the PC is currently connected or not, using Settings, Control Panel, Command Prompt, or PowerShell. You'll also find equivalent methods for macOS, Linux, Android mobile devices, and how to locate the password directly from the router, as well as how to delete saved networks and passwords when you no longer want them on your computer.

How to see the WiFi password you're connected to in Windows 10 and 11

Once your computer is connected to a wireless network, Windows 10 and Windows 11 allow you to view the key directly from their network options, without external programs or unusual commands.

In Windows 10, the most common way is to use the Settings app and then go to the classic Network Center in the Control Panel. From that panel you can open the properties of the current WiFi network and display the key in plain text, usually labeled as “Network Security Key”.

The steps summarized in Windows 10 would be these: open Settings > Network and Internet > Status, you enter Center network and sharingYou click on your WiFi name in the Connections section, and then in the Status window you click on Wireless properties. On the tab Security You will see the "Network security key" field and a box called "Show characters" which, when checked, reveals the password.

In Windows 11 the process changes slightly, although the idea is the same: You access the network settings of the WiFi adapter and from there you can find the passwordFrom the Start menu you enter Settings> Network and InternetYou select your wireless connection and enter its advanced properties. In many Windows 11 installations, there is an option to “View WiFi security key” or similar within the properties, which displays the password linked to that specific network.

Regardless of the version, the requirement is always the same: You need to be connected at that moment to the wireless network whose password you want to see.because the system only displays the active connection key from this screen.

View the current WiFi password in older versions of Windows (7 and 8/8.1)

If you are still using Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1, you can also recover the password for the network you are connected to. Access is through the Network and Sharing Center, just like in Windows 10, but starting from the classic system menus.

In Windows 7, the process starts from the network icon in the system tray or from the Control Panel. You need to go to Network and Network and Sharing CenterLocate your WiFi name in the Connections section and click on it to open the WiFi Status window.

From that Status window you can enter Wireless properties and then in the tab Securitywhere you will find the “Network Security Key” field. By checking the box “Show characters”Windows will display the password you were looking for in plain text.

In Windows 8 and 8.1 the mechanism is virtually identical: you enter Center network and sharingLocate the WiFi network in Connections, open its Status, click on Wireless Properties and finally, on the Security tab, activate "Show characters" to see the saved key.

How to view all saved WiFi passwords in Windows using the command line

Beyond current WiFi, Windows stores profiles of all the wireless networks you have connected to on that computer.There isn't a direct graphical menu to see the key for all of them, but you can obtain them from the Command Prompt or with PowerShell using the appropriate commands.

The classic way is to open the Command Prompt (cmd) with administrator privilegesYou can do it with the Win + R combination, typing cmd and then running it as administrator, or searching for it from the Start menu. Once in the console, the first command to list all saved WiFi profiles is netsh wlan show profilesIf you need examples and more commands, consult the guide for manage networks and Wi-Fi with commands.

That command returns the list of network names (SSIDs) whose data has been saved on your WindowsFrom there you just have to choose the profile you are interested in and view its details, including the password in plain text, with a second specific command.

To do this, you write netsh wlan show profile name=network_name key=clear, replacing “network_name” with the exact SSID that appeared in the list above. Within the information that the console will display, in the section of Security Settings (Security settings) you will see a line called Key Contentwhich is precisely the saved WiFi password for that network.

If you prefer PowerShell, the procedure is very similar: Open PowerShell with administrator privileges from the Start menu, you execute the same command netsh wlan show profiles To see the list of networks, copy the name of the one you're interested in and then launch netsh wlan show profile “name=wifiname” key=clear replacing “wifiname” with the actual profile name. Again, the key content will appear as “Key Content”.

Other ways to view the WiFi password in Windows: Control Panel and Known Networks

In addition to the Modern Settings path and commands, Windows offers other, less well-known ways to recover your WiFi password., especially useful if you don't have administrator privileges or if you prefer not to use the Settings app.

One way to do this is to access connection management directly from the classic Control Panel. To do this, you can open a Run window with Win + R y escribir ncpa.cplThis command takes you to the "Network Connections" window, where all the computer's network interfaces appear.

On that screen you just need to locate your WiFi adapter, right-click and choose StatusNext, you'll see the WiFi Status window, and from there you can tap on Wireless properties and in the Security tab, activate the checkbox “Show characters” to view the password in the “Network security key” field.

Another interesting trick is in the Windows 10 Settings app itself, in the section of Manage known networks. From Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi > Manage known networksYou'll see a list of all the networks you've connected to. When you select one, a button appears in some builds. “View Wi-Fi security key” to display the password without using the console.

Note that These options may vary slightly depending on the version and build of Windows.On company computers or with certain security policies, password viewing may be restricted to standard users.

View WiFi passwords in macOS: Keychain and Terminal

If you work with a Mac, you may also need to retrieve the key for a wireless network already known to the system. macOS stores WiFi passwords in its credential manager, known as Keychain Access., and from there you can check them as long as you have the administrator password.

The classic route involves opening the application Access to Keyringswhich is usually located in Applications > Utilities or in the "Other" folder of Launchpad. Once open, in modern versions of macOS you can choose the category Passwords at the top and make sure you're inside Local items or System, which is where the network keys are stored.

With the internal search engine you can enter the WiFi network name (SSID) you want to locateWiFi passwords are usually labeled as "AirPort Network Password" or similar. Double-clicking on that network entry opens a tab with details.

In that window you will see a box called "Show password"If you select it, the system will ask for your Mac administrator username and password. After validating them, The WiFi password will appear in plain text. in that same box. The good thing about this method is that you don't need to be connected to that network at that moment; it's enough that it was saved on the keychain in the past.

If you prefer using the console, macOS also lets you view a network key from the Bus TerminalYou just need to open it (Utilities or "Other" folder) and type the command security find-generic-password -D “AirPort network password” -a “SSID” -gw, replacing “SSID” with the exact network name. Again, the system will ask for the user password and, if it is correct, The network key will be displayed on the next line..

How to view saved WiFi passwords in Linux

On Linux systems the process is different, but the result is the same: The passwords for networks managed by NetworkManager are stored in system configuration files and they can be read with superuser permissions.

A quick way is to use the terminal itself to query those plain text files. They are usually located in /etc/NetworkManager/system-connections/Each file corresponds to a network profile. To directly obtain the password for a specific network, you can use the command sudo cat /etc/NetworkManager/system-connections/wifi_network_name | grep psk=.

If you don't remember the exact name or want to see all the keys at once, you can use a slightly more general command like sudo grep psk = / etc / NetworkManager / system-connections / *. This will search for all lines containing “psk=” within those files and it will show you at once the pre-shared passwords for all the saved networks.

Another, more user-friendly option is to use NetworkManager's tools. nmcli -g NAME connection show You get the list of available connections, and then you can run nmcli -s -g 802-11-wireless-security.psk connection show SSID_NAME for nmcli will directly return the password for that networkIf you remove the -g parameter part, you will be able to see the complete configuration of that connection profile.

View saved WiFi passwords on Android

Android phones also allow, in many recent versions, Check the password for the WiFi networks you are already connected to, without the need for root access or third-party applications, provided the manufacturer has not disabled this function.

Starting with Android 10, the standard way is usually to enter Settings> Wi-Fi (or “Network and Internet” depending on the layer), go to the list of networks and locate the section of Saved networksThere you can select the network whose password you need to see.

Once inside that network's details page, many systems add a button to "Share"This generates a QR code with the connection information. When tapped, the phone will display the QR code on the screen and, usually, also... the password in plain text under the code, in a section usually called “Wi-Fi Network Password”.

This way you can write down the key or scan the QR code from another device, without having to go to the router or touch the operator's settings. However, if your Android device is very old or the manufacturer's interface hides this function, you may have to resort to other, more advanced methods., such as root access and reading system files, which go beyond the standard options intended for any user.

Recover WiFi passwords using third-party programs on Windows

Although Windows and other systems have built-in tools, There are specific applications designed to list saved WiFi passwords.This is useful if you manage many computers or networks and want quick and centralized access to that information.

Utilities such as Wi-Fi Password Revealer, which shows at once all the wireless networks saved in the system with their SSID, encryption type, authentication protocol and, of course, the password. These types of programs read the data that Windows already has.They don't "hack" the network, but they simplify access for the user.

The problem is that many of these tools They have become obsolete for the latest versions of WindowsIn the specific case of WiFi Password Revealer, for example, it is usually designed for Windows XP, 7 or 8, and may cause problems or simply not work properly on Windows 10 and 11.

Solutions such as Wifiphisher, Kismet, Wireshark, Airgeddon or commercial programs such as CommView for WiFi and OmnipeekThese are very powerful tools, designed for traffic and security analysis, that can help uncover clues in certain contexts, but They should always be used responsibly and only on your own networks or with explicit authorization..

In most home users, this can be done using the Settings, Control Panel, and netsh commands. You have more than enough to recover forgotten passwordswithout needing to install anything additional that could generate security alerts or false positives in the antivirus.

Get the WiFi password from the router

If for any reason you are unable to retrieve the key from the operating system, You always have the option of accessing the router's configuration panel.It's a very straightforward method and is usually independent of Windows, macOS, or any other system.

Typically, the router responds to a private address like 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1When you open it in the browser, a page will appear asking for the router's username and password, which are often printed on a sticker at the bottom of the device or in the manual. Once inside, you will have access to all the WiFi network settings, including your current password..

Each operator organizes the menu in their own way, but almost all have a section for WiFi or WLAN where the network name and password are displayed. On some models, simply tap the "eye" icon next to the password field to display it in text, and from there you can copy it or change it to a new one that's easier to remember.

On Movistar routers, for example, as soon as you enter the web interface you will see the configuration of the main wireless network, with the button to show the current key or modify itThey also usually include a section to activate a Guest WiFi, with its own SSID and password for visitors, which you can turn on and off whenever you want.

Vodafone or Orange routers follow a similar logic: you access it with the corresponding IP address, You enter the WiFi menu and locate the network key or password field.From here you can both read and change it. In the case of Orange, in addition to the router's web panel, you can often view and manage the key from the associated mobile app (for example, My Orange, in the "My Livebox" section).

Why you might need to see your WiFi password

It might seem silly until it happens to you, but There are many situations where you need to retrieve your WiFi password and you don't have it handy.And it's not always practical to bend down at the router to try and decipher a worn sticker.

One of the most typical reasons is that You changed your password to a more secure one and you no longer remember what you set it to.The PC keeps connecting because it has the password saved, but any new device asks for it and there's no way to guess it. Checking the password from Windows or the router gets you out of trouble in seconds.

It is also very common that A family member or friend comes to your house and asks you for your WiFi password.But you don't even remember it yourself, or the sticker on the router is barely legible. Instead of trying random combinations, you can simply find the password on a computer that's already connected and write it down for them, or even send it by courier.

Another typical situation is when you want to check if the password you think you have configured is actually the one the router uses. If you enter a password on a new device and it tells you it's incorrectYou'll need to check if the error lies in what you remember or if there's a network configuration problem. Checking your saved password will help you rule out simple mistakes.

Finally, many people take the opportunity to review your network security When you see the password they're using, if you find it's too short, too easy, or the default password when you retrieve it from Windows or the router, it might be a good time to change it to a stronger one. While you're at it, adjust the network name and check who's connected.

How to delete saved WiFi networks and passwords on Windows and macOS

It's not always about recovering passwords; sometimes what you want is just the opposite: Forget a WiFi network so that the device doesn't automatically reconnect.Both Windows and macOS allow you to delete saved networks along with their passwords.

In Windows 10 you can do it from Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi > Manage known networksThere you will see a list of all the networks that the system has saved. Clicking on any of them will display the option to “Stop remembering”Once you confirm, Windows will delete the profile and the next time you try to connect to that network it will ask for the password again.

Another alternative in Windows is to use tools such as Manage Wireless Networks by NirSoftwhich list all the system's WiFi profiles and allow delete, modify or export them in a massive way. They are very useful programs if you manage several computers or older systems like Windows 7 or 8, although they are only available for Windows platforms.

On macOS the process is just as simple: if you want your Mac to stop connecting to a specific network, Open System Settings, go to Wi-Fi and enter the Saved Networks sectionFrom there you can select a network and click on the option to “Bypass this network” or “Remove from list”, depending on the version. Once you confirm, the system forgets both the password and all other data for that access point.

When you remove a network in this way, You don't lose the possibility of connecting again in the future.You'll simply need to enter the correct password again when you want to use it. This is useful for clearing networks that no longer exist or connections from locations you won't be accessing again.

With all these options on the table, from graphical menus to advanced commands, including routers, mobile devices and other systems, Having control over saved WiFi passwords is no longer a mystery and becomes a quick task which you can solve in a few minutes, whether it's to share the key with someone, connect a new device, or bring some order and security to your wireless networks.