Overview
If you have connected to a Wi-Fi network before, Windows stored its password and you can view it again — handy when you need to share it or set up a new device. This guide shows how to find the current and all saved Wi-Fi passwords on your own PC, plus macOS and Android.
Recover Wi-Fi passwords your device has already saved.
Warning: Only retrieve passwords for networks you own or are authorized to access.
Key Takeaways
- View the active network’s password in its Wireless Properties (Show characters).
- List and reveal all saved passwords with netsh wlan in Command Prompt.
- PowerShell can dump every saved network and key at once.
- macOS uses Keychain; Android shows a QR code/password in Wi-Fi settings.
View the Active Wi-Fi Password (Windows)
1. Press Windows key + R, type ncpa.cpl, and press Enter.
2. Right-click your Wi-Fi connection and choose Status > Wireless Properties.
3. Open the Security tab and tick "Show characters" to reveal the password.
View a Saved Network With Command Prompt
1. Open Command Prompt.
2. List all saved networks: netsh wlan show profiles
3. Reveal one network’s password: netsh wlan show profile name="NETWORK_NAME" key=clear
4. Look at the "Key Content" line for the password.
List All Saved Wi-Fi Passwords (PowerShell)
1. Open PowerShell.
2. Run: (netsh wlan show profiles) | Select-String "\:(.+)$" | %{ $name=$_.Matches.Groups[1].Value.Trim(); netsh wlan show profile name="$name" key=clear }
3. This prints each saved network and its key content.
macOS, Android, and iPhone
- macOS — open Keychain Access, find the network, and tick "Show password" (enter your Mac password).
- Android — Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi > the network > Share shows a QR code and password.
- iPhone — Settings > Wi-Fi > the network (i) > tap the Password field to reveal it.
Troubleshooting
Problem: netsh shows no Key Content.
Solution: Run Command Prompt as administrator, and ensure the profile name matches exactly (it is case-sensitive).
Problem: Show characters is greyed out.
Solution: You may need administrator rights; sign in with an admin account to reveal the password.
Problem: The network is not listed.
Solution: You may never have saved it, or it was forgotten. You can only recover passwords for networks the device remembers.
Problem: On Android there is no Share option.
Solution: Older Android versions vary; use a Wi-Fi viewer app on a rooted device only for your own networks, or check the router.
Conclusion
Your devices remember Wi-Fi passwords, and you can view them again via Wireless Properties or netsh on Windows, Keychain on macOS, and the Wi-Fi settings on phones — for networks you are entitled to access.
</w:pBdr><w:spacing w:before="220" w:after="40"/></w:pPr><w:r><w:rPr><w:b/><w:bCs/><w:color w:val="0B5394"/><w:sz w:val="21"/><w:szCs w:val="21"/><w:rFonts w:ascii="Calibri" w:cs="Calibri" w:eastAsia="Calibri" w:hAnsi="Calibri"/></w:rPr><w:t xml:space="preserve">About TechHub
This guide is part of the TechHub Knowledge Base. For more step-by-step IT guides and support, visit techhub.com.lk.
