Has this ever happened to you – you set up your shiny new laptop to connect to your home Wi-Fi months ago, entering a long, complicated password. But now as you‘re visiting your parents for the holidays and helping them access the internet, you suddenly realize you can‘t remember what that password is at all!
We‘ve all been there. Fortunately, if you use Windows 10, you have an ace up your sleeve. Microsoft‘s operating system actually stores all previously used Wi-Fi network passwords automatically with just a few clicks to reveal them again when needed.
In this guide, I‘ll explain multiple simple methods to find and view your saved Wi-Fi passwords on Windows 10. Just follow the step-by-step instructions to jog your memory and reconnect devices to your wireless network.
Why Do We Need to Find Wi-Fi Passwords on Windows?
Before diving in, let‘s discuss why uncovering saved Wi-Fi passwords is useful for multiple common situations:
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New devices – When connecting a new computer, phone, tablet or other gadget to your home Wi-Fi, you‘ll need to enter the password during set up before it can access the internet.
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Guests – If friends or family visit and want to get Wi-Fi access on their laptop, they‘ll ask you for the password to connect their devices.
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Traveling – Trying to connect to the hotel Wi-Fi on vacation but don‘t know the passphrase? If you connected another Windows 10 device earlier, you can easily look up their password.
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Reset router – If you reset your router to factory default settings, you‘ll need to find the auto-generated password from your PC to reconnect all devices.
As you can see, there are many good reasons to be able to easily view your stored Wi-Fi network credentials on a Windows machine. The good news is – with just a few clicks, Windows has you covered.
Now let‘s explore multiple methods to find and display Wi-Fi passwords in Windows 10.
Method #1: Find Password in Network Settings
The Network Settings menu provides the most user-friendly way to quickly view your current Wi-Fi network password in Windows 10:
Step 1) Click the Start menu and select "Settings"
Step 2) Choose "Network & Internet"
Step 3) On the left sidebar, click Wi-Fi
This will display all the detected wireless networks, with a "Connected" status under the one you‘re currently using.
Step 4) Click on this connected network name and then select "Wireless Properties" at the bottom
Step 5) In the Wireless Network Properties window that opens, select the Security tab
Here you will see boxes for the network Security type (typically WPA2-Personal) and Encryption type (probably AES).
Step 6) Check the box next to "Show characters" to reveal the Wi-Fi password used to connect this network!
Now you can view, copy or verify your existing Wi-Fi password through the Windows Settings menu. However, this only shows the password for your currently connected network. If you want to lookup passwords for old or unused networks, read on for other options.
Method #2: Use the Run Command to Open Network Connections
The Windows Run box provides a fast way to open the Network Connections control panel containing all your saved Wi-Fi networks:
Step 1) Type Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog box
Step 2) Type ncpa.cpl and press Enter or click OK
Step 3 ) This will launch the Network Connections window showing all your configured networks
Step 4) Right-click on the Wi-Fi network you want and select Status
Step 5) Click Wireless Properties and select the Security tab
Step 6) Check "Show characters" to reveal the password!
This lets you access passwords for all Wi-Fi networks you have connected that Windows PC or laptop to, not just the one you‘re currently on. The Run command method provides a handy backup option if the Settings menu isn‘t working properly.
Method #3: Use PowerShell to Extract Any Network Password
IT professionals often use the PowerShell terminal for advanced network diagnostics and configuration. We can also take advantage of several handy PowerShell commands for finding Wi-Fi passwords:
Step 1) Right click the Start menu and launch Windows PowerShell (Run as Administrator)
Step 2) Type netsh wlan show profiles and press Enter
This will display all your configured Wi-Fi networks by name, including ones you connected to in the past or are in range but not using right now.
Step 3) Choose the network name you want the password for and copy it (Ctrl + C)
Step 4) Paste and enter: netsh wlan show profiles name="NETWORK NAME HERE" key=clear
Step 5) The Wi-Fi password will now be revealed in the Security settings section!
While more complex, this PowerShell method allows uncovering the password for absolutely any wireless network your Windows 10 PC has connected to before.
Third-Party Apps for Easy Wi-Fi Password Viewing
If you want dedicated software to easily extract all your locally stored Wi-Fi passwords, try these free solutions:
| App | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| WirelessKeyView | Lightweight with no install Exports passwords to a file |
Clunky old-school interface |
| SterJo Wireless Passwords | Shows network names (SSIDs) for each Clean intuitive design |
Must download and install |
So in summary – accessing your lost Wi-Fi credentials is quick and painless on Windows 10 using the built-in Settings or Run dialog boxes. But for maximum convenience plus insight into all your previously joined networks, grab a specialized Wi-Fi password viewer tool.
Still Can‘t Find the Password? Try These Tips:
If none of the above options display your MIA wireless network password, don‘t panic yet! Here are a few troubleshooting steps:
- Call your internet service provider to have them reset your router to factory defaults. This will generate a new default admin password you can use.
- Physically check the sticker on your Wi-Fi router – some brands set the admin password to the router‘s unique device ID.
- Make sure you didn‘t tell Windows to "Forget" this network before – this permanently deletes any saved password.
- Consider changing your Wi-Fi password if you think it has been compromised and want to fully reset access.
Resetting your home network hardware might be annoying, but at least you know Windows 10 has your back to easily view all those complicated, random Wi-Fi passwords again later!
5 Key Facts About Wi-Fi Passwords in Windows
Here are a few key things to keep in mind about how Windows machines store and handle Wi-Fi network credentials:
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Windows retains previously used Wi-Fi passwords indefinitely unless you manually forget/remove them. So joining lots of coffee shop networks means you accumulate a big list!
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Using the Forget This Network function in Windows completely wipes the saved password for good. Don‘t forget networks unless you intend to lose the password.
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If a Windows Settings menu glitch or crash prevents you from viewing passwords, the old-school Control Panel provides backup access.
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Your locally saved Wi-Fi password won‘t automatically update if you change the actual router admin password later externally. You would need to forget then rejoin the network to sync the new creds.
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Industry experts universally recommend periodically changing your Wi-Fi router admin password rather than using the default one forever. This improves home network security and mitigates risk if the passphrase leaks.
On the whole, you can be confident Windows securely stores all your wireless network passwords to easily reference later. But for optimal home Wi-Fi safety, be sure to reset the admin password every so often.
For a video walkthrough of finding your Wi-Fi credentials on Windows, check out this helpful tutorial from Ask Leo!:
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So in summary, you have several built-in options to easily uncover saved Wi-Fi passwords directly within Windows 10, eliminating frustration when you need to reconnect devices or share access with others.
Now you can successfully install updates on your dad‘s ancient Vista laptop when you visit for the holidays!
Let me know if you have any other questions finding or managing your Wi-Fi network passwords on Windows.
What‘s the easiest way to find my Wi-Fi password in Windows 10?
The fastest method is using the Settings menu Network & Internet > Wi-Fi section. Click your connected network, then Wireless Properties, Security tab, and the "Show characters" checkbox.
Can I view a Wi-Fi password I‘m not currently connected to?
Yes! The PowerShell command will display the password for any and all Wi-Fi networks your Windows device has connected to in the past. The Run command box also lets you access this saved credential information.
I forgot my actual admin password to log into my router – what should I do?
Contact your internet service provider to perform a factory reset your router or mesh system. This will generate a new random default password you can use to reconnect your devices.
What‘s the difference between the SSID and Wi-Fi password?
The SSID is your network‘s name that devices see when scanning for available connections. This identifies the Wi-Fi network but is not secret. The Wi-Fi password or passphrase is the separate administrative credential needed to actually join the wireless network for the first time with each device.
