How to Check WiFi Password in Windows 10 and 11

Forgot your WiFi password? You are not alone — it happens to everyone. Whether you are trying to connect a new phone, share your password with a guest, or simply can't remember what you set it to years ago, Windows quietly saves every WiFi password it has ever connected to. This guide shows you every method available to recover those saved passwords on Windows 10 and Windows 11, from the simplest point-and-click approach to the most powerful command-line techniques.

Before You Start

Before trying any of the methods below, there are two things you need to confirm. First, you need a Windows user account with administrator privileges. Standard user accounts can't view saved network security keys because Windows treats them as sensitive credential data. If you are on a work or school computer managed by IT, some of these methods may be restricted by group policy — in that case, contact your IT department.

Second, understand that Windows can only show you the password for a network it has previously connected to and saved. If you never connected your computer to that network, the password will not be stored on it. In that case, you will need to check your router's admin page instead — we cover that in Method 6.

Method 1: Windows Settings (Easiest — Current Network)

This is the simplest method and works perfectly if you are currently connected to the WiFi network whose password you want to find. Windows 11 slightly reorganized the Settings menu compared to Windows 10, so we cover both versions below.

Method 2: Control Panel (Current Network)

The Control Panel route has been available since Windows 7 and still works on both Windows 10 and 11. Some users prefer it because it is a more direct path with fewer clicks once you know the way. It only shows the password for the network you are currently connected to.

You can also reach the Network and Sharing Center faster by typing ncpa.cpl in the Run dialog (Windows + R), which takes you directly to the adapter list, skipping the Control Panel home screen entirely.

Method 3: Command Prompt (Any Saved Network)

This is the most powerful method for most users because it lets you retrieve passwords for any network your computer has ever connected to, not just the current one. If you need the password for your office WiFi, your parents' home network, or a hotel network you connected to last year — and your laptop is in the list of saved profiles — you can recover it here.

The tool is called netsh (Network Shell), a built-in Windows command-line utility for managing network configurations. You do not need to install anything extra.

netsh wlan show profile

User profiles
-------------
    All User Profile     : HomeNetwork
    All User Profile     : OfficeWiFi
    All User Profile     : CoffeeShop_Guest
    All User Profile     : Mum_sHome

netsh wlan show profile "NETWORK_NAME" key=clear

netsh wlan show profile "HomeNetwork" key=clear

Security settings
-----------------
    Authentication         : WPA2-Personal
    Cipher                 : CCMP
    Security key           : Present
    Key Content            : MySecretPassword123

Method 4: PowerShell — Export All Passwords at Once

If you need to retrieve passwords for multiple networks at once — for example, to document your home or office network credentials — PowerShell lets you loop through all saved profiles and display every password in a single command. This is the fastest way to get a complete list.

(netsh wlan show profiles) | Select-String "\:(.+)$" | %{$name=$_.Matches.Groups[1].Value.Trim(); $_} | %{(netsh wlan show profile name="$name" key=clear)} | Select-String "Key Content\W+\:(.+)$" | %{$pass=$_.Matches.Groups[1].Value.Trim(); $_} | %{[PSCustomObject]@{ PROFILE=$name;PASSWORD=$pass }} | Format-Table -AutoSize

PROFILE              PASSWORD
-------              --------
HomeNetwork          MySecretPassword123
OfficeWiFi           C0mpanyW1F1Pass
CoffeeShop_Guest     freewifi2024

(netsh wlan show profiles) | Select-String "\:(.+)$" | %{$name=$_.Matches.Groups[1].Value.Trim(); $_} | %{(netsh wlan show profile name="$name" key=clear)} | Select-String "Key Content\W+\:(.+)$" | %{$pass=$_.Matches.Groups[1].Value.Trim(); $_} | %{[PSCustomObject]@{ PROFILE=$name;PASSWORD=$pass }} | Format-Table -AutoSize | Out-File "$env:USERPROFILE\Desktop\wifi-passwords.txt"

Method 5: Windows Credential Manager

Windows Credential Manager is a built-in vault that stores passwords, certificates, and other credentials for websites, applications, and networks. While WiFi passwords for WPA2 networks are more commonly stored in the WLAN profiles (accessed via netsh), some network types and older Windows configurations store credentials here. It's worth checking if the other methods do not show what you need.

Credential Manager is particularly useful for finding passwords for enterprise WiFi networks (WPA2-Enterprise / 802.1X), which authenticate using a username and password rather than a pre-shared key. These credentials are stored in Credential Manager rather than the WLAN profiles, so netsh will not show them.

Method 6: Check Your Router's Admin Page

If none of the Windows methods work — perhaps because the computer was never connected to that network, or you need the password for a device that has no display — you can always find the WiFi password directly on your router. This works for any device on your network, not just Windows PCs, and always shows the current password regardless of whether it has ever been saved on a computer.

ipconfig

Windows 10 vs Windows 11 — Key Differences

The underlying methods for finding WiFi passwords are the same on both Windows 10 and 11 — the WLAN profiles, netsh, and Credential Manager all work identically. The differences are purely in the Settings app navigation, which Microsoft redesigned significantly in Windows 11.

How to Share Your WiFi Password from Windows

Once you have found your WiFi password, you might want to share it easily with someone else without reading out a long string of characters. Here are the most convenient ways to share it.

How to Change Your WiFi Password

If you found your current password and want to change it to something stronger, or if you suspect it has been shared too widely, you need to change it on your router — not in Windows. Windows stores the password your router uses; it can't change the router's password itself.

WiFi Password Security Tips

While you have your WiFi password in mind, it is a good time to review whether it meets modern security standards. A weak WiFi password is one of the most common entry points for unauthorized users on home and small business networks.

• Use a password that is at least 12 characters long. The longer the better — modern routers support up to 63 characters for WPA2/WPA3.
• Mix uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Avoid dictionary words and predictable substitutions like P@ssw0rd.
• Use WPA3 encryption if your router and devices support it. WPA3 is significantly stronger than WPA2 and eliminates several known attack vectors. Check your router security settings to see if it is available.
• Change your WiFi password periodically — especially after having guests, after a break-in, or after sharing it with someone who no longer needs access.
• Disable WPS (WiFi Protected Setup) on your router. WPS is convenient but has known security vulnerabilities that can allow brute-force attacks on your network.
• Consider setting up a separate Guest Network for visitors. Most modern routers support this. Give guests access to the internet without access to your main network and its devices.
• Check your router's connected devices list periodically. Most router admin pages show a list of all currently connected devices — if you see any you do not recognize, change your password and investigate.
• Store your WiFi password in a password manager (like Bitwarden, 1Password, or the built-in Windows Hello / Microsoft Authenticator) rather than writing it on a sticky note or saving it in a plain text file.

Troubleshooting Common Problems

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I find the WiFi password without being an administrator?

No — Windows restricts access to saved network security keys to administrator accounts for security reasons. If you are on a standard account, you will need to ask an administrator on the same PC to look it up, or access the router admin page directly (which requires knowing the router's admin password instead).

Will these methods work if I am not currently connected to WiFi?

Methods 1 and 2 (Settings and Control Panel) require you to be currently connected to the network, because they show properties of the active connection. Methods 3 and 4 (Command Prompt and PowerShell using netsh) work regardless of whether you are currently connected — they read from saved profiles stored on your hard drive, so you can be on airplane mode or connected to a different network entirely.

Is it legal to view saved WiFi passwords on my own computer?

Yes — viewing passwords that are saved on your own device, for networks you have been authorized to connect to, is completely legal. These are your own saved credentials. Using these methods to access someone else's WiFi without their permission is a different matter entirely and is illegal in most jurisdictions.

Why does Windows save WiFi passwords?

Windows saves WiFi passwords as a convenience feature. When you connect to a network and check "Connect automatically," Windows stores the credentials so it can reconnect without asking you for the password every time. These stored credentials are called network profiles and are saved in Windows' WLAN profile store, encrypted using Windows Data Protection API (DPAPI) tied to your user account.

Can I see WiFi passwords on Windows without any software?

Yes — all the methods in this guide use built-in Windows tools only. No third-party software is required. The Settings app, Control Panel, Command Prompt, PowerShell, and Credential Manager are all included with every installation of Windows 10 and Windows 11.

What if I forgot both my WiFi password and my router admin password?

If you can't find the password using any Windows method and you also can't log in to your router admin page, your last resort is to factory reset your router. Most routers have a small reset button (usually a pin-hole on the back) that you hold for 10—15 seconds to restore factory defaults. After a reset, the router returns to its default SSID and password, which are printed on a sticker on the router itself. Note that a factory reset will also erase any custom settings you had configured.

Quick Method Comparison