Forgetting the WiFi password is a common problem. In most cases, one may have to enter it once in the device, and whenever the device comes within the range of the network, it will connect automatically. It is excellent as you do not have to enter the password every time you want to connect to the WiFi, but sometimes, it is troublesome because many people try to use a strong password for their WiFi. And, as they do not need to re-enter it repeatedly on each connection, they forget the password easily.
Forgetting the WiFi password can be a huge problem as one may have to share it with someone or use it to connect with another device. But, if one doesn’t remember the WiFi password, connecting new devices or sharing the password with the family and friends may require a password reset.
Thankfully, even if you have forgotten your WiFi password, your Windows computer keeps it stored safely for you. You just need to know the proper steps to find the WiFi password on your Windows 10 computer.
Next time when you need to know your WiFi password, follow the easy steps outlined in this article and check your WiFi password on your Windows computer without hassle.
Here, we have explained different ways to view WiFi passwords in Windows 10. Each method to find the password is useful depending on the access you have on your Windows 10 PC settings and your preference. You can use any of these seven methods and follow the steps given under it to find your WiFi network’s password.
Method 1: Use Windows Settings to Find the WiFi Password
If you are the administrator of your computer, you will not have any restrictions. This would be the easiest and simplest method to find your WiFi password in Windows 10. Perform the following steps:
- Go to Start Menu and click on the Settings (gear icon).
- Open Network & Internet. The Status section will open where you can find the connected network connection.
- Scroll down to Network and Sharing Center and click on it.
- Now click on the WiFi name mentioned in the “View your active networks” section, next to “Connections“.
- When the status window of your WiFi network opens, click on Wireless Properties.
- Now click on the Security tab to open it.
- Click on the checkbox next to Show characters to view your WiFi password.
Method 2: Get Your WiFi Password Directly from Control Panel
If you aren’t able to access the Windows Settings, the above method may not work for you. Additionally, if you are looking for a faster way, you can use this method. However, you may need to remember a short command. You can use the Run command to access the network settings of your WiFi. This method can work as long as you have access to your network settings. Follow the step-by-step instructions below to find your WiFi password:
- Open the Run dialog by pressing the Windows+R keys.
- Enter the command ‘ncpa.cpl’ in the text field and click OK.
- The command open will your Network Connections in your Control Panel. Here, right-click on the WiFi network and select Status from the drop-down menu.
- Click on Wireless Properties in your WiFi Status window.
- Click on the Security tab to open it, and then click on Show characters. Your WiFi password will become visible.
Method 3: View Saved Windows 10 WiFi Passwords Using a PowerShell Command
Here is a more advanced method to check your saved WiFi password in Windows 10 using the Windows PowerShell. You can use a simple Network Shell (netsh) command to check various details related to your WiFi network, including the password.
Moreover, you can use this method to find the passwords of all the WiFi networks that were connected to your Windows 10 computer. If you want to know the WiFi password of your home network while you are working at your office, you can use PowerShell to check it. However, if you have used the forget option to remove the network’s details, this method will not be helpful.
To use the ‘netsh’ command, you should know the name or SSID of your WiFi network. When you are connected to your WiFi network, you can easily see the name. However, if you need to find the password of a previously connected network, you may face a problem. Thankfully, the netsh Windows PowerShell command can help you find all the networks your Windows 10 device was connected to.
If you cannot access Windows PowerShell, you can use these commands in the Command Prompt of your computer. Execute the following steps to find your password:
- Right-click on the Start Menu and choose Windows PowerShell.
- When the PowerShell windows opens, type the command “netsh wlan show profiles” and press Enter.
- The names of all the saved networks will appear under the User Profiles section.
- Copy the name of the network for which you want the password so you can use the correct name easily in the next command.
- Next, type the following the command:
“netsh wlan show profile name=[your-wifi-name] key=clear”
You will have to replace [your-wifi-name] with the WiFi name of your network that you have just copied.
- Press the Enter key, and all the information about the WiFi connection will appear. In the Security settings, you can find the WiFi password written next to Key Content.
Method 4: Use a WiFi Password Viewer Application on Windows 10
If you want another method to find your WiFi password, you can also use a third-party WiFi password viewer application to find the passwords of all your saved WiFi networks in one place. If you want a one-click method to find your WiFi password, this method can be your go-to option as this is a single-click process to see all the information about your WiFi connections.
Moreover, a third-party application can help you perform advanced tasks such as importing and exporting WiFi passwords from one device to another.
Many applications are available to help you find your WiFi password. You can use the WirelessKeyView application as it has a simple interface and is available for free. The application can be downloaded in a .zip file. Hence, it would be best if you have zip extractor software like WinRAR or WinZip. After extracting the zip file, launch the application. It will search for the saved WiFi networks and display their passwords under the column Key (Ascii). To view all the details about a network, you can double-click on the name of the network.
Many different password extraction applications are available, so you can use whichever application you prefer.
Method 5: Check the WiFi Password in the Web Interface of Your Router
All the methods mentioned above work fine if you follow the proper steps and the WiFi password is stored on your Windows computer. However, if you were unsuccessful in extracting your password from your Windows operating system, you can also check your router’s web interface.
You can access all the information about your WiFi network through the web interface of your router. This method can be used to find and change the WiFi password. Each router can have a different address that you need to use to connect, and a unique interface with slightly different steps you need to follow to find and potentially change the WiFi password.
That said, these are the high-level steps you need to follow:
- Usually, you can find the IP address that you need to use on the back of your router box. It will look something like: 192.168.X.X
- Type that IP address into any web browser and log in using your router’s credentials. Again, the login details are usually written on the back of your router. If you can’t find it, try ‘admin’ as that is the default for most manufacturers.
- Once you get the access to your router’s management interface, look for WiFi settings or the wireless settings option.
- In that section, you will find an option to display the WiFi password of your network – and even change it if you want to.
Method 6: Find the Default WiFi Password on the Back of Your Router.
As explained in the previous method, you may be able to find the default WiFi password printed at the back of your router. If you have never changed the default password, just read it from the router box and use it to connect.
For security reasons however, it is a best practice to change your WiFi password from the factory default. Make sure to change yours as soon as possible.
Method 7: Reset the Router
If nothing has worked so far, your last resort option is to reset your router settings. Doing this will reset all the settings along with the password. Once the router is reset, you can use the default password for connecting your computer to the network. Just don’t forget to change the factory default password to a strong password of your own.
To reset your router, find the reset button located on back of the router box. Press and hold this button for 5 to 10 seconds. As the button will not be easily accessible, you may need a pin to press and hold it.
Conclusion
For most users, one of the first two methods mentioned in this list will work fine to find a stored WiFi password on Windows 10. But, if you are not the administrator of the computer or mobile device, or you need to handle several devices and connections, it is better to use a third-party WiFi password recovery application. As a last ditch effort, you can always check your router, or reset it.
