How to view your Wi-Fi password on your computer: all the ways in 5 minutes

Forgot your home Wi-Fi password, and the sticker on your router has worn off? Or need to connect a new gadget but can't be bothered to find the piece of paper with the code? On a Windows computer, the Wi-Fi password is stored in encrypted form. — it can be easily extracted without access to the router. In this article, we'll cover all the working methods: from standard system tools to universal programs for recovering network keys.

It is important to understand: These methods only work for networks to which the computer has already connected.If you've never logged into this Wi-Fi network from this PC, you won't be able to retrieve the password—it simply isn't in the system. Also, keep in mind that some methods require administrator privileges, but we'll show you workarounds for limited accounts.

In modern versions Windows 10 And Windows 11 Microsoft has made it easier to access saved passwords, but it's hidden this feature in obscure menus. And on older systems (for example, Windows 7) you'll have to use the command line or third-party utilities. We'll cover options for all cases—choose the appropriate one based on your OS and access level.

⚠️ Safety WarningExtracting passwords from a system can be considered a breach of privacy if you do it on someone else's computer without the owner's permission. All the steps described are intended solely to restore access to their own networks.

1. Standard method: via “Network settings” (Windows 10/11)

The simplest method requires no additional software and works on most modern PCs. Suitable for users with administrator rights or standard accounts (unless access is blocked by security policy).

Step-by-step instructions:

1. Click Win + Ito open Windows Settings.
2. Go to the section Network and Internet → Wi-Fi.
3. Scroll down and select Additional network settings (V Windows 11 — Managing known networks).
4. Find your Wi-Fi network in the list and click on its name.
5. Click the button Properties (or View network properties V Windows 11).
6. Scroll to the block Security parameters and check the box Show entered characters — the password will become visible.

⚠️ Attention: If the button Properties is inactive or the password field is empty, then:

• 🔹 Your account does not have permission to view network settings (you must request access from an administrator).
• 🔹 The password was changed on the router after the last connection (the computer stores an outdated version).
• 🔹 Network connected via WPS or another protocol without entering a password.

2. Universal method: command line (works on all Windows)

If the GUI does not show the password (for example, due to policy restrictions), command line (CMD) will come to the rescue. This method works on all versions of Windows, including Windows 7/8/10/11, and does not require installation of additional software.

Instructions:

1. Run Command Prompt as Administrator:
   • Click Win + X and select Terminal (Administrator) or Command Prompt (Administrator).
   • IN Windows 11 You can use the search: enter cmd, then Run as administrator.

netsh wlan show profiles

netsh wlan show profile name="NETWORK_NAME" key=clear

💡 Helpful adviceIf the network name contains spaces or Cyrillic characters, enclose it in quotation marks:

netsh wlan show profile name="My 5G Network" key=clear

⚠️ Warning: On some corporate networks or work computers, access to netsh may be blocked by Group Policy. In this case, try the methods in the following sections.

3. View the password in the Network and Sharing Center (Windows 7/8/10)

Older versions of Windows store passwords in a different location—via the Network and Sharing Center. This method is suitable if you Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, as well as for Windows 10 (although it is easier to use the first method).

How to find a password:

1. Right-click on the Wi-Fi icon in the tray (bottom right corner of the screen) and select Open Network and Internet settings.
2. In the window that opens, click Network and Sharing Center.
3. Select on the left Managing wireless networks (V Windows 10 — Changing adapter settings).
4. Find your network in the list, right-click on it and select Properties.
5. Go to the tab Security and check the box Show entered characters.

🔧 Technical nuance: IN Windows 10/11 paragraph Managing wireless networks may be missing - use the method from instead Section 1 or Section 2.

Example of command output (for clarity):

Parameter	Meaning
Network name (SSID)	MyWiFi_5G
Security type	WPA2-Personal
Radio type	802.11n
Key content	12345678ABC
Connection status	Connected

4. Third-party password extraction programs

If system tools do not work (for example, due to security policy restrictions), specialized utilities help bypass these restrictions. They read passwords directly from the Windows registry or configuration files.

Top 3 proven programs:

• 🔓 WirelessKeyView (from NirSoft) is a portable utility that doesn't require installation. It displays all saved Wi-Fi passwords in a table format. Download from the official website.
• 🛡️ WiFi Password Revealer — a simple program with the ability to export passwords to a file. Supports Windows 7-11.
• 🔍 Magical Jelly Bean WiFi Password Revealer — extracts passwords and allows you to copy them to the clipboard.

⚠️ AttentionDownload programs only from the developers' official websites! Many "cracked" versions of password extraction utilities contain viruses or spyware.

How to use WirelessKeyView:

1. Download the archive with the program and unzip it.
2. Run the file WirelessKeyView.exe (administrator rights are not required).
3. Find your network in the table - the password will be in the column Key (Ascii).
4. Export the list to if necessary. HTML or TXT through the menu File → Save All Items.

All Wi-Fi passwords are stored encrypted in the Windows registry. This method requires caution. — Incorrect registry changes can cause system malfunctions. Use this only if other methods fail.

Instructions:

1. Click Win + R, enter regedit and press Enter.
2. Follow the path:

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Wlansvc\Interfaces\

   There will be folders with long names (these are network interface identifiers).

3. Open each folder and find the parameter Profile - it contains the name of your network.
4. Inside the folder with the desired network, open the parameter KeyMaterial — this is an encrypted password. To decrypt it, use WirelessKeyView or online decoders (not recommended due to the risk of data leakage).