How to find out a Wi-Fi password via a computer: all legal methods

Forgot your home Wi-Fi password and there's no sticker with the code on your router? Or need to connect a new device but can't be bothered to look for the settings? You can find your Wi-Fi password from your computer in 2-3 minutes—no hacking, no special software, and no network access loss. The key is that your PC or laptop must already be connected to this Wi-Fi network (at least once).

In this article - 5 proven methods For Windows, MacOS, and a universal method via router settings. We'll discuss how to retrieve the password from the system if it's saved, and what to do if the computer has never connected to the desired network. All instructions are valid for 2026. and work on modern OS versions.

⚠️ Important: Extracting passwords from other people's networks without the owner's permission is illegal (Article 272 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation on unauthorized access to computer information). This article is intended only to restore access to your network, to which you already have legal rights.

1. How to view your Wi-Fi password on Windows 10 or 11

If your computer or laptop has connected to the required network at least once, the password is saved in the system. You can retrieve it via Control Panel or Command lineLet's consider both options.

Method 1: Via the graphical interface

1. Open Control Panel (click Win + R, enter control and press Enter).
2. Go to the section Network and Internet → Network and Sharing Center.
3. Select on the left Managing wireless networks (in Windows 11 the path may differ: Changing adapter settings).
4. Find the required network in the list, right-click on it and select Properties.
5. In the tab Security check the box Show entered characters — the password will become visible.

Method 2: Via the command line (if the graphical method didn't work)

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

Replace NETWORK_NAME with the name of your Wi-Fi network (case-sensitive!). In the command results, find the line Key content - this is the password.

Check that your computer is connected to the correct network|Make sure you have administrator rights|Try restarting your PC|Use an alternative method (see below)-->

⚠️ Attention: If you see the message "Unable to find a profile for the specified network", then the computer was not connected to it. In this case, proceed to method via router.

2. How to find out the Wi-Fi password on MacOS (MacBook, iMac)

On computers Apple Wi-Fi passwords are stored in the keychain Keychain AccessTo extract them:

1. Open Spotlight (click Cmd + Space) and enter Keychain Access.
2. In the left menu, select System (or Login, if the password is saved for your user).
3. In the search bar, enter the name of the Wi-Fi network.
4. Double-click on the found entry and check the box. Show password.
5. Enter your account password MacOS - after this the Wi-Fi password will be displayed.

If Keychain Access doesn't open, try running it as an administrator: right-click on the icon → Intelligence → check the box Open as administrator.

🔹 Alternative method for terminal:

security find-generic-password -wa "NETWORK_NAME"

After executing the command, the system will ask for your account password. Enter it, and the Wi-Fi password will appear in the terminal.

3. Universal method: through the router settings

If the computer did not connect to the network or the previous methods did not work, there is one reliable option left: log in router web interfaceIt works on any device - TP-Link, ASUS, Keenetic, MikroTik and others.

Step 1: Find your router's IP address

• 🖥️ On Windows: open Command line and enter ipconfig. Look for the line Main gateway - this is the IP of the router (usually 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1).
• 🍎 On MacOS: open Terminal and enter netstat -nr | grep default.

Step 2: Log in to your Control Panel

1. Open your browser and enter the router's IP address in the address bar.
2. Enter your login and password (usually admin/admin, if you haven't changed it). If it doesn't fit, check the sticker on the back of the router.
3. Go to the Wi-Fi settings section (names may vary):
   • 📡 Wireless → Security (For TP-Link)
   • 🔒 Wireless Network → Security (For ASUS)
   • 🌐 Wi-Fi → Hotspot (For Keenetic)

⚠️ Attention: If you reset your router to factory settings, all user passwords (including Wi-Fi) will be deleted. You'll have to set up your network again.

4. How to find out the Wi-Fi password if the computer has not connected to the network

If your PC has never connected to the desired Wi-Fi network, the previous methods won't work. Three options remain:

1. Ask the network owner for the password (the easiest and most legal way).
2. Connect to the router via cable and take advantage via the web interface.
3. Use WPS (if the function is enabled on the router):
   • 🔄 Click the button WPS on the router (usually located on the back panel).
   • 💻 On your computer, select the network marked WPS and connect - no password required.
   • 🔍 After connecting, retrieve the password using one of the methods described above.

🔹 What won't help:

• ❌ Programs for "hacking" Wi-Fi (most of them are viruses or do not work on modern routers with WPA3).
• ❌ Brute-force password cracking – modern routers block such attempts.
• ❌ "Secret commands" from old instructions (for example, netsh wlan show hostednetwork (It only works for distributing Wi-Fi, not for extracting passwords).

5. How to save your Wi-Fi password so you don't forget it

To avoid searching for the password every time you need to connect a new device:

• 📝 Take a photo of the sticker on the router (the factory password is usually indicated there).
• 🔐 Use password managers (For example, KeePass or 1Password) to store codes in encrypted form.
• 📱 Sync passwords via Google/Microsoft account:
  • On Android: Settings → Google → Manage Google Account → Security → Passwords.
  • On Windows: Settings → Accounts → Sign-in options → Credential manager.
• 🖨️ Print the QR code for quick connection (many routers can generate it in the web interface).

🔹 Advice for router owners: If you change your password frequently, set a combination that is easy to remember (but not 12345678!). For example:

• Dom@2026! (network name + year + symbol)
• Kot_Pes@WiFi (word + word + separator)

Such passwords are easy to remember but difficult to guess.

6. Common mistakes and how to avoid them

When trying to find a Wi-Fi password, users often encounter common problems. Let's look at the most common ones:

⚠️ Attention: If you see a field in your router settings Password, but it is empty or filled with asterisks (), this does not mean that there is no password. Perhaps the network is operating in the mode Open (without encryption) or used WPS. Check the security type in the section Wireless → Security.

sudo cat /etc/NetworkManager/system-connections/NETWORK_NAME | grep psk=