How to find your Wi-Fi password on Windows 10 if you're connected via a network cable

You are connected to the router via Ethernet cable, but you need to know the password from Wi-Fito connect your phone, tablet or another computer? Windows 10 This is possible—even if the device has never been directly connected to a wireless network. The main thing is that the PC has been connected to this network at least once. Wi-Fi networks previously (for example, when first setting up the router) or had administrator rights to access system data.

Many users mistakenly believe that without active wireless connection It is impossible to extract the password. In fact Windows 10 stores all saved network passwords in encrypted form - they can be read through command line, PowerShell or even manually in registryIn this article, we'll cover all the working methods, including how to work around common errors (for example, when a network doesn't appear in the list of saved networks).

⚠️ Attention: If your computer never If you haven't connected to the target Wi-Fi network (even via cable), these methods won't work. In this case, the password can only be found out through router settings (192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1) or resetting it to factory settings.

Why does Windows 10 "remember" Wi-Fi passwords even when connected via cable?

operating system Windows 10 saves data about all networks, to which the device has ever connected - regardless of the connection type. This works thanks to the mechanism WLAN AutoConfig (automatic wireless network configuration service). When you first set up your router via Ethernet, the system can:

• 🔄 Cache password — if the Wi-Fi network has been activated on the PC at least once (for example, for testing).
• 📡 Sync profiles - if the device was part of a domain or used an account Microsoft with synchronization of network settings.
• 🔑 Store data in the registry — even after removing the network from the list of available ones.

Key point: The password is stored in encrypted form in a system file C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Wlansvc\Profiles\Interfaces\{GUID}\, and it can be extracted with administrator rightsIf a network is not displayed in the standard list, this does not mean that its data is not in the system.

Method 1: View the password through Windows Settings (if the network is saved)

The easiest method is if the target Wi-Fi network appears in the list of saved networks. It doesn't require the command line and is suitable for most users.

1. Open Windows Settings (Win + I) and go to the section Network and Internet → Wi-Fi.
2. Click Managing known networks.
3. Find the desired network in the list and click on it → Properties.
4. Scroll down to field Network password and press Show symbols.

⚠️ Attention: If the network isn't listed, but you're sure your PC has connected to it, try other methods (see below). Sometimes network profiles are hidden due to service issues. WLAN AutoConfig.

Method 2: Command line - a universal method for all networks

If the network is not visible in the GUI, use command line (CMD). This method works even for hidden profiles.

Open CMD as administrator (Win + X → Command Prompt (Administrator)) and perform in order:

netsh wlan show profiles

In the output, find the name of the desired network (for example, MyWiFi_5G). Then enter:

netsh wlan show profile name="MyWiFi_5G" key=clear

In the section Security parameters there will be a line Key content — this is the password. If the commands don't work:

• 🔧 Check if the service is running WLAN AutoConfig (services.msc).
• 🛡️ Disable your antivirus—it may be blocking access to network profiles.
• 🔄 Restart your computer and try again.

What to do if the command returns the error "Failed to execute command"

The error appears if the network profile is corrupted or the WLAN service is disabled. Try:

1. Enable the service manually: sc config Wlansvc start=auto → sc start Wlansvc.

2. Restore network profiles via netsh wlan delete profile name="*" (will delete all saved networks!).

Method 3: PowerShell – a CMD alternative with advanced capabilities

PowerShell allows you to extract passwords more flexibly, including exporting all networks to a file. Open PowerShell as administrator and run:

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

The script will output a table with all saved networks and their passwords. If you want to save the result to a file, add the following to the end:

| Out-File -FilePath "C:\WiFi_Passwords.txt"

Method 4: Manually extract the password from the Windows registry

All Wi-Fi passwords are stored in Windows registry in encrypted form. To read them:

1. Open Registry Editor (Win + R → regedit).
2. Follow the path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Wlansvc\Interfaces\{GUID}\Profiles

   (Where {GUID} — unique identifier of the network adapter).

3. In each profile folder, find the parameter Profile (binary format).
4. Export it (right click → Export) and open the file in Notepad.
5. Find the line <keyMaterial> — there will be a password between the tags HEX format.

⚠️ Attention: The registry contains critical system settings. Do not change other parameters to avoid crashes!

Method 5: Third-party programs for automatic password extraction

If manual methods seem complicated, use free utilities:

• 🔍 WirelessKeyView (from NirSoft) - shows all saved Wi-Fi passwords, including hidden ones.
• 🖥️ WiFi Password Revealer — portable program without installation.
• 📊 Magical Jelly Bean WiFi Password Revealer — exports passwords to CSV.

Download the program from official website of the developer (Avoid third-party sources!). Run as administrator—the utility will automatically scan the system and display a list of networks with passwords.

⚠️ Attention: Antivirus programs may block such programs as "potentially dangerous." This is a false positive—add the utility to your exceptions.

How to check a program for security before launching it

1. Check the file hash on VirusTotal.

2. Download only from the official website (for example, nirsoft.net For WirelessKeyView).

3. Run in a sandbox (for example, Sandboxie) on first use.

Common mistakes and their solutions

If none of the methods worked, check:

If you are connected to the router via Ethernet, But never connected to his Wi-Fi, the only way out is to go to the router settings (usually at the address 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1) and see the password in the section Wireless or Wi-Fi.

FAQ: Answers to frequently asked questions

Is it possible to find out a Wi-Fi password if the computer has never connected to this network?

No. If the device hasn't connected to a Wi-Fi network (even just once), the password information is missing from the system. In this case, all that remains is:

• Go to the router settings (you need access to 192.168.0.1).
• Reset the router to factory settings (button Reset on the back panel).
• Check the password with your provider (if the router was issued by an Internet company).

Why in the conclusion netsh my network is not there, even though I connected to it?

Possible reasons:

• The network profile was deleted (for example, through Forget the network).
• Service WLAN AutoConfig was disabled or reset.
• You used guest network (Some routers separate main and guest Wi-Fi).
• Installed on PC VPN or firewall, blocking access to network profiles.

Try restoring your profiles through the registry or reconnecting to the network at least once.

Is it safe to use programs like WirelessKeyView?

Yes, if you download them from official websites (For example, nirsoft.net). These utilities simply read data from system files without making any changes. However:

• Antiviruses may block them as "potentially dangerous" (false positive).
• Do not download such programs from torrents or unverified sources.
• After use, uninstall the utility if you do not need it permanently.

Is it possible to find out the Wi-Fi password from a phone if it is connected via a cable (USB/Ethernet)?

On Android or iPhone it's impossible without root rights (for Android) or jailbreak (for iPhone). Mobile OSes do not provide access to system files with passwords as freely as Windows. Alternatives:

• Connect your phone to Wi-Fi at least once to save the password in the settings.
• Use QR code from the router (if there is a sticker with connection data).
• Find out the password through Windows PC (as described in the article) and enter it manually on your phone.

What should I do if the password in the command output is displayed incorrectly (hieroglyphs, empty space)?

This means that:

• The password is stored in incompatible encoding (try changing the font in CMD on Lucida Console).
• The network uses WPA3-Enterprise or another protocol not supported netsh.
• The network profile is corrupted (try deleting and connecting again).

In such cases, only access to the router settings will help.