How to Find the Wi-Fi Password on a Windows 10 Computer: A Step-by-Step Guide

Did you connect your laptop or PC to a wireless network a month ago, but now you've forgotten the password—and you need to connect a new device? Or is your neighbor asking you to "connect" to a Wi-Fi network, but you can't remember the password you entered during setup? This situation sounds familiar to many. Luckily, Windows 10 stores all saved Wi-Fi passwords in encrypted form, and they can be extracted without special programs.

In this article we will look at 5 working methodsHow to view the Wi-Fi code on a computer Windows 10 — from standard system tools to alternative methods for experienced users. You'll learn how to find a password using Network parameters, Command line, PowerShell, as well as using free utilities. All instructions are relevant for Home And Pro system versions, including the latest updates.

Important: If you have never connected to this network from your current device, It will not be possible to find out the password Windows doesn't store data about other people's access points. In this case, you'll need to contact your router or network administrator.

1. View the password through Network Settings (the easiest way)

This method doesn't require administrator rights and is suitable even for beginners. A few clicks are all it takes to view the saved password for the current or any previously connected network.

Instructions:

• 🖱️ Open Start → Settings (gear icon) → Network and Internet.
• 📶 Go to the tab Wi-Fi and press Managing known networks.
• 🔍 Select the desired network from the list and click Properties.
• 👁️ Scroll down to the section Security parameters and check the box Show entered characters.

After that in the field Network security key The current password will be displayed. If the button Show entered characters is inactive, which means your account does not have administrator rights - you will need to enter your system password or use another method.

Make sure your computer is connected to the correct network.

Make sure you have administrator rights

Close your VPN or proxy if they are active.

Prepare a notepad to write down your password.

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⚠️ Attention: If you are connected to the network via guest profile (for example, in a cafe or hotel), this method will not work - such networks often use temporary access keys that are not stored in the system.

2. How to find out the Wi-Fi password via the command line (CMD)

For users who prefer to work with the console, there is a quick way to extract the password using the command netshThis method is universal and works even if the system's graphical interface crashes.

Step-by-step instructions:

1. Open Command line as administrator (click Win + X and select the appropriate item).
2. Enter the command to view all saved networks:

   netsh wlan show profiles

   In the list, find the name of the desired network (for example, TP-Link_1234).

3. Run the command to extract the password (replace NETWORK_NAME to the real name):

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

4. Find the line in the results Key content - this is your password.

If the command returns an error Failed to execute command, check:

• 🔄 Correct spelling of the network name (case is important!).
• 🛡️ Administrator rights (run CMD through Win + X).
• 📡 Connect to the network (if you have never connected to it from this PC, there will be no data).

(Get-NetConnectionProfile | Where-Object -Property Name -eq "NETWORK_NAME").GetNetworkConnectivity() | Select-Object -ExpandProperty Password

3. Using PowerShell to extract the password

PowerShell — a more powerful tool than CMD, and allows for flexible management of network settings. It not only lets you view passwords but also export all saved networks to a file.

How to find out the password:

1. Launch PowerShell as administrator (enter powershell in search, then Ctrl + Shift + Enter).
2. Run the command to view all Wi-Fi profiles:

   Get-NetConnectionProfile | Where-Object {$_.NetworkCategory -eq "Private"} | Select-Object Name

3. Copy the name of the desired network and paste it into the following command:

   (Get-NetConnectionProfile -Name "NETWORK_NAME").GetNetworkConnectivity() | Select-Object -ExpandProperty Password

If the password is not displayed, try an alternative method:

$profile = Get-NetConnectionProfile -Name "NETWORK_NAME"
$password = ($profile.GetNetworkConnectivity().Password)
Write-Host "Password: $password"

⚠️ Attention: In some builds Windows 10 (especially corporate) access to passwords through PowerShell may be blocked by security policies. In this case, use netsh or third-party utilities.

4. View the password in the wireless adapter properties

This method is suitable for experienced users as it requires working with Device Manager and the registry. However, it can be useful if standard methods don't work.

Instructions:

• 🖥️ Click Win + R, enter ncpa.cpl and press Enter (a list of network connections will open).
• 🔌 Find your active wireless connection, right-click on it and select Status → Wireless Network Properties.
• 🔐 Go to the tab Security and check the box Show entered characters.

If the tab Security is missing or the password field is empty, then:

• 📌 The network uses WPS-connection (no password required).
• 🔄 The network profile is damaged (try deleting the network and connecting again).
• 🛡️ Access blocked by group policy (relevant for work PCs).

5. Third-party programs for viewing Wi-Fi passwords

If system tools fail, free utilities can help. They not only display passwords but also allow you to export them to a file or copy them to the clipboard.

How to use WirelessKeyView (for example):

1. Download the program from official website (choose the version for 32-bit or 64-bit system).
2. Unzip the archive and run WirelessKeyView.exe (administrator rights are not required).
3. Find the required network in the table - the password will be in the column Key (Ascii).
4. To copy all passwords, click File → Save All Items.

⚠️ Attention: Download programs only from the official websites of the developers! Many "cracked" versions of password viewing utilities contain viruses or spyware. Check the file before use. VirusTotal.

6. How to Find Out Someone Else's Wi-Fi Password (Ethically and Legally)

If you need to connect to a network but you're not the device administrator (for example, on a work PC or a friend's laptop), standard methods won't work. However, there are legal ways to gain access:

• 📋 Ask the network owner to show you the password on their device (for example, on their phone in the router settings).
• 🔄 If you have access to router, go to its web interface (usually at 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1) and look at the password in the section Wireless → Security.
• 📱 On Android-devices with rights root you can use the app WiFi Password Viewer.
• 🍎 On MacOS open Terminal and enter:

  security find-generic-password -wa "NETWORK_NAME"

Warning: attempting to hack someone else's network or extract passwords without the owner's permission is illegal (Article 272 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation "Unauthorized access to computer information"). All methods in this article are intended to work with only own devices and networks to which you have legal access.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about viewing Wi-Fi passwords in Windows 10