How to view your Wi-Fi password on Windows 10: all the methods

• 🔍 Find your active wireless connection (usually marked as Wi-Fi or Wireless network).
• 🖱️ Click on it right mouse button and choose State.
• 🔑 In the new window, click the button Wireless network properties.
• 📜 Go to tab Security and check the box Show entered characters.

After that in the field Network security key The current password will be displayed. If the button Wireless network properties is inactive, then your account does not have sufficient rights - try the methods below or log in as an administrator.

⚠️ Attention: If your computer is connected to the network via a cable (Ethernet), and not via Wi-Fi, this method will not work. In this case, use methods with command line (section 3) or check the sticker on the router - often the password is indicated there in the field Wi-Fi Password or Network Key.

2. Using the Network and Sharing Center (alternative graphical method)

This method duplicates the previous one, but can be useful if the interface Windows 10 has been modified (for example, some control panel elements have been disabled). The path here is a bit longer, but the essence is the same.

Open Control Panel (can be found through the search in the menu) Start or click Win + R and enter control). Next:

1. Go to the section Network and Internet → Network and Sharing Center.
2. Select on the left Changing adapter settings.
3. The next steps are identical to the first method: right-click on Wi-Fi → State → Wireless network properties → tab Security.

If in Network and Control Center Multiple networks are displayed, make sure you select the one you're currently connected to. The active network's name is usually highlighted in bold.

Make sure your computer is connected to the correct Wi-Fi network.

Check administrator rights (if required)

Close your VPN or proxy (they may interfere with the display of network parameters)

Be prepared to write down your password—it may contain special characters-->

3. How to find out the password via the command line (CMD)

If the graphical interface is unavailable for some reason (for example, due to a system crash or security policy restrictions), the command lineThis method is universal and works even in Safe Mode.

Open CMD as administrator (click Win + X and select Command Prompt (Administrator) or Windows PowerShell (Administrator)). Enter the following command:

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

Replace NETWORK_NAME the name of your Wi-Fi network (for example, netsh wlan show profile name="TP-Link_1234" key=clear). After executing the command, find the section in the output Security parameters - there will be a line Key content with the required password.

If you don't remember the exact network name, first run the command:

netsh wlan show profiles

This will list all Wi-Fi networks saved on your computer. Copy the exact name (case-sensitive!) and use it in the first command.

⚠️ Attention: In some builds Windows 10 (especially corporate) team netsh may be restricted by security policies. If you see the message The request was not completed due to policy., try the method with PowerShell (section 4) or contact your system administrator.

4. Extracting the password using PowerShell

PowerShell - a more powerful tool than the classical one CMD, and sometimes copes where the command line is powerless. For example, if the password is stored in encrypted form or the network is configured via Windows Domain.

Open PowerShell as administrator (similarly CMD through Win + X) and run:

(Get-NetAdapter -Name "Wi-Fi" | Get-NetConnectionProfile).Name; (Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_WirelessSecuritySetting | Where-Object -FilterScript {$_.InstanceName -match "(NETWORK_NAME)"}).GetSecuritySettings().keyMaterial

Replace (NETWORK_NAME) to the name of your network (for example, -match "MyWiFi"). If the command returns an empty value, try an alternative:

$profile = Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_WirelessSecuritySetting -Filter "InstanceName like '%NETWORK_NAME%'"$profile.GetSecuritySettings().keyMaterial

These teams work in PowerShell 5.1 and newer. If you are using an outdated version (you can check with the command $PSVersionTable.PSVersion), update PowerShell through Windows Update or use CMD.

5. Viewing the password in Windows configuration files (for advanced users)

All passwords for Wi-Fi networks in Windows 10 They are stored encrypted in system files. They can be extracted manually, but this method requires caution—incorrect actions can disrupt network operation.

Follow the path:

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Wlansvc\Profiles\Interfaces\{GUID}

Instead of {GUID} will be a long unique identifier of the folder (for example, {a1b2c3d4-5678-90ef-1234-567890abcdef}). Inside it, find files with the extension .xml — each corresponds to one saved network. Open the desired file in Notepad and find the lines:

<keyMaterial>YOUR_PASSWORD</keyMaterial>

The password here is encrypted, but it can be decrypted using a utility Windows Credential Manager or third-party programs like WirelessKeyView (more about them in the next section).

⚠️ Attention: Editing files in a folder Wlansvc\Profiles may result in loss of saved networks. Never modify these files manually - only view their contents. If you accidentally delete or damage the file, you will have to reconfigure the network.

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

If built-in tools Windows If that doesn't help, you can use specialized utilities. They usually display all saved passwords in a convenient format and support exporting to a file.

The most reliable and free programs:

• 🔓 WirelessKeyView (from NirSoft) is a portable utility that doesn't require installation. It displays all saved passwords, including hidden networks.
• 🛡️ WiFi Password Revealer - simple interface, supports Windows 7/8/10/11.
• 📡 Magical Jelly Bean WiFi Password Revealer — additionally displays information about the router (MAC address, encryption type).

Download programs only from official websites of developersto avoid viruses. Once launched, the utility will automatically scan system files and display a list of networks with passwords. For example, in WirelessKeyView enough:

1. Unzip the archive and run WirelessKeyView.exe.
2. Find the desired network in the list (column Network Name).
3. Copy the password from the column Key (Ascii).

Please note: Some antivirus programs (eg. Avast or Bitdefender) may block such utilities, considering them potentially dangerous. This is a false positive—add the program to your antivirus exclusions before using it.

7. What to do if none of the methods worked?

If none of the above methods helped to extract the password, the reasons may be as follows:

• 🔒 The network is configured via Windows Domain (corporate environment) - passwords are managed by the server, not locally.
• 🛡️ Security policies are enabled that block access to network settings (relevant for work PCs).
• 🖥️ The password is stored in TPM chip or encrypted with linking to the account Microsoft (found in Windows 10 Pro/Enterprise).
• 🔄 Connection configured via WPS or Wi-Fi Direct, and not through the classic password.

In such cases, there are two options left:

1. Reset the password on the router. To do this, click the button Reset on the back of the router (hold for 10-15 seconds), then connect to the default network (the name and password are indicated on the sticker on the device).
2. Contact your network administrator. In a corporate environment, independently changing network settings may violate the company's security policy.

If you own a router but don't remember the login details for its control panel, try the standard combinations:

• Login: admin, password: admin or password.
• Login: user, password: (empty) or user.

For popular models (TP-Link, ASUS, D-Link) lists of standard passwords can be found on the manufacturers' websites.

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