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

Forgot your home Wi-Fi password, and it's not written on your router? Or need to connect a new device, but the sticker with the code has long since worn off? There are at least 5 ways to view your saved Wi-Fi password on Windows 10. — without resetting your router or losing internet. All methods work if your computer or laptop has connected to this network at least once.

This article contains step-by-step instructions with pictures, safety warnings, and answers to frequently asked questions. There is no need to look for a router or call your provider. - administrator rights on your PC are sufficient.

⚠️ Important: these methods show only those passwords, which are already saved in the system. If Windows 10 has never connected to the desired network, you'll have to use other methods (such as resetting the router or accessing its web interface).

Before you begin, please check:

• 🔹 You have rights administrator on this PC (without them, most methods will not work).
• 🔹 Computer already connected to the network for which you are looking for the password (or which you connected to previously).
• 🔹 If you're looking for a password for someone else's network (for example, in a cafe), these methods won't help — Windows does not save data about networks to which it has not connected.

1. The easiest way: via Windows Settings

This method does not require the command line or third-party programs - everything is done through the standard interface. Windows 10This applies if you are currently connected to the desired network or have connected to it previously.

Steps:

1. Open Start → Settings (⚙️) → Network & Internet.
2. In the left menu, select Wi-Fi.
3. Click Managing known networks.
4. Find the required network in the list and click on it.
5. Click Properties (or Additional options (in some versions of Windows).
6. Scroll down to the section Security parameters.
7. Check the box Show entered characters — the password will become visible.

⚠️ Attention: if buttons Properties no or section Security parameters inactive means:

• 🔸 You do not have administrator rights.
• 🔸 Windows did not save the password for this network (for example, if the connection was through WPS or guest access).

Check your connection to the desired network|Open Settings as administrator|Make sure the network is in the list of known networks|The "Show characters" checkbox should be active-->

If this method doesn't work, move on to the next one - through command line.

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

Method for those who prefer the console or if the graphical interface does not show the password. Works even for networks that haven't been connected to for a long time, but data about them is stored in the system.

Instructions:

1. Open Command line as administrator:
   • 🔹 Click Win + X and select Command Prompt (Administrator).
   • 🔹 Or enter cmd in the search, then right-click → Run as administrator.

netsh wlan show profiles

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

📌 Example output:

Profile name: TP-Link_1234
...
Security parameters
Authentication type: WPA2-Personal
Encryption type: CCMP
Key contents: 12345678A

⚠️ Attention: if instead of a password you see Absent or an empty line, which means:

• 🔸 The password is not saved in the system (for example, if you connected via QR code or WPS button).
• 🔸 The network uses pre-shared key (for example, in corporate networks with 802.1X).

3. Viewing a password via PowerShell

PowerShell — a more powerful tool than CMD, and also allows you to extract saved Wi-Fi passwords. This method is useful if the command line doesn't display data or you prefer scripts.

Steps:

1. Open PowerShell as administrator:
   • 🔹 Click Win + X → Windows PowerShell (Administrator).
   • 🔹 Or enter powershell in search → right click → Run as administrator.

(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(); $_} | %{[PSCustomObject]@{PROFILE_NAME=$name;PASSWORD=$pass}} | Format-Table -AutoSize

📊 Example output:

⚠️ Attention: If PowerShell gives an error Invalid access or Access denied, Means:

• 🔸 You do not have sufficient rights (run as administrator).
• 🔸 Antivirus or Windows Defender blocks script execution (temporarily disable protection).

4. Using third-party programs (WirelessKeyView)

If standard methods don't work or you need save all passwords to a file, a free utility will help WirelessKeyView from NirSoftIt does not require installation and shows All saved Wi-Fi passwords in a few seconds.

How to use:

1. Download WirelessKeyView With NirSoft official website (choose Download WirelessKeyView in Zip file).
2. Unzip the file and run it WirelessKeyView.exe (as administrator).
3. The program will automatically display a list of all networks and passwords in the column Key (Ascii).
4. To save the data, click File → Save All Items (can be exported to TXT, HTML or CSV).

✅ Pros of WirelessKeyView:

• 🔹 Shows passwords everyone saved networks at once (no need to enter commands for each one).
• 🔹 Works even if the network has not been used for a long time.
• 🔹 You can export the list for backup.

⚠️ Attention: Some antiviruses may block WirelessKeyView, because it reads system data. This is not a virus, but if in doubt, check the file on VirusTotal or use standard Windows methods.

5. How to find out the password through the configuration file (for experienced users)

Windows 10 stores Wi-Fi passwords in encrypted form configuration filesThey can be extracted manually, but this is more difficult than the previous methods. Suitable if other methods have not worked or you want to understand how it works at a low level.

Instructions:

1. Open Conductor and follow the path:

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

   Instead of {GUID} will be a long folder identifier (eg {a1b2c3d4-5678-90ef-1234-567890abcdef}).

2. In the folder, find files with the extension .xml - each corresponds to one Wi-Fi network.
3. Open the desired file in Notepad and find the line:

   <keyMaterial>VASh_PAROL</keyMaterial>

   Here VASh_PAROL — This is an encrypted password. To decrypt it, you will need an additional tool (for example, Mimikatz), which is unsafe.

⚠️ Attention: This method requires deep knowledge and can disrupt the network if you mess up the files. For most users it is easier to use WirelessKeyView or command line.

🔧 Technical reference:

• 🔹 Files .xml contain data about SSID, encryption type (WPA2-PSK, WEP) and encrypted key.
• 🔹 Decryption is possible via DPAPI (Windows Data Protection API), but it is difficult for beginners.

If Windows 10 does not show the password either Parameters, not through CMD, not through WirelessKeyView, the reasons may be the following:

🔍 Possible problems and solutions:

(netsh wlan show profiles) | Select-String "\:(.+)$" | %{$name=$_.Matches.Groups[1].Value.Trim(); netsh wlan show profile name="$name" key=clear} | Select-String "Profile Name|Key Contents" | Out-File -FilePath "C:\wi-fi_passwords.txt"