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

Forgot your home Wi-Fi password, or is the sticker on your router worn off or never there? Don't rush to reset your router or call your ISP. Windows 10 There are several built-in ways to retrieve the saved password for any wireless network your computer or laptop has ever connected to, even if you're currently using a different Wi-Fi network or even a cable connection.

In this article - 5 working methods, including hidden system functions, the command line, and third-party utilities. We'll look at how to find a password using Windows Settings, Network and Sharing Center, PowerShell and specialized programs like WirelessKeyViewWe'll also explain why the system sometimes doesn't display your password and how to fix it.

All instructions are valid for Windows 10 (including the latest builds 22H2), but most methods work on Windows 11, 8.1, and also Windows 7 with minor changes to the interface. If you have account without administrator rightsSome methods will be unavailable - we will warn you about this in advance.

1. How to find your Wi-Fi password using Windows Settings (the easiest way)

This is a basic method that works without any additional programs or commands. It's suitable if your computer currently connected to the network whose password you forgot, or connected to previously (the system saves the passwords of all networks to which it has ever connected).

Instructions:

1. Open the menu Start and select Parameters (gear icon) or click Win + I.
2. Go to the section Network and Internet.
3. In the left menu, select Wi-Fi, then click on the right Managing known networks.
4. Find the required network in the list and click on it.
5. Click Properties (or Additional options in older versions of Windows 10).
6. Scroll down to the block Network properties and press Show symbols next to the field Network security key.

Done! Now you can see your Wi-Fi password in plain text. You can copy it (Ctrl + C) or rewrite.

Make sure you have administrator rights

Check that the computer has connected to this network before.

Update your Wi-Fi adapter drivers

Please restart your computer and try again-->

⚠️ Attention: If the button Show symbols If the password field is inactive or empty, Windows hasn't saved the network information. Try other methods in this article or check your router settings.

2. View the password through the Network and Sharing Center (alternative method)

This method works on the same principle as the previous one, but uses the classic control panel. It is useful if you have Windows 10 LTSC or a modified build without the modern "Settings" interface, or if the first method didn't work.

How to open:

• 🖱️ Right-click on the Wi-Fi icon in the tray (bottom right of the taskbar) and select Open Network and Internet settings.
• 🔗 In the window that opens, scroll down and click Network and Sharing Center.
• 📡 Select on the left Managing wireless networks (if this item is not there, go to Changing adapter settings → right click on Wireless network → State → Wireless network properties).

Next:

1. Find the required network in the list and double-click on it.
2. Go to the tab Security.
3. Check the box Show entered characters — the password will appear in the field Network security key.

If the network you need isn't in the list, it means Windows hasn't remembered it. In this case, command line method or special utilities.

3. How to extract a password via the command line (CMD)

The command line is a versatile tool that works even if the Windows graphical interface is damaged. This method is suitable for all versions of Windows, including server editions, and does not require installation of additional software.

Instructions:

1. Open Command line as administrator:
   • Click Win + X and select Command Prompt (Administrator) or Windows PowerShell (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 of command output:

Security parameters
Authentication type: WPA2-Personal
Encryption type: AES
Key contents: 12345678

⚠️ Attention: If you see a message instead of a password Key content is missing, Means:

• You entered the network name with an error (check your capitalization!).
• The network uses Enterprise authentication (for example, in offices or universities) - its password cannot be found out this way.
• The network data is corrupted (try PowerShell).

4. Extracting Password Using PowerShell (For Advanced Users)

PowerShell — a more powerful tool than CMD, and sometimes it works where the command line gives errors. This method is useful if you need save passwords of all networks to a file or automate the process.

Steps:

1. Launch PowerShell as administrator (similar to CMD).
2. Enter the command to view all saved Wi-Fi profiles:

   (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

3. If you need information about a specific network, use a simplified command:

   (netsh wlan show profile name="NETWORK_NAME" key=clear) | Select-String "Key Contents"

The result will be displayed in a table:

To save all passwords to a text file, add the following to the end of the first command:

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

5. Programs for viewing Wi-Fi passwords (if system methods don’t work)

If Windows' built-in tools aren't helpful (for example, due to corrupted system files or lack of administrator rights), third-party utilities can help. They can extract passwords even from hidden networks and often reveal additional information, such as MAC address of the router or encryption type.

Top 3 proven programs:

• 🔍 WirelessKeyView (from NirSoft) is a portable utility that doesn't require installation. It displays passwords for all saved networks, including those not displayed in Windows Settings. Download from the official website.
• 🛡️ WiFi Password Revealer — a simple program with the ability to copy passwords to the clipboard. Supports export to .txt And .csv.
• 📊 Magical Jelly Bean WiFi Password Revealer — in addition to passwords, it shows the signal strength and network channel. There is a version for macOS.

How to use (using example) WirelessKeyView):

1. Download the archive with the program and unzip it.
2. Run the file WirelessKeyView.exe (administrator rights are not required, but desirable).
3. In the main window, you will see a list of all networks with speakers:
   • Network Name (SSID) — network name;
   • Key (Ascii) — password in readable form;
   • Key Type — encryption type (WPA2-PSK, WEP etc.).

⚠️ Attention: Download programs only from official websites! Many "cracked" versions of password viewing utilities contain viruses or spyware. WirelessKeyView and similar tools are legal, but antivirus programs may complain about them because of their password extraction function—this is a false positive.

6. What to do if none of the methods work?

If you've tried all the methods and still can't find the password, the problem may be one of the following:

sfc /scannow

If nothing helps, there are radical measures left:

• 🔄 Resetting the router to factory settings (button Reset on the back panel). After that, the password will be the same as on the router sticker (usually it is a combination like admin/12345678).
• 📞 Contacting your provider. Many operators (for example, Rostelecom, Beeline, MTS) store passwords for distributed routers in your personal account.
• 🔧 Connection via cableIf you have access to the router through Ethernet, go to its web interface (usually at 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1) and look at the password in the settings Wi-Fi.

Bonus: How to protect your Wi-Fi from hacking after recovering your password

Now that you've regained access to the network, it's time to take care of its security. Even if your current password is secure, the following tips can help avoid future problems:

• 🔐 Use a complex password. The optimal length is 12+ characters with a mixture of letters (uppercase and lowercase), numbers and special characters. Example: k0T@pCh!p2026!.
• 📡 Disable WPSThis feature simplifies connecting devices, but makes the network vulnerable to brute-force attacks. In the router settings, find WPS and deactivate it.
• 🔄 Update your router firmwareOutdated software versions often contain vulnerabilities. Check for updates in your router's web interface.
• 👥 Set up a guest networkIf you frequently have guests, create a separate network with limited access to local resources.
• 📵 Hiding the SSID It won't protect you from experienced hackers, but it will reduce the number of accidental connections. Disable network name broadcasting in your router settings.

To check the strength of your password, use services like Kaspersky Password Checker or How Secure Is My PasswordThey estimate how long it will take to find a combination.

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

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Wlansvc\Interfaces\