How to Check Your Wi-Fi Password on a Windows 10 Computer: A Complete Guide

Forgot your home Wi-Fi password and the sticker on your router has worn off? Or need to connect a new device but haven't saved the password in your notes? On a computer running Windows 10 There are several ways to retrieve a saved network security key—without resetting the router or losing internet access. In this article, we'll cover all the working methods, from built-in system tools to third-party utilities.

It's important to understand that these methods only work for networks your computer has previously connected to. If you've never entered a password on this PC, the system won't store it. Also note: viewing passwords will require administrator rights - without them, access to security keys will be blocked.

We have tested all the methods described below on the latest builds. Windows 10 (versions 21H2 and 22H2). If you have an older version, some menu items may be slightly different, but the general logic remains the same.

1. View your password through Windows Settings (the easiest way)

This method doesn't require the command line or third-party programs—everything is done through a graphical interface. It's suitable for users who are wary of messing with system files or don't want to install additional software.

Open the menu Start and go to Settings → Network & Internet → Status → Network and Sharing CenterIn the window that opens, find the section Active Networks and click on the name of your Wi-Fi network (it will be highlighted in blue).

In the new window, click the button Wireless network properties, then go to the tab SecurityHere you will see a field Network security key — by default, the symbols in it are hidden by dots. To see them, check the box next to Show entered charactersThe password will be displayed in a readable form.

⚠️ Attention: If the button Wireless network properties is inactive or missing, then your connection is configured through WPS or another authentication protocol. In this case, try the alternative methods in this article.

• ✅ Doesn't require administrator rights (if you're already connected to the network)
• ✅ Works on all versions of Windows 10
• ❌ Will not show the password if connected via EAP or corporate network
• ❌ It is impossible to copy the password - manual entry is required

2. Using the command line (universal method)

Command line (CMD) allows you to extract the password for any saved Wi-Fi network, even if you're not currently connected. This method is suitable for experienced users and system administrators.

Open Command Prompt as Administrator: Press Win + X and select Command Prompt (Administrator) or Windows PowerShell (Administrator)Enter the following command to see a list of all saved networks:

netsh wlan show profiles

In the results, find the name of the required network (in the column User profile name) and run the command to extract the password, replacing NETWORK_NAME to the real name:

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

In the block Security parameters find the line Key content — this is your password. You can copy it directly from the window. CMD (select the text with your mouse and press Enter).

⚠️ Note: If the command results show an empty value instead of a password, then the network is using WPSThe connection or password is not saved in the system. Try reconnecting to the network and try again.

Run CMD as administrator

Execute command netsh wlan show profiles

Find the network name in the list

Run a command with a key key=clear

Copy the password from the "Key Contents" block-->

3. Extracting a Password via PowerShell (Advanced)

PowerShell — a more powerful tool than the standard command line. It not only allows you to view passwords but also export all saved networks to a file for later use.

Launch PowerShell as administrator (similarly CMD through the menu Win + X) and run the following command:

(Get-NetConnectionProfile | Where-Object { $_.NetworkCategory -Like "Private" } | Select-Object -ExpandProperty Name) | ForEach-Object { (netsh wlan show profile name="$_" key=clear) -Match 'Key contents' }

This command will automatically scan all private networks (usually home Wi-Fi) and display their passwords. If you want to save the results to a text file, add the following to the end of the command:

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

File WiFi_Passwords.txt will appear on the disk C: with all found passwords. This method is convenient if you need to transfer settings to another computer or create a backup.

4. Viewing the password in Windows configuration files

All Wi-Fi network passwords are stored in encrypted form in system files. They can be extracted manually, but this requires access to the registry and knowledge of how to work with XML-files. This method is suitable for IT specialists or in cases where other methods have failed.

Follow the path C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Wlansvc\Profiles\InterfacesHere you will find folders with long names (these are network adapter IDs). Each folder will contain XML-files - one for each saved network. Open the desired file in Notepad and find the tag <keyMaterial> - there will be an encrypted password inside it.

To decrypt it, copy the string between the tags and use one of the online utilities (for example, WiFi Password Decryptor). Or do it in PowerShell:

$secure = ConvertTo-SecureString -String "ENCRYPTED_PASSWORD" -AsPlainText -Force
$credential = New-Object System.Management.Automation.PSCredential -ArgumentList "User", $secure
$credential.GetNetworkCredential().Password

⚠️ Warning: Editing files in ProgramData may disrupt network services. Do not modify or delete files in this folder unless you are sure of what you are doing.

5. Third-party password recovery programs

If built-in tools Windows 10 If these don't help, you can use specialized utilities. They not only display passwords but also allow you to manage saved networks, export them, or restore deleted profiles.

The most popular programs:

• 🔹 WirelessKeyView (from NirSoft) is a free utility that displays all saved passwords in a single window. It requires no installation and works without administrator rights (though with limitations).
• 🔹 WiFi Password Revealer - a simple program with the ability to export passwords to TXT or CSV. Supports Windows 7/8/10/11.
• 🔹 Magical Jelly Bean WiFi Password Revealer - shows besides passwords SSID, encryption type and other network parameters.
• 🔹 PassFab WifiKey — a paid utility with advanced features (password recovery from backups, hacking WPS).

Example of working with WirelessKeyView:

1. Download the program from the official website NirSoft (check files for viruses!).
2. Unzip the archive and run WirelessKeyView.exe (admin rights are not required, but they will show more data).
3. In the main window you will see a list of all saved networks with speakers. Network Name (SSID) And Key (Ascii) — these are passwords.
4. To copy the password, right-click on the line and select Copy Key.

⚠️ Attention: Some antivirus programs may block programs from NirSoft, as they read system data. This is a false positive—add the utility to your antivirus exclusions.

6. Alternative methods (if nothing works)

If none of the above methods worked, try the following options:

• 🔄 Reconnect to the network: Sometimes Windows 10 doesn't save the password on first connection. Disconnect from Wi-Fi, forget the network (in Settings → Network → Wi-Fi → Manage known networks), then reconnect by entering the password manually.
• 📱 View your password on another device: If a smartphone is connected to the same network Android (with rights root) or MacBook, you can extract the password from there. Android use ES File Explorer (path: /data/misc/wifi/WifiConfigStore.xml), on Mac — Terminal with the team security find-generic-password -wa "NETWORK_NAME".
• 📡 Reset your router settings: If you have physical access to the router, press the button Reset (It's usually recessed and requires a paperclip.) After the reset, connect using the default password (found on the router sticker) and change it in the web interface (192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1).
• 🔧 Check the sticker on the router: Most routers have a standard number printed on the back panel. SSID and password (field Wi-Fi Key or Password). If the network has not been renamed, this password should work.

If the router is issued by the Internet provider (for example, Rostelecom or Beeline), the standard password can be specified in the contract or personal account of the provider. Check the "My Devices" or "Wi-Fi Settings" section - sometimes the current security key is displayed there.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions About Wi-Fi Passwords in Windows 10

netsh wlan export profile key=clear folder="C:\WiFi_Backup\"

netsh wlan add profile filename="C:\WiFi_Backup\FILE_NAME.xml"