How to find out the Wi-Fi password on a Windows 10 computer: all the methods

Forgot your home Wi-Fi password, but your computer is Windows 10 Already connected to the network? The situation is familiar to many: the router was set up by the provider or a friend, the password was entered once and successfully forgotten. Luckily, in Windows 10 There are several ways to retrieve a saved password—both using standard system tools and third-party ones. The main advantage: you don't need to access the router's web interface or reset its settings.

In this article we will look at 5 working methods, including use Windows settings, Command line, PowerShell, as well as specialized utilities like WirelessKeyViewEach method is illustrated with screenshots and step-by-step instructions so you can choose the most convenient option. We'll pay special attention to nuances, such as why passwords are sometimes displayed as dots and how to reveal them, or what to do if you don't have administrator rights.

Important: All methods only work for networks to which the computer is connected. already connectedIf you're trying to hack someone else's network, it's illegal and against our site's rules. We only consider legal scenarios (restoring access to your own network).

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

If you need to quickly find out the password for your current Wi-Fi network, the most obvious way is to look at the connection settings. This method doesn't require administrator rights and works on all versions. Windows 10 (including 22H2).

Instructions:

• 🖱️ Open the menu Start and select Parameters (gear icon) or click Win + I.
• 📡 Go to the section Network and Internet → Wi-Fi.
• 🔗 In the block Related parameters click Managing known networks.
• 🔍 Find the desired network in the list and click on it, then select Properties.
• 👁️ Scroll down to field Network password and press Show symbols (You will be asked to enter your Windows account password if it is protected).

⚠️ Attention: If the button Show symbols If the password is inactive, your account doesn't have permission to view passwords. In this case, try the methods in the following sections or log in using an administrator account.

Check if you are connected to the correct network|Make sure the account has administrator rights|Try alternative methods (Command Prompt, PowerShell)|Restart your computer and try again-->

2. Using the Command Line (for advanced users)

Command line (CMD) allows you to extract a Wi-Fi password in seconds—without any unnecessary menu clicks. This method is universal and works even on older builds. Windows 10The main advantage: you can save the password in a text file for future use.

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

   Remember the name of the network you want (for example, TP-Link_1234).

3. Display network information including password:

   netsh wlan show profile name="TP-Link_1234" key=clear

   (replace TP-Link_1234 to the name of your network).

4. Find the line Key content - this is the password.

💡 Helpful tip: To save the password to a file, add to the command > C:\password.txt. For example:

netsh wlan show profile name="TP-Link_1234" key=clear > C:\password.txt

File password.txt will appear on the disk C:.

What should I do if the command line says "Access denied"?

This means you don't have administrator rights. Try running CMD through an elevated account or use the method with PowerShell (section 3).

3. Extracting the password via PowerShell (CMD alternative)

PowerShell — a more powerful tool than Command line, and also allows you to get the Wi-Fi password. This method is useful if CMD for some reason it doesn't work or you prefer scripts.

Follow these steps:

• 🔧 Open PowerShell as administrator (enter powershell in the search, then right-click → Run as administrator).
• 📜 Enter the command to display all saved passwords:

  (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

• 🔑 As a result, you will see a table with all networks and their passwords.

⚠️ Attention: If PowerShell gives an error Execution Policy, first run the command:

Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser

and confirm the change by clicking Y.

Via Windows Settings|Command Prompt (CMD)|PowerShell|Third-party utility (WirelessKeyView)|I don't know-->

4. Third-party utilities: WirelessKeyView and similar

If standard methods fail (for example, due to security policy restrictions), specialized programs can help. One of the most popular is WirelessKeyView from NirSoftIt's free, doesn't require installation, and shows all saved Wi-Fi passwords in a convenient form.

How to use:

1. Download WirelessKeyView With NirSoft official website (check the file for viruses!).
2. Unzip the archive and run WirelessKeyView.exe (admin rights are not required).
3. In the program window, you will see a list of networks with speakers:
   • Network Name (SSID) — network name;
   • Key (Ascii) — password in readable form;
   • Key Type — encryption type (WPA2-PSK, WEP etc.).

To copy the password, right-click on the line and select Copy Key.

⚠️ Attention: Some antiviruses (for example, Avast or Kaspersky) can block WirelessKeyView as "potentially unwanted software." This is a false positive—the program doesn't contain any viruses, but it accesses system data. If necessary, add it to the exceptions.

5. Viewing a password in the Windows registry (for advanced users)

If none of the previous methods worked, you can extract the password directly from the registry. WindowsThis method requires caution—incorrect changes to the registry can disrupt the system.

Instructions:

• 🔑 Click Win + R, enter regedit and confirm the launch.
• 🗺️ Follow the path:

  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Wlansvc\Interfaces\

  There will be folders with long names (GUIDs) here - each one corresponds to a network interface.

• 🔍 In each folder, open the section Profiles and find subfolders with network names (for example, {12345678-90ab-cdef-1234-567890abcdef}).
• 📜 Inside the network profile, open the setting ProfileXMLFind the tag in Notepad. <keyMaterial> - there will be an encrypted password between them.
• 🔓 To decrypt the password, use PowerShell:

  [System.Text.Encoding]::UTF8.GetString((43, 54, 45, 56, 47, 23, ... | %{[byte]$_}))

  (replace the numbers with the values ​​from keyMaterial after hex:).

💡 Critical information: Passwords are stored in the registry in encrypted form, and decrypting them requires knowledge of the algorithm. If you are unsure of your skills, use WirelessKeyView - It's safer.

Common problems and their solutions

Sometimes users encounter difficulties when trying to find a password. Let's look at typical scenarios and how to solve them:

• 🚫 The "Show symbols" button is inactive:
  Reason: You don't have administrator rights. Solution: Log in to an account with administrator rights or use Command line.
• 🔄 The password is displayed as dots but is not revealed:
  In some builds Windows 10 (e.g. corporate) security policy blocks the display of passwords. Try WirelessKeyView.
• 📡 The network is not in the list of known connections:
  Make sure your computer is actually connected to this network. If the network is hidden (SSID hidden), try connecting again.
• 🛡️ Antivirus blocks access to passwords:
  Temporarily disable protection or add a program (for example, WirelessKeyView) in exceptions.

⚠️ Attention: If you use Windows 10 in S mode (simplified version for security), some methods may not work due to system limitations. In this case, the only solution is to reset the router to factory settings (by pressing the button) Reset on its body).

FAQ: Answers to frequently asked questions

Is it possible to find out the Wi-Fi password without administrator rights?

Yes, but not in all ways. Through Windows Settings or WirelessKeyView You can try to view the password without administrator rights, but in some cases the system will block access. Command line And PowerShell require increased privileges.

Why does the Command Prompt say "Failed to execute command"?

The error occurs if:

• The network name is incorrect (check your case!).
• The computer is not connected to this network.
• You do not have sufficient rights (run CMD as administrator).

Try to do it first netsh wlan show profilesto see the exact network names.

Is it possible to find out the Wi-Fi password on someone else's computer?

Technically yes, but it violates the law unauthorized access to computer information (Article 272 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). We strongly advise against this. All methods in this article are intended to restore access to his own networks.

How do I save my password to a file so I don't forget it?

Use one of the commands:

• For CMD:

  netsh wlan show profile name="SETENAME" key=clear > C:\wifi_password.txt

• For WirelessKeyView: in the program menu, select File → Save All Items (save in HTML or TXT).

Do these methods work on Windows 11?

Yes, all the described methods (except for some interface nuances) work in Windows 11For example, the path to Parameters changed to Network & Internet → Wi-Fi → Manage known networks, but the logic remained the same.