How to Retrieve Your Forgotten Wi-Fi Password from Your Computer

Published on June 2, 2026

The Quick Way to Find Your Wi-Fi Password

We have all been there: a friend comes over and asks for your Wi-Fi password, but you haven't looked at the back of your router in years. Instead of crawling behind dusty furniture to read a tiny sticker, you can retrieve the password directly from your Windows PC or Mac. As long as your computer has connected to that network before, the password is safely stored in your system's memory. Here is how to find it in under two minutes.

Method 1: Retrieve Your Wi-Fi Password on Windows

If you are using a Windows laptop or desktop, the fastest way to find your password for the network you are currently connected to is through the Network Connections menu.

Open the Run Dialog: Press the Windows Key + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box.
Access Network Connections: Type ncpa.cpl into the box and press Enter. This will instantly open your Network Connections window.
Select Your Wi-Fi Adapter: Locate your active Wi-Fi adapter, right-click on it, and select Status.
Open Wireless Properties: In the status window that pops up, click on the Wireless Properties button.
Reveal the Password: Click on the Security tab at the top of the new window. Finally, check the box next to Show characters. Your Wi-Fi password will appear in plain text in the "Network security key" field.

Method 2: Retrieve Your Wi-Fi Password on a Mac

macOS securely stores all of your saved network passwords in a built-in utility called Keychain Access. Here is how to look up any network you have ever connected to, even if you are not currently connected to it.

Open Keychain Access: Press Command + Spacebar to open Spotlight Search, type "Keychain Access," and press Enter.
Search for Your Network: In the search bar at the top right of the Keychain Access window, type the exact name (SSID) of your Wi-Fi network.
Open the Network Settings: Double-click on your Wi-Fi network name from the list. A small properties window will open.
Reveal the Password: Check the box next to Show password at the bottom of the window.
Authenticate: A prompt will appear asking for your Mac's administrator username and password. Enter your credentials, click Allow, and your Wi-Fi password will be revealed in the text box.

Pro-Tip: Find Your Password Using Command Prompt (Windows)

If you want to find a password for a network you are not currently connected to on Windows, you can use a quick Command Prompt trick:

Type cmd into your Windows search bar, right-click on Command Prompt, and select Run as administrator.
Type the following command, replacing "YourNetworkName" with the actual name of your Wi-Fi network: netsh wlan show profile name="YourNetworkName" key=clear and press Enter.
Scroll down to the Security settings section. You will find your password listed next to Key Content.