How to Find the Wi-Fi Password on Windows 10

To find the Wi-Fi password on Windows 10, open Settings > Network & Internet > Status > Network and Sharing Center, click your Wi-Fi network name, then click Wireless Properties. On the Security tab, check Show characters, and the password appears in the Network security key box. For networks you’re not connected to right now, use Command Prompt: netsh wlan show profile name="NetworkName" key=clear.

Note: Windows 10 reached end of support on October 14, 2025. Consumer Extended Security Updates (ESU) now run until October 12, 2027. These steps still work on Windows 10, but upgrading to Windows 11 is the long-term way to keep getting security fixes.

You need to be signed in with an administrator account to see saved passwords. Here are both methods, plus other places to look if Windows doesn’t have the password saved.

Method 1: Find the password for your current Wi-Fi network

1. Right-click the Start button and choose Settings, or press Windows key + I.
2. Click Network & Internet.
3. On the Status page, scroll down and click Network and Sharing Center. (Shortcut: press Windows key + R, type ncpa.cpl, and double-click your Wi-Fi adapter.)
4. Next to Connections, click your Wi-Fi network name.
5. In the Wi-Fi Status window, click Wireless Properties.
6. Click the Security tab.
7. Check Show characters. The password appears in the Network security key box.

Method 2: Find any saved Wi-Fi password with Command Prompt

Windows remembers passwords for networks you’ve connected to before, even if you’re not near them now.

1. Click Start, type cmd, right-click Command Prompt, and choose Run as administrator.
2. To see every saved network, type netsh wlan show profiles and press Enter.
3. Find the network name under User profiles.
4. Type netsh wlan show profile name="NetworkName" key=clear, replacing NetworkName with the exact name, and press Enter.
5. Under Security settings, the password is next to Key Content.

Keep the quotation marks if the network name has spaces. The name must match exactly, including capital letters.

PowerShell option

The same commands work in PowerShell. Right-click Start, choose Windows PowerShell (Admin), and run them.

Which method should you use?

If Windows doesn’t have the password

• Check the router. Many routers have the default Wi-Fi name and password on a sticker on the bottom or back. It may be labeled WPA key, Network key, or Password.
• Log in to the router. Type the router’s address, often 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1, into a browser and sign in with the admin details on the sticker. Look in Wireless or Wi-Fi settings.
• Use your provider’s app. Many internet providers show or let you change the Wi-Fi password in their app.
• Share from a phone. An iPhone or Android phone that’s already connected can often share the password or show a QR code.

Keep the password private

Blur or crop the password before sharing a screenshot. If it has already been shared more widely than you intended, change it on the router and reconnect your devices.

Troubleshooting

• Show characters is grayed out: You’re not using an administrator account. Sign in as an admin, or ask the PC’s owner.
• “There is no such wireless interface on the system”: Your Wi-Fi adapter is off or missing. Turn Wi-Fi on and check Device Manager > Network adapters.
• Profile not found: Check the exact spelling in the netsh wlan show profiles list.
• Work or school network: Enterprise networks use your account sign-in instead of one shared password, so there’s no key to show.

Once you have the password written down, you can safely forget the saved Wi-Fi network in Windows 10 and reconnect with a clean profile.

Frequently asked questions

Is it legal to view a saved Wi-Fi password?

Yes, on your own computer for a network you’re allowed to use. Don’t use these steps to get into networks without permission.

Does this work in Windows 11?

Yes. The netsh commands are the same. In Windows 11 Settings, go to Network & internet > Wi-Fi, click your network’s properties, and click View next to View Wi-Fi security key.

How do I change my Wi-Fi password?

Change it in your router’s settings or your provider’s app. Then reconnect each device with the new password.

Can I export all my saved Wi-Fi passwords?

Yes. In an admin Command Prompt, run netsh wlan export profile key=clear folder=C:\WiFi after creating that folder. Keep the exported files private, because they contain the passwords in plain text.

Kermit Matthews

Kermit Matthews runs Live2Tech from just outside Philadelphia. He is an IT specialist with over 20 years of experience, from a university help desk to small-business IT, IT management and his own consulting practice, and has written tech guides full time since 2020. Steps are checked against the current software on a real device or the maker’s official documentation. More about Kermit.