How to find a saved Wi-Fi password on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android

Need the Wi-Fi password to connect a new device but can't remember it? If a computer or phone is already connected, you can get it back in a minute. Here's how on every system, including the netsh command on Windows.

By Flavio Ciaranfi 1 November 2026 4 min read

It always happens at the worst moment: a guest arrives, you buy a new printer or you need to connect the smart TV, and the Wi-Fi password is on a scrap of paper nobody can find. Before you start hunting for the label on the back of the router (which is probably hidden behind a cabinet), remember that any computer or phone already connected to that network knows the password and, with the right steps, will show it to you.

Here’s how to do it on all the main systems. An obvious but necessary note: these methods are for recovering the password of your own networks or networks you are authorised to use.

On Windows: the command that always works

There are menu-based methods, but the most reliable one is the command prompt, because it also works for networks you are not connected to right now, as long as the PC has saved them in the past.

press the Windows key, type cmd and open Command Prompt;
type netsh wlan show profiles and press Enter: you’ll see every saved network;
copy the name of the network you want and type:
netsh wlan show profile name="NetworkName" key=clear
in the Security settings section, the Key Content line shows the password in clear text.

The quotes around the name are needed when it contains spaces, for example name="Smith Home 5G". If the command says the profile doesn’t exist, check upper and lower case: the name must match the list exactly.

The graphical way, for the network you’re connected to

On an up-to-date Windows 11, go to Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi, open the properties of the network you’re connected to and click View next to View Wi-Fi security key. On Windows 10 use the old Control Panel: Network and Sharing Center, click the Wi-Fi network name, then Wireless Properties > Security and tick Show characters.

On a Mac

On recent versions of macOS you no longer need Keychain Access:

open System Settings > Wi-Fi;
scroll to the bottom and click Advanced…;
in the list of known networks, click the button with three dots next to the one you want and choose Copy Password;
confirm with Touch ID or your Mac password. The password is now on the clipboard: paste it wherever you need it.

If your Mac has the Passwords app, open it and go to the Wi-Fi section: you’ll see them all, with the option to reveal them.

On iPhone and iPad

go to Settings > Wi-Fi;
tap the circled i next to the network;
tap the Password field and authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode.

The password appears with a Copy option. For networks you aren’t connected to right now, tap Edit at the top right of the Wi-Fi screen: the list of known networks opens, each with its own i.

If the other device is an iPhone or Mac near you, there’s an even quicker shortcut: when it tries to join your network, your iPhone offers to share the password. Just tap the button, no reading required.

On Android

Menu names vary a little between manufacturers, but the principle is the same: Android shows the password together with a QR code for sharing.

open Settings > Network & internet > Internet (on Samsung, Settings > Connections > Wi-Fi);
tap the gear icon next to the network you’re connected to;
tap Share (on Samsung, the QR code icon at the bottom) and confirm with your fingerprint or PIN.

On Pixel phones and many others, the password is written under the QR code. If yours only shows the QR code, scan it with another phone’s camera: it will join the network without anyone typing anything.

On Linux

On distributions that use NetworkManager (Ubuntu, Fedora, Mint and many more), open a terminal and type nmcli device wifi show-password. It shows the network name, the password and a QR code drawn right in the terminal.

If no device is connected

That leaves the router. If you never changed the password, the factory one is printed on the label under or behind the device, usually as Wi-Fi Key, WPA Key or WLAN Password. If you did change it, connect to the router with a network cable and open its admin page in a browser (the most common addresses are 192.168.1.1 and 192.168.0.1): the password is in the Wi-Fi or Wireless section.

While you’re there, run a quick check: if your Wi-Fi password is still the one on the label, consider changing it to something longer and creating a separate guest network for visitors. Next time you can share it without a second thought, and without opening the network your PCs and cameras are on.