The credentials for each Wi-Fi network a Windows computer connects to are stored by your Windows PC. Examples include the current Wi-Fi network and any previous networks used to connect your PC to the Internet. As in earlier versions of Windows, Windows 11 stores the Wi-Fi password on your computer when you connect to a Wi-Fi network, whether at home, at work, or in public.

how to find wi-fi password on windows 11

Therefore, it is difficult to remember all stored networks. You may also want to enter a saved network once without having to enter the network’s credentials. This is especially convenient if you have lost or forgotten the password of the protected network. Below are some important steps you can take to access the saved passwords on Windows 11 PC.

5 Ways to Retrieve Saved Windows 11 Wi-Fi Password?

Several methods exist to view the saved Wi-Fi password on your Windows 11 PC. In this article, we’ll present three main methods to find out your forgotten network password. All of these methods are easy to perform. Let’s get started.

Method 1: View Saved Wi-Fi Password Using Control Panel

Retrieving your current Wi-Fi password from the Control Panel is one of the most commonly used and easiest methods. You must already be logged into the Wi-Fi account you want to recover for this approach to work. This is also helpful in a scenario where you’re always logged into your Wi-Fi network and probably forgot the password when you want to give it to a guest or a friend.

Here are the steps to follow:

  1. Click on the Windows icon and type Control in the search bar.

    2. control panel search

  2. Then, open the Control Panel and click Network and Internet.

    network and sharing center

  3. After that, open the Network and Sharing Center. Your currently saved Wi-Fi network will now be displayed on the recurring page.
  4. Click on your current Wi-Fi network on the Connections tab.

    wi-fi network

  5. A new window will open where you can see all the properties of your Wi-Fi network.

    wi-fi properties

  6. Then, click on Wireless Properties. Then, open the Security tab in the Properties window.

    wi-fi password

  7. You can then see your Wi-Fi password. To read the WiFi password, select Show characters. The password can also be copied to the clipboard and saved for further use.

    wi-fi show password

    8. Method 2: View Saved Wi-Fi Password Using Command Prompt

    As mentioned earlier, the Control Panel technique can be helpful if you need to access the Wi-Fi password for the currently connected network. However, if you want to access the password of a previously used Wi-Fi network, you can use the command prompt. Below are the steps you need to do this.

    1. First, press the Windows key + R simultaneously to open Run.
    2. Then, type cmd to open the Command Prompt window.
    3. To view the names of the saved Wi-Fi network profiles, type in the command window: netsh wlan show profiles and press Enter.

      windows command windows

    4. The list of all Wi-Fi networks you have accessed via PC will be displayed. Make a note of the name of the network whose saved password you want to retrieve.
    5. Now type the following command:
      netsh WLAN show profile name=profilename key=clear
    6. In the following command, replace the profile name with the network whose password you want to access.
    7. For example, the last command would look like this to show the Wi-Fi password for the user CC -143A:
      netsh WLAN show profile name=CC-143A key=clear
    8. Press the Enter key. Afterward, you will find the saved password at the bottom of the Key Content tab. Please write it down to be able to use it in the future.
      find saved wi-fi password

    Related: How to View Wi-Fi Passwords on iPhone [iOS 16]

    Method 3: View Saved Wi-Fi Password Using PowerShell

    The prompt method allows you to view only the password for a selected user profile. However, if you want to access the password for all stored networks on your Windows PC, run PowerShell to view the passwords for all user profiles. To do this, perform the following steps.

    1. Open the WinX menu by pressing Windows + X at the same time. You can also right-click on the Windows icon.
    2. Then, click on Windows Terminal. When a command window opens, click Yes.
    3. Next, type or copy and paste the following command into the PowerShell window:

      (netsh wlan show profiles) | Select-String "\:(.+)$" | %{$network=$_.Matches.Groups[1].Value.Trim(); $_} | %{(netsh wlan show profile name="$network" key=clear)} | Select-String "Key Content\W+\:(.+)$" | %{$password=$_.Matches.Groups[1].Value.Trim(); $_} | %{[PSCustomObject]@{ NETWORK_NAME=$network;PASSWORD=$password }} | Format-Table -AutoSize

      windows powershell passwords

    4. You can then view all the Wi-Fi network profiles saved on your computer. You can then write down the required network profile password you want to use for further use.

    Method 4: Find WiFi password directly from Settings

    Microsoft is moving a lot of options from the Control Panel to Settings, making it easier for users to find all settings under one roof. To find WiFi passwords in Windows 11, open Settings, go to Network and Internet, and then turn on your Wi-Fi.

    Click on Wireless Properties after finding your WiFi. When you are in Wireless properties, go to Security options and select the box that says Show characters under Network security key. The WiFi password used last time to connect will now be displayed in Windows 11.

    Simple and neat, isn’t it?

    Related Read: How to View Saved WiFi Passwords on Android

    Method 5: Use third-party apps to find Wi-Fi password

    The four methods we have mentioned above are the recommended ways to view and find WiFi passwords in Windows 11. But if you are trying to help a non-techie like your grandmother over the phone, you can try one of the many third-party applications instead.

    In these apps, you won’t be asked to type any commands or look for any settings. Just extract the file and open the application, and it will show your WiFi password. We suggest WirelessKeyView and WiFi Password Revealer applications which are simple to use with clean interface.

    View the stored network passwords on your Windows PC with ease

    Viewing Wi-Fi passwords on your Windows 11 computer or laptop should be really easy if you follow the instructions above. You can also change the password of a currently saved network if you think it is too easy to crack.

    Please let us know in the comments below if you were able to view the password of your Wi-Fi network using this article.

    FAQs about the Windows 11 Wi-Fi passwords

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    You can change the Wi-Fi password for your network connection by logging into your router's settings menu. You can usually find your router's default username and password on the back of the router case.

    You can easily reset your Windows 11 network settings by going to the Windows Settings menu. Go to the Network and Settings tab and then Advanced Network Settings. There you will find the Network Restore option. In the next window, click Reset Now to confirm your decision.

    Here's how to view Wi-Fi passwords in Windows 11
    1. Start by typing control panel into the Start menu on Windows 11.
    2. Select Control Panel from the menu.
    3. Navigate to Network and Internet.
    4. Select the network and sharing center option.
    5. View your active networks by clicking on the name of the Wi-Fi you are connected to.

    Reset your Wi-Fi settings in Windows 11 by going to Start > Settings > Network & Internet. Click Advanced network settings in Windows 11. On the right side, scroll down and click on Network reset. Click on Reset now to complete the reset and reboot.

    Technically speaking, the Wi-fi passwords are stored under c:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Wlansvc\Profiles\Interfaces[Interface Guid]. If you are trying to find the saved Wi-Fi password, Right-click on your computer's Wi-Fi adapter in the list, choose Status > Wireless Properties. Scroll to the Security tab, you should see a password box with dots in it—click the Show Characters box to see the password appear in plain text.

    In Network and Sharing Center, select your Wi-Fi network name next to Connections. Select Wireless Properties from Wi-Fi Status. Choose the Security tab in Wireless Network Properties, then select Show characters. Network security key displays your Wi-Fi network password.

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