How to Find Wifi Password on Windows: Step-by-Step Guide

This comprehensive guide will cover the step-by-step process of finding your WiFi password on Windows. So, stay tuned until the end.

Are you again tired of guessing your wifi password and still unable to remember your wifi password? And wondering how to find wifi password on Windows? We all tend to forget the password as our device automatically saves your Wi-fi password and reconnects it whenever needed. 

But what if you are connecting to a new Windows device? Or what if you forgot to save the password? We all have been there, haven't we? Well, worry not, my friend, as we are here to help you.  This guide will walk you through how to get wifi password.

How to Find WiFi Password on Windows 10?

Even though Windows 11 has been out for quite a while now, most users prefer the previous version. Thus, it still has the majority of the market share. Keeping this in mind, here are 4 ways to view wifi passwords in Windows 10:

#Method 1:  Control Panel on Windows 10

Uncover your WiFi password with a few quick clicks on your Windows 10 control panel. Just follow these easy steps:

Step 1: Open Windows Run Dialogue box

You must press Windows+R on the system’s keyboard to open the Run dialogue box window. Then, enter the command ncpa.cpl. Lastly, click OK to proceed to the next step. 

Step 2: Network Connection Tab in Control Panel

Now, you must have reached a network connection menu in the control panel. Click on wifi Network and select Status from the drop-down menu.

Step 3: Wireless Properties Menu

Choose Wireless Properties from the available buttons to move to the next screen.

Step 4: Find the WiFi Password

 

Lastly, you must choose the “Security Tab” and click on the “Show Characters” box. This will show you the wifi password.

#Method 2:  Use the Settings Menu

You can also find your wifi password utilizing the settings menu in your system. However, administrator privileges are required to find wifi password on Windows 10 using this method. Once you have that, follow the steps below:

Step 1: Open Settings Menu

Start by clicking on the Start Menu. Then, search for Settings and open it. In the settings, you must choose the Network and Internet menu from all the available options.

Step 2: Access the Network and Sharing Center

You must be able to see the Status Section on the right-hand side of your screen. In the Status Section, choose the Network and Sharing Center for information about the networks your device is connected to.

Step 3: View Your Active Networks

In the View Your Active Networks section, check the details of your connection by clicking on the name of your wifi connection. Choose the wifi you need the password for.

Step 4: Choose Wireless Properties

Now, you must navigate and choose the Wireless Properties tab in the popup window called WiFi Status.

Step 5: Access the Security tab

Next, in the Security tab, select the box next to "Show characters" to find your wifi password in Windows.

#Method 3:  Powershell Command

If you are still wondering how to know wifi passwords, here's another way to do it: You can use a tool called Network Shell (Netsh) in PowerShell to find out all sorts of details about your network, including its password.

You can also use this method to find the passwords of all the networks your computer has connected to before.

For example, if you are at home and want to find out your office network's password, you can do it without actually connecting to the office network. Just remember, if you have used the Forget option to erase a network's details, this won't work.

Step 1: Open the Powershell Window

Right-click on the Start Menu to see the list of options. From the available options, choose the Powershell Command for the next step.

Step 2: Use Powershell Command

This will open a window. Now, you must use the command netsh wlan show profiles and press Enter to access the User Profiles section. Also, make sure to note the network name, as you'll need it for the next step..

Step 3: Powershell Command to Find the WiFi Password

Use the command with the connection name you copied in the previous step instead of “wifiname.”

Step 4: Get WiFi Password

Once entered, the command displays Security Settings, and you can get the wifi password next to Key Content.

#Method 4: Reset the Routers

If nothing else works, reset the router to set a new wifi password. It is a plain, simple, and easy solution. Most routers have a reset button on the back, and holding them for 5-15 seconds usually resets them. It can be found inside very small holes, so you might need pins or needles. 

These are some common solutions to help answer your Google queries like “how to find wifi password on Windows 10”

How to Find WiFi Password on Windows 11?

Windows 11 may not be as popular as Windows 10, but it still has a huge user base. Similar problems may occur for Windows 11 users. Thus, here are 4 ways to view wifi passwords on Windows 11:

#Method 1:  Settings Menu in Windows 11

To use the Settings Menu to get your wifi password in Windows 11, follow the steps as mentioned below:

Step 1:  Open the Settings 

You must start by right-clicking on the Search bar in the task manager. Then, open the Settings Menu in Windows 11.

Step 2: Go to WiFi Settings Through Networks and Internet

Now, click on the wifi section to go to wifi Settings in the Network and Internet tab in the Settings Menu. This will lead you to the dedicated wifi Settings in Windows 11.

Step 3: Manage Known Networks

Now that you are in the wifi settings, select the Manage Known Networks option to proceed to the next step.

Step 4: Select the Correct WiFi Connection

You must now have a list of available networks. So, move to choosing the wifi network for which you want to find the password.

Step 5: View Settings

Click on the View wifi Security Key tab from all the options present in the details section of the wifi Connection.

Step 6: Find the WiFi Password

A dialog box must have popped up. It must show the wifi name and password for the connection you selected in the previous step. 

#Method 2:  Find the Password Using the Control Panel

If the question how to find wifi passwords on computers still bothers you, you can do it by using the Control Panel on your Windows 11 PC. There are a few simple and easy steps to follow:

Step 1: Open the Control Panel

Right-click on the search bar in your task manager. Now, type in Control Panel, and open the Control Panel on Windows 11.

Step 2: Network and Internet Menu

Now that you have opened the Control Panel, click on the Network and Internet tab. It will show you more options on Internet Settings.

Step 3: Network and Sharing Center

Next, you must click on the "Network And Sharing Center" option to find more choices for discovering wifi passwords for your connections.

Step 4: Choose the Correct WiFi Name

Now, find the name of the wifi network your device is connected to. Click on the wifi name to access more settings and details about the wifi connection.

Step 5: Wireless Properties Settings 

Click on Wireless Properties in the popup box that appears, showing multiple details of your wifi connection. 

Step 6: Get the WiFi Password

Click on the box next to the Show Characters option to find the wifi password visible in the Network security key field.

#Method 3: Using the Command Prompt

Command prompt is another quick and easy way in case you are wondering how to find wifi passwords on PCs with Windows 11. Here is how you can use it:

Step 1: Open Command Prompt

Right-click on the search bar, type in Command Prompt, and open Command Prompt. Then type in the command and press Enter to proceed to the next step.

Step 2: Enter the Command to Save all WiFi Details in a Folder

Enter the command to save all the details of your wifi connection in a folder in the C drive.

Step 3: Find the XML file

In the C drive, locate a file with an .XML extension, and click on it to open it. It will contain all the important and pertinent details regarding the wifi connections, including the wifi password.

Step 4: Get the WiFi Password

In the XML file, find the tag “.” The password inside the tag is the wifi password. Hence, here is a way to find wifi password on Windows 11 using the command Prompt.

#Method 4: Reset Router

This method can work for both Windows 10 and Windows 11 because routers, unlike software, don’t have different procedures for different versions. Again, simply hold or press the reset button using a pin or any thin, pointy object. Once done, it will reset the router, and you can set a new wifi password.

Conclusion

Remembering passwords can be tough, and forgetting passwords is more common than one would think. Now, rather than blindly searching through the settings, use any of the above-listed methods and help yourself find Wifi passwords on Windows 10 and 11.

Apart from this, you can also use a third-party app to find your wifi password. They are considered ideal for accessing wifi settings, porting passwords, and other data from another machine.