How to Find WiFi Password on Windows 11, Android & iPhone

To find wifi password details for a network you’ve already joined, look on a device that’s saved it. On Windows 11: Settings → Network & internet → Wi-Fi → Manage known networks → pick the network → Show next to Wi-Fi network password. On Android: Settings → Wi-Fi → the gear next to the network → Share or QR code, or tap the eye icon next to Password on recent Galaxy phones.

On iPhone (iOS 16 or later): Settings → Wi-Fi → tap the (i) next to the network → tap Password. No saved device? The default password is usually on a sticker on your router.

This guide is for one situation: it’s your network, or one you’ve been given access to, and you’ve forgotten the password. Any phone or computer that has joined it before has the password saved, and every major system will show it to you after you unlock the device. We tested the Windows 11 and Samsung Galaxy steps. The iPhone and Mac steps are based on Apple’s support pages.

This only works for networks your device has already saved. There’s no legitimate way to pull the password for a network you’ve never joined, and apps that claim to “hack” Wi-Fi passwords don’t work and are a common way to spread malware.

How to find wifi password on Windows 11 (tested)

Windows keeps a profile, including the password, for every Wi-Fi network the PC has joined. There are three ways to see it. The Settings app is fastest, and the command line works for any saved network even when you’re not near it.

Method 1: The network you’re connected to right now

Open Settings (Win + I) → Network & internet.
Select Properties at the top, next to your Wi-Fi network name.
Next to Wi-Fi network password, select Show.

Method 2: Any network you’ve joined before

Open Settings → Network & internet → Wi-Fi.
Select Manage known networks.
Select the network you want.
Select Show next to Wi-Fi network password.

Method 3: The netsh command

This is handy when the Settings app doesn’t show a password, or you want to see several networks quickly.

Right-click Start and choose Terminal (Admin).
Type netsh wlan show profiles and press Enter to list every saved network.
Type netsh wlan show profile name="YourNetworkName" key=clear, using the exact name from the list, and press Enter.
Under Security settings, the password is next to Key Content.

Microsoft’s documentation says the plain-text key is shown only when you have administrator rights, so use an admin Terminal if Key Content is missing. If the network name has spaces, keep the quotation marks.

Windows 10 and the old Control Panel route

On Windows 10, or if you prefer the classic screens, Microsoft’s steps are: Settings → Network & Internet → Status → Network and Sharing Center, select your Wi-Fi name next to Connections, then Wireless Properties → Security tab, and tick Show characters. The password appears in the Network security key box. This only works for the network you’re connected to.

How do you find a saved Wi-Fi password on Android?

Android has had built-in Wi-Fi sharing for years. Every phone can make a QR code for a saved network, and recent Galaxy phones can show the password as text. Either way, the phone asks for your fingerprint, face or PIN first, so someone who picks up your phone can’t just read it.

Samsung Galaxy (tested)

Open Settings → Connections → Wi-Fi.
Tap the gear icon next to the network you’re connected to.
Next to Password, tap the eye icon and confirm with your fingerprint or PIN. The password appears as text.
Or tap QR code at the bottom of the screen to show a code another phone can scan to join.

For a network you’re not connected to right now, go to Settings → Connections → Wi-Fi, tap the three-dot menu, then Manage networks (it may be under Advanced settings) and tap the network.

Pixel and other Android phones

According to Google’s Android Help, the path is Settings → Network & internet → Internet, then tap your network and tap Share. Your phone shows a QR code that another device can scan to join. Some phones also print the password as text under the code. Google notes that some of these steps work only on Android 12 and up.

If your phone only shows a QR code, point another phone’s camera at it. Most camera apps offer to join the network straight away, which is often all you need. Setting up a new phone? Our guide to setting up a new Android phone covers getting it online quickly.

How do you find a saved Wi-Fi password on iPhone or iPad?

We don’t test on Apple devices. These steps are based on Apple’s support pages.

Apple says you need iOS 16 or iPadOS 16.1 or later to see saved Wi-Fi passwords.

Network you’re using now: Settings → Wi-Fi, tap the Info button (i) next to the network, tap the Password field, then use Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode.
Network you’ve used before: Settings → Wi-Fi, tap Edit in the top-right corner and authenticate, then tap the Info button next to the network and tap Password.
Passwords app (iOS 18 and later): open Passwords, tap Wi-Fi, choose the network and tap the Password field.

Find a saved Wi-Fi password on a Mac

Based on Apple’s support pages, on macOS Sequoia (15) and later you use the Passwords app. Open it, click Wi-Fi in the sidebar and select the network. Hold the pointer over the dots next to Password to show it, or click the dots to copy it. You can also click Show Network QR Code so a phone can scan and join.

On older versions of macOS, saved Wi-Fi passwords live in the Keychain Access app: search for the network name, open it and tick Show password.

If none of your devices have it saved

If no device of yours has joined the network, you’ll need the router or its owner. For your own home network, try these in order.

Check the router sticker. Most routers ship with the network name and default password printed on a label on the back or bottom. It only helps if nobody has changed the password since.
Check your internet provider’s app. Many providers let you see or change the Wi-Fi password in their app or account page.
Use the router’s admin page. The address and admin login are usually on the same sticker. The Wi-Fi password is normally under a Wireless or Wi-Fi section.
Reset the router as a last resort. A factory reset brings back the sticker password, but it also wipes your settings, and every device will need to rejoin.

If you change the password, every phone, laptop, TV and smart speaker will drop off until you enter the new one. Make a list before you start. Moving to a new computer? Our guide to moving everything to a new Windows 11 PC covers what carries over.

QR codes: Android and the Mac Passwords app can show a code that guests scan to join, so nobody types anything.
Apple’s password sharing: when a contact’s Apple device tries to join your network, an unlocked nearby iPhone or Mac can offer to share the password. Apple says both devices need to be in each other’s contacts and within Bluetooth and Wi-Fi range.
A guest network: many routers can run a separate guest network, so visitors never get your main password.

Why won’t the Wi-Fi password show?

Work or school networks: these often use a personal username and password (WPA2 or WPA3 Enterprise) rather than one shared key, so there’s no single password to reveal.
Managed devices: a work laptop or phone may block you from viewing saved passwords.
The network was forgotten: if you or an update removed it from the saved list, the password is gone from that device.
No admin rights on Windows: the netsh method needs an administrator account to show Key Content.

More guides for your devices are in our apps, Windows and Android sections.

Setting up a new PC? Our guide to moving your files to a new Windows 11 PC covers the rest.

FAQ

How do I find my Wi-Fi password on my phone?

On Android, open Settings → Wi-Fi, tap the gear next to your network and tap Share or QR code; on recent Galaxy phones you can tap the eye icon next to Password. On an iPhone with iOS 16 or later, tap the (i) next to the network and tap Password.

Can I see a Wi-Fi password without being connected?

Yes, if your device has saved that network before. Use Manage known networks or netsh on Windows, the Edit button in iPhone Wi-Fi settings, or the Passwords app on iPhone and Mac. If it was never saved, check the router sticker or ask the owner.

How do I find Wi-Fi passwords near me?

You can’t see passwords for networks you haven’t been given. Ask the owner, look for the password posted at cafés and hotels, or use your phone’s hotspot. Apps that promise to reveal nearby passwords are scams or malware.

Why doesn’t netsh show Key Content?

Usually the Terminal isn’t running as administrator, the network uses a work-style login instead of one shared password, or the profile name was typed incorrectly. Run netsh wlan show profiles first and copy the name exactly.

Is it legal to find a Wi-Fi password?

Viewing the saved password for your own network, or one you’ve been allowed to use, is fine. Getting into someone else’s network without permission isn’t, and is illegal in many countries.

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