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How to Find Your Wi-Fi Password on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android

If any of your devices is connected to the network, you can read the Wi-Fi password from it in under a minute. Here is where to look on each one.

By Trends Editorial

Published 4 min read

In brief

How to see the password of a Wi-Fi network you are already connected to, on any device, plus how to find it on the router and what to do if you have never known it.

The quickest route

If any device in your home is already connected, you can read the password from it:

  • iPhone: Settings > Wi-Fi > tap the (i) next to the network > tap Password.
  • Android: Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi > tap the network > Share. The password appears below the QR code.
  • Windows 11: Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi > Manage known networks > the network > View Wi-Fi security key.
  • Mac: System Settings > Wi-Fi > Details or the ... button next to the network > Copy Password.

Each of these asks for your device passcode, fingerprint or face to confirm it is you. More detail, and the fallbacks, below.

On Windows

Windows 11 (current versions):

  1. Open Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi.
  2. Click Manage known networks and choose the network.
  3. Next to View Wi-Fi security key, click View.

Windows 10, or if the option is missing:

  1. Open Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center.
  2. Click the name of your Wi-Fi connection, then Wireless Properties.
  3. Open the Security tab and tick Show characters.

For any saved network, using a command: open Terminal or Command Prompt and type:

netsh wlan show profiles
netsh wlan show profile name="YourNetworkName" key=clear

The password appears next to Key Content. Replace YourNetworkName with the exact name from the first list.

On Mac

On recent versions of macOS (Ventura onwards):

  1. Open System Settings > Wi-Fi.
  2. Click Details next to the current network, or the ... button next to a saved one.
  3. Choose Copy Password, then paste it somewhere to read it.

On older versions, open Keychain Access, search for the network name, double-click it and tick Show password. You will need your Mac's login password.

On iPhone and iPad

Since iOS 16, the password is in Settings:

  1. Go to Settings > Wi-Fi.
  2. Tap the (i) next to the network you are on, or tap Edit to see saved networks.
  3. Tap Password and confirm with Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode.

Saved Wi-Fi passwords also appear in Apple's Passwords app on recent versions, under the Wi-Fi section.

On Android

  1. Open Settings > Network & internet > Internet (or Connections > Wi-Fi on Samsung).
  2. Tap the network, or the gear icon next to it.
  3. Tap Share (or the QR code icon) and confirm with your fingerprint or PIN.
  4. A QR code appears, usually with the password written underneath. If it is not written, scan the code with another phone's camera to read it.

This works on Android 10 and later.

On the router itself

If no device remembers the password:

  1. Check the sticker on the router. It lists the default network name (SSID) and password, often labelled WPA key or Wireless key. This only works if nobody changed it.
  2. Log in to the router from a device connected by cable: type its address, commonly 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1, into a browser. The admin login is on the sticker too. Look under Wireless or Wi-Fi settings.
  3. Use your provider's app. Many internet providers let you view and change the password from their app.

Last resort: reset the router

Holding the small reset button on the router for about 10 to 30 seconds restores factory settings, including the password on the sticker. It also wipes custom settings, so you will need to set the network up again, and some providers' routers need their login details re-entered. Call your provider first if you are unsure.

While you are in the settings

Use the moment to tighten security: a long password, WPA2 or WPA3 encryption, a changed admin password and a guest network for visitors. Our home Wi-Fi security checklist walks through it, and if you often use public Wi-Fi away from home, read what a VPN does and whether you need one.

Key takeaways

  • Any connected device can show you the password in Settings.
  • Windows also reveals saved passwords with the netsh command.
  • The router sticker shows the default password if it was never changed.
  • Resetting the router is the fallback, but it wipes your settings.

Questions readers ask

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

Only for networks your device has joined before and saved. You cannot read the password of a network your device has never connected to, and trying to break into someone else's network is illegal in most countries. Ask the owner, or look on the router label if it is your own.

What is the default Wi-Fi password on my router?

Most routers print the default network name and password on a sticker on the bottom or back, labelled WPA key, wireless key or network key. If someone changed the password, the sticker is no longer correct, and you need to log in to the router or reset it.

Is it safe to share my Wi-Fi password with a QR code?

It is as safe as telling someone the password, because the code contains it. For visitors, a separate guest network is better, as it keeps them off the network your own devices use. Many routers can create one in their settings.

How do I change my Wi-Fi password?

Log in to your router's settings page, usually by typing an address such as 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1 into a browser, or use your provider's app. Find the wireless or Wi-Fi section, enter a new password and save. Every device will then need the new password.

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