TL;DR: To find a Wi-Fi password on Windows 11, open Settings > Network & internet, select Properties for your Wi-Fi connection and click Show next to Wi-Fi network password. For networks you’ve used before, go to Wi-Fi > Manage known networks, pick the network and click Show. Other options: the Control Panel’s Wireless Properties, the command netsh wlan show profile name="NetworkName" key=clear, or the label or admin page on your router. You can only see passwords for networks this PC has already joined.
Need to get a new phone, a guest’s laptop or a smart TV online, and nobody remembers the password? If your PC has connected to the network before, Windows has it saved. This guide shows how to find a Wi-Fi password on Windows 11 five different ways, from the two-click Settings method to the command line, plus what to do if none of them work.
Before you start
- Windows only stores passwords for networks it has connected to before. You can’t use these methods to see the password for a network you’ve never joined.
- Some methods need an administrator account. On a work or school PC, your IT department may have blocked them, and the network may use your sign-in credentials instead of a shared password anyway.
- Only look up passwords for networks you own or are allowed to use.
Quick comparison of methods
| Method | Works for | Admin needed? | Best when |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Settings > Properties | The network you’re connected to now | Usually no | Fastest option on current Windows 11 |
| 2. Manage known networks | Any saved network | Usually no | You’re not connected to that network right now |
| 3. Control Panel Wireless Properties | The network you’re connected to now | Yes | Older Windows 11 builds without a Show button |
| 4. netsh in Command Prompt | Any saved network | Recommended | You want every saved password, or Settings is locked |
| 5. Router label or admin page | Your own router | Router login | No PC has the password saved |
Method 1: Find the Wi-Fi password in Settings
This is the route Microsoft Support recommends for current versions of Windows 11.
- Press Windows + I to open Settings.
- Select Network & internet.
- Select Properties on the Wi-Fi connection at the top of the page.
- Next to Wi-Fi network password, select Show.
Microsoft says the same page can show a QR code, so a phone or tablet that supports it can scan it to join without typing anything. That is handy for long passwords.
Method 2: Find the password for any saved network
- Open Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi.
- Select Manage known networks.
- Click the network you want.
- Select Show next to Wi-Fi network password. Some earlier Windows 11 builds label this View Wi-Fi security key with a View button.
This works even when you’re somewhere else, for example finding your office or a relative’s Wi-Fi password from home.
Method 3: Use Control Panel (Wireless Properties)
If your build doesn’t have a Show button, the older Control Panel path still works for the network you’re connected to now.
- Press Windows + R, type
ncpa.cpland press Enter to open Network Connections. - Right-click your Wi-Fi adapter and choose Status.
- Click Wireless Properties, then open the Security tab.
- Check Show characters. The password appears in the Network security key box.
Microsoft’s support page describes the same steps through the Network and Sharing Center.
Method 4: Use the netsh command
The built-in netsh tool can list every Wi-Fi profile Windows remembers and show its key.
- Search for cmd, right-click Command Prompt and choose Run as administrator.
- List saved networks:
netsh wlan show profiles - Show the password for one of them (replace the name, keeping the quotes):
netsh wlan show profile name="HomeNetwork" key=clear - Look under Security settings for Key Content. That value is the password.
The commands work the same way in PowerShell or Windows Terminal. If “Key Content” is missing, the profile probably uses enterprise (802.1X) sign-in, which has no shared password, or you aren’t running as administrator.
Tip: export all saved Wi-Fi passwords
To back up every profile, run netsh wlan export profile key=clear folder=C:\WiFiBackup (create the folder first). It saves an XML file for each network, with the password in plain text, so store those files somewhere safe and delete them when you’re done.
Method 5: Check your router
If no device has the password saved:
- Check the sticker on the bottom or back of the router. Many come with a default network name and password printed on them. This only helps if nobody has changed it.
- Log in to the router’s admin page or app. Most use a local address such as 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1, or the manufacturer’s app. The wireless or Wi-Fi settings page shows, and lets you change, the password.
- Last resort: a factory reset restores the sticker password but wipes all custom settings, so every device will need to reconnect.
Troubleshooting
- No Show button: install the latest Windows updates, or use Method 3 or 4.
- “Access is denied” or the box is greyed out: you need an administrator account, or the setting is managed by your organization.
- The password works on the PC but not on another device: check upper and lower case, and see whether the other device supports the router’s security mode (some older gadgets can’t use WPA3). If the connection itself keeps dropping, see our Wi-Fi keeps disconnecting on Windows 11 fixes, and flushing the DNS cache can help with sites that won’t load.
Keep your Wi-Fi password safe
Anyone who uses your PC with an admin account can see saved passwords, so lock your screen when you step away. For visitors, many routers can run a separate guest network. Sharing that password, or a QR code for it, keeps guests off your main network. When you upgrade your router, it’s a good moment to choose a long, unique passphrase. Our Wi-Fi 7 guide explains whether new hardware is worth it.
Bottom line
On Windows 11, the fastest way to see a Wi-Fi password is Settings > Network & internet > Properties > Show, or Manage known networks for any saved network. When Settings won’t cooperate, Control Panel and netsh wlan show profile key=clear work on every version. On an iPhone instead? See how to view a Wi-Fi password on iPhone.
Sources
- Microsoft Support: Connect to a Wi-Fi network in Windows (Find your Wi-Fi network password)
- Microsoft Q&A: Find the network credentials and Wi-Fi password
- Microsoft Learn: netsh command reference
- Linksys Support: Checking the Wi-Fi name and password
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