How to See Your Wi-Fi Password on Windows 11 (4 Ways)

You need the Wi-Fi password for a new phone, a guest or a smart TV, and of course nobody remembers it. The good news: if your PC has ever connected to that network, Windows has saved the password, and you can see your Wi-Fi password on Windows 11 in less than a minute.

Below are four ways to do it, from the easiest to the most powerful. The first two work for the network you are on right now. The last two also show passwords for every network your PC has ever joined, such as your office, a friend's house or a hotel.

What You Need

• A Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC that has connected to the network at least once.
• An administrator account for the Control Panel and command methods. Standard accounts may not see the key.
• The exact network name (SSID) if you use the command method.

Method 1: See the Wi-Fi Password in Settings

1. Open Wi-Fi settings

   Press Win + I, then go to Network & internet, Wi-Fi.

2. Open the network's properties

   Select your network's properties at the top. For a network you used before, choose Manage known networks and select it instead.

3. Show the security key

   Next to View Wi-Fi security key, select View. A small box shows the password, ready to copy.

If you do not see "View Wi-Fi security key", your Windows 11 build is older. Install the latest updates in Settings, Windows Update, or use Method 2 or 3.

Method 2: Use Control Panel (Connected Network Only)

1. Open Network Connections

   Press Win + R, type ncpa.cpl and press Enter.

2. Open Wireless Properties

   Right-click your Wi-Fi adapter, choose Status, then Wireless Properties.

3. Show characters

   On the Security tab, tick Show characters. The password appears in the Network security key box.

Method 3: Find Any Saved Wi-Fi Password with netsh

This works on every version of Windows 11 and Windows 10, and it reaches every network your PC remembers.

1. Open Terminal as administrator

   Right-click Start and choose Terminal (Admin). Command Prompt works too.

2. List saved networks

   Run this command to see every saved Wi-Fi profile:

   Command

   netsh wlan show profiles

3. Show the password

   Replace NetworkName with a name from the list. Keep the quotes if the name has spaces:

   Command

   netsh wlan show profile name="NetworkName" key=clear

   Scroll to Security settings. The password is the value next to Key Content.

Method 4: See All Saved Wi-Fi Passwords at Once

If you want every password in one list, without commands, use WiFi Password Viewer. It is free in the Microsoft Store and reads the profiles Windows already keeps. Nothing is uploaded.

1. Install and open the app

   Get WiFi Password Viewer from the Microsoft Store and open it from Start.

2. Pick a network

   Your saved networks appear in a list with their passwords. Select one to copy the password.

   

3. Share it with a QR code

   Show the network's QR code and scan it with a phone camera. The phone joins without typing anything.

   

You can also export all profiles to CSV, TXT or JSON as a backup before you reset or replace your PC.

How to Share Your Wi-Fi Without Saying the Password

• QR code: the fastest way for phones. iPhone and Android cameras both read Wi-Fi QR codes.
• Guest network: if visitors come often, turn on your router's guest network and share that password instead.
• Change it afterwards: if you shared it with someone you no longer trust, change the password in the router settings. All your devices then need the new one.

Troubleshooting

• "The Wireless AutoConfig Service is not running." Press Win + R, type services.msc, find WLAN AutoConfig and choose Start.
• The network is not in the list. This PC never connected to it, or the profile was deleted. Check the router label or the router's admin page instead.
• "Show characters" is greyed out. You are using a standard account. Sign in as an administrator, or ask the PC owner.
• The password works on the PC but not on the phone. Passwords are case-sensitive. Copy it exactly, or use the QR code.
• You are connected but the Wi-Fi keeps dropping. See our guide on Wi-Fi that keeps disconnecting on Windows 11.

To let guests join without typing, share the Wi-Fi password with a QR code.

To set a new password on the router, see how to change your Wi-Fi password.

FAQ

Conclusion

Windows 11 keeps the password for every Wi-Fi network you have joined. For the current network, Settings shows it in three clicks. For older networks, one netsh command reveals the key. If you want all of them in one list, with QR sharing and export, WiFi Password Viewer does it for free. For more tools, see all network apps for Windows.

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