Find the WiFi Password in Windows 10 Using CMD
Get a list of every computer on the network’s passwords
Did you forget one of your WiFi passwords? Do you need access to it right away?
Using the command prompt (CMD), you can see a list of every wireless network your computer has ever connected to and their passwords.
This article details how you can find out the WiFi password or change WiFi settings using CMD.
We also created a short YouTube video that goes over some of the information below in case you don’t feel like reading a bunch of text. Be sure to check it out and subscribe to our sister-site Online Tech Tips YouTube channel!
WLAN Profile
There comes a time when users like yourself forget your own WiFi password. This happens more commonly than you think. With WiFi routers running nonstop and WiFi connections establishing themselves automatically, there’s very little reason why you’d recall a complicated WiFi password.
Some users wind up using secure passwords consisting of random characters which are very easy to forget. Others just keep using the random one given to them by their ISP.
Either way, there’s no need to panic yet. WLAN profiles are created whenever users enter WiFi credentials and establish a new connection. The profile of that WiFi includes essential information like the network name, settings, and password.
We’re going to tap into these network profiles through the command prompt. This method will work regardless if you’re currently connected to the WiFi network you’re trying to gain access to or not. However, your computer had to have connected to that WiFi network at some previous point at least once.
Using CMD to Find the WiFi Password
Here’s how to find the WiFi password using the command prompt:
Open the command prompt by opening Run (Windows + R) and typing CMD. Hit Enter.
Note: Alternatively, you can use Search and type CMD. Right-click on Command Prompt and select Run As Administrator.
Type the following command line and hit Enter:
You will see a list of WLAN profiles stored on the PC. Take note of the network name you’d like to explore.
Type the following command and replace “WIFI” with the network name.
Completing these steps successfully will bring up the WLAN profile of the network you want to connect to. Scroll down and you’ll find the password under the Key Content field.
MAC Addresses
Every device that connects to a WiFi network has an identifying number commonly referred to as a MAC address. And while some network technologies are dependent on MAC to function, some use them to track people or restrict access.
This is a bigger issue for mobile users. For example, some use specialized equipment to log a phone’s MAC address as their victims jump from one network to another. This means your steps can be traced to see just where you’ve been.
This breach of privacy can be prevented by changing your MAC address.
Changing Your MAC Address
Take a closer look at your WLAN profile. If MAC randomization is turned, chances are your MAC address is vulnerable to tracking. Consider changing your MAC address as an added measure for protecting your privacy.
Here’s how you change your MAC address on Windows:
Go to Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center > Change Adapter Settings.
Right-click on the network you’d like to configure and select Properties. A new window will pop up.
On the new window, click Configure.
Go to Advanced tab. In the Property field, select Network Address or Locally Administered Address.
Note: If you can’t find the Network Address option, there are third-party programs you can use to replace the MAC address.
In the Value field, type in a new MAC address. Click OK once you’re finished to exit. Enjoy!
Christopher Jan Benitez is a freelance writer for hire who provides actionable and useful web content to small businesses and startups. In his spare time, he religiously watches professional wrestling and finds solace in listening to ’80s speed metal. Read Christopher’s Full Bio
How to View Saved WiFi Passwords on Windows 7, 8, & 10
Because you really don’t want to untangle and flip over the router
Are you still using the WiFi password that is written on the back of the router your ISP gave you? If so, it’s probably some really long combination of letters, numbers and symbols that you can never remember.
Most people try to write the password down somewhere or simply check on the router every time they need to give it to someone else. Luckily, if you already have a computer connected to your WiFi network, you can easily view the password there.
I’ve already written about how to view WiFi passwords on a Mac and in this article, I’m going to talk about doing the same thing in Windows. Note that the procedure is the same for Windows 7, 8 or 10. Also, be sure to check out the YouTube video we made below, in case you don’t want to read so much text.
View WiFi Password in Windows
In order to view the WiFi password on your Windows machine, you need to make sure you are already connected to the WiFi network or have previously connected to the WiFi network. If so, then go ahead and right-click on the WiFi icon in the system tray and choose Open Network and Sharing Center.
Now go ahead and click on Change Adapter Settings in the left-hand menu. Also, be sure to read my previous post if you want to learn more about the Network and Sharing Center.
Find the icon for Wi-Fi, right-click on it and choose Status.
This will bring up the WiFi Status dialog where you can see some basic information about your wireless network connection.
Click on the Wireless Properties button and then click on the Security tab.
Here you will see a text field called Network security key. Go ahead and check the Show characters box and you’ll now be able to see the WiFi security password. Note that this is just the WiFi password of the currently connected WiFi network. What if you want to see the WiFi passwords for WiFi networks that your computer previously connected to?
Luckily, that’s pretty easy too in Windows 7. In Windows 8 and 10, you have to use the command prompt, which is pretty annoying. Anyway, in Windows 7, open the Network and Sharing Center and then click on Manage Wireless Networks.
You will now see a nice list of all the wireless networks that computer has ever connected to. Just double-click on the one you are interested in.
Then just click on the Security tab and check the Show characters box again to see the password.
In Windows 8 and 10, you have to open a command prompt by going to Start and typing in CMD. When the command prompt opens, type in the following command:
You’ll find all the wireless profiles listed under User Profiles. The name of the WiFi network is on the right. In my case, I only have one WiFi network listed. Now to see the password for a profile, type in the following command:
Go ahead and replace profilename with the actual name of the WiFi network listed from the previous command. In my case, the WiFi network is named VFTJM. You do not need to use quotes anywhere in the commands.
When you run the second command, you’ll get a lot of output, but you are only interested in finding the line that starts with Key Content. To the right will be the WiFi password. I’m not sure why Microsoft removed the convenience of seeing all your previously connected WiFi networks in Windows 8 and 10, but thankfully there is still a way to get all of the information. If you have any questions, feel free to comment. Enjoy!
Founder of Online Tech Tips and managing editor. He began blogging in 2007 and quit his job in 2010 to blog full-time. He has over 15 years of industry experience in IT and holds several technical certifications. Read Aseem’s Full Bio
How to View Saved Wi-Fi Password on Windows 10 , Even if You’re not Connected to them Anymore
Ashish Mundhra
14 Oct 2015
There can be a lot of reasons as to why you might want to know the Wi-Fi password for a network you are currently connected to or you have connected in the past. Either your friend wants to know the password for the café you regularly visit, or you just want to know the password of the Wi-Fi at your friend’s place who won’t tell you and prefer typing it.
We have already seen how to uncover the secret on Android and iOS and today we would see how to get that done on a Windows computer. Just make sure you have the admin access to the computer.
View Password of Network You are Connected to
The trick I am going to show you right now has been documented on Windows 10. But it also works on Windows 7, 8 and 8.1. When you are connected to the network, right click on the Wi-Fi icon on the Windows System Tray and click on Open the network and Sharing.
Once the Network and Sharing Center opens up, it will list all the networks your computer is currently connected to under the Active Network section. Click on the Connections: your computer is connected to and it will open the Wi-Fi Status Window.
Click on Wireless Properties in the Wi-Fi Status window and Wireless Network Property of the connected network. The page will show you the connection name and type and will have a Security tab you can click on.
The Network Security Key option will have the Wi-Fi password and you can check the option Show characters to make the password visible. Do not change any properties in here or it might mess up the connection and you can have trouble while connecting next time.
That was an easy solution to find the password to the network you are currently connected to. What if I share a secret using which you can get Wi-Fi password of networks you are not connected to anymore?
While we’re on networking: Why don’t you check out how you should pick out a Wi-Fi router that is right for you.
View Passwords of Networks You Were Previously Connected to
Open the command prompt, with admin access of course, and type in the command netsh wlan show profiles. It will list all the Wi-Fi networks you have connected to. Each of these mentioned profiles will be displayed using the SSID Name.
The next command you should type is netsh wlan show profile name=”Profile-Name” key=clear. The profile name should be the name of the Wi-Fi network you wish to know the password of and without quotes. The screenshot will clear any doubts you might have.
That’s all, the password for the said network will be displayed under the security tab.
Word of Advice on Windows 10 Wi-Fi Sense
While talking about the Windows 10 W-Fi Sense previously, we mentioned that a user will have to type in the password again to enable Wi-Fi password sharing. But the trick might be a way to break that. So if you really don’t what to share your Wi-Fi, read about the Optout trick.
Conclusion
So that was how you can view saved Wi-Fi password on Windows. Don’t forget to check out how you can view the saved Wi-Fi password on Android and iOS. For any doubts, you can join me on our forum. have a good one guys.
Last updated on 5 Jul, 2019
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