How to Find Your WiFi Password on Windows 11

You can find a saved WiFi password on Windows 11 without changing it. If the PC is connected to that network, open its WiFi properties in Settings and select **Show Wi-Fi security key**. For a saved network that is not currently connected, use Windows Terminal or Command Prompt with `netsh` to display the profile’s security key. Windows cannot recover a password the PC never saved.

What you need before looking up the password

Before starting, make sure you have:

• A Windows 11 PC that has connected to the WiFi network before. The PC must have saved the network profile; simply seeing the network in the list is not enough.
• The exact WiFi network name, also called the SSID. This is the name you select when connecting a phone, tablet, or another computer.
• Access to the Windows account on the PC. Some methods or devices require administrator approval, especially if Windows asks you to confirm access or your organization restricts access to saved network information.
• Permission to view the password. On a personal PC, you may be able to view your own saved profile without entering administrator credentials. On a work or school PC, policy may block the command or require an administrator.

The WiFi password is the security key used to join the wireless network. It is not the network name, your Windows account PIN, or the username and password used to sign in to the router’s administration page.

How to see the password for the WiFi you are using now

Use the current network’s properties in Windows Settings. The PC must be connected to the WiFi network whose password you want to view.

1. Open Windows Settings.
2. Select Network & internet.
3. Select Wi-Fi.
4. Select the connected network’s Properties.
5. Find Wi-Fi network password and select Show Wi-Fi security key. Windows will reveal the saved password.

Enter the key on the other device exactly as shown, including capitalization, spaces, and symbols. This is the WiFi security key—not the router login password or your Windows account PIN.

If you do not see Show Wi-Fi security key, confirm that you opened the properties for the connected WiFi network rather than a general network page. The wording or layout can vary slightly after Windows updates, but the option belongs to the current network’s WiFi properties.

You can also select the WiFi icon in the taskbar, open the connected network’s details, and choose its properties. The Settings route is easier to follow when several networks are nearby.

How to find a password for a saved network you are not using

For a network saved on the PC but not currently connected, use netsh in Windows Terminal or Command Prompt. The first command lists saved WiFi profiles. The second displays the selected profile’s security details.

1. Open Windows Terminal or Command Prompt. To request administrator access, right-click the app and select Run as administrator. If Windows displays a User Account Control prompt, approve it only if you trust the account and PC you are using.
2. List the WiFi profiles saved on the computer.

netsh wlan show profiles

3. Find the network name under User profiles. Copy it exactly, including spaces and punctuation.
4. Replace WiFiName with that profile name and run the command below.

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

5. Look for Key Content under Security settings. The value beside it is the saved WiFi password. If the profile has no saved key, Windows may omit Key Content or show that no key is available.

For example, if the saved profile is named Home Network, use this form:

netsh wlan show profile name="Home Network" key=clear

Do not confuse the profile name with the key. The profile name identifies the network; Key Content contains the password. Avoid pasting the command output into a public chat or document because it can expose the WiFi password.

Why the password option is missing or does not work

Windows cannot show a password when the PC never saved that network. A network can appear in the available WiFi list without being stored as a profile. If the computer has never connected successfully, there is no password for Windows to reveal.

Other common causes include:

• The profile name is wrong. Run netsh wlan show profiles again and copy the name exactly. Quotation marks are especially useful for names containing spaces.
• The account lacks permission. Open Windows Terminal or Command Prompt with Run as administrator. On a managed work or school computer, an administrator may have disabled access to saved network keys. Do not try to bypass that restriction.
• The saved profile has no recoverable key. Some connection types use enterprise authentication, certificates, or credentials supplied by an organization rather than one shared WiFi password. The key may not be displayed.
• You are checking the wrong network. Similar names can belong to different routers, guest networks, or WiFi bands. Match the name shown in Windows with the name printed on the router or shown in its settings.
• The password was changed. Windows may still contain an old key. The saved profile may be outdated even though the command works.

The router’s WiFi password and router login password are different. The WiFi password lets devices join the wireless network. The router login password lets you open the router’s administration settings. Your Windows account PIN unlocks Windows and cannot be used as either password.

Confirm the password on another device without changing it

Test the recovered key on the device you want to connect before changing router settings.

1. On the phone, tablet, or other computer, open its WiFi settings.
2. Select the same network name shown in Windows. If two names look similar, check whether one is a guest network or belongs to a different router.
3. Enter the recovered WiFi password exactly as displayed, including uppercase and lowercase letters, spaces, and symbols.
4. Wait for the device to report that it is connected. Open a webpage or another online service to confirm that the connection has internet access.

If the password is rejected, recheck the profile name and run the netsh command again. Make sure you did not copy an extra space and that the device is joining the correct network. The Windows profile may contain an old password if the router’s WiFi key was changed after the PC last connected.

If Windows never saved the network, or the saved key is outdated, check the router’s label for the default WiFi name and key. You can also sign in to the router’s administration page from a connected device and view or change the wireless security settings. If you cannot access those settings, reset the WiFi password through the router’s controls or contact the person or provider who manages it. Changing the password disconnects devices that use the old key, so update them afterward.

Conclusion

For the connected network, open **Network & internet > Wi-Fi**, select the network’s **Properties**, and choose **Show Wi-Fi security key**. For a saved network that is currently offline, use `netsh wlan show profiles` and `netsh wlan show profile name="WiFiName" key=clear`. If no key is available, Windows cannot recover a password it never saved; check the router label or settings instead, and change the WiFi password only when necessary.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I find a WiFi password in Windows 11 if the PC is not connected now?

Yes, if Windows saved the network profile. Open Windows Terminal or Command Prompt and run `netsh wlan show profiles`, then run `netsh wlan show profile name="WiFiName" key=clear` for the saved network. The profile must exist on that PC.

Is the WiFi password the same as my Windows PIN?

No. The WiFi password connects a device to the wireless network. Your Windows PIN unlocks your Windows account and cannot substitute for the WiFi password.

What if Windows says the password is wrong on another device?

Check the network name, capitalization, spaces, and symbols. The router’s WiFi password may have changed since Windows last connected, so compare the saved key with the router label or current wireless settings. If necessary, change the WiFi password in the router’s controls and reconnect the other devices.