Do you have a WiFi connection on one device but require the password to log in on another? In Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android, here’s how to locate WiFi passwords.
Do you require a WiFi password? Perhaps you’re paying a visit to a friend, but they’re occupied. Alternatively, your laptop may be connected, but your phone is not. Or are you still using the WiFi password your ISP provided you with, written on the back of the router? If that’s the case, it’s most likely a long string of letters, numbers, and symbols that you’ll never recall.
When they need to offer the password to someone else, most people try to write it down somewhere or check on the router. You can quickly view the password if you already have a PC connected to your WiFi network.
There are ways to share passwords wirelessly between devices, but if that isn’t an option, here’s how to get the WiFi password from your already connected devices.
Related: What is WiFi Privacy Warning on iPhone and How to Fix it
How to See WiFi Password in Windows
As far as you’re presently connected to the network in question, Windows makes this simple to view wifi passwords.
- Search for Network Status in the Start menu
- Select the Change Adapter Options option in the settings panel. (If you’re using Windows 7, go to Network and Internet > Network Connections in the Control Panel.)
- Select Status > Wireless Properties from the right-click menu of your computer’s WiFi adapter in the list.
- You should notice a password box with dots under the Security tab. Click the Show Characters option to see the password in plain form.
Things get a little trickier if you’re trying to view the password for a network you’re not currently connected to. You can also use a third-party app such as Magical JellyBean WiFi Password Revealer (Which opens in a new window) to see the passwords of all your saved networks.
You can acquire the password via the Windows Command Prompt if you don’t want to install any further applications. Search for ‘Command Prompt’ in the Start Menu, right-click on it, and select Run As Administrator. Then, to see a list of saved WiFi networks, enter the command below:
netsh wlan show profileNow, Pick the network you want from the list, then run this command:
netsh wlan show profile MyNetwork key=clear(Insert the network name you discovered previously instead of MyNetwork.) You’ll be given certain network information, including the “Key Content” or password.
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How to See a WiFi Password in macOS
The Keychain Access software in Apple’s macOS stores WiFi passwords, which you may view by launching the Keychain Access app. To launch Spotlight, press Command + Space, then search for “keychain access” and open the app. Then, in the Keychain Access app, search for the name of any WiFi network you’ve previously joined using the search box.
When the network appears in the list, double-click it to reveal the password entry. To see the password in plain text, tick the Show Password box at the bottom of the page.
How to See a WiFi Password on iPhone
Viewing WiFi passwords on an iPhone isn’t easy because Apple didn’t include the option in iOS. If you sync your iPhone’s WiFi passwords with your iCloud Keychain, you should be able to see the password on your computer using the Mac steps above. This method will work on a Mac even if the device has never been linked to that network.
Otherwise, the iPhone’s WiFi share capability is your only choice. However, it will not display the password in a simple form.
In recent years, jailbreaking has been far less common. Only the most dedicated users go through the process of hacking an iOS device these days, but if you’re jailbroken, go to Cydia (a jailbroken phone’s app store) and look for WiFi Passwords (Which opens in a new window).
This program will reveal those passwords for you, albeit it may or may not work depending on your jailbroken software version. These things are constantly changing.
If you can’t make it work, there are a few other similar apps in Cydia worth checking out.
How to See WiFi Password on Android
Wifi Passwords can be viewed on Android by doing the following steps:
- Open Settings > Network & Internet > WiFi. (if you’re running Android 10 or higher).
- Choose the network in question. (If you’re not presently connected, tap Saved Networks to see different networks you’ve previously connected to.)
- The network’s password will show underneath the QR code after touching the Share button.
Unless your phone is rooted, you won’t be able to see a WiFi network’s password without Android 10. If this is the case, a root-friendly file explorer such as Solid Explorer (Which opens in a new window) can assist you in locating the password. Simply open the wpa supplicant.conf file from /data/misc/wifi.
You should now be able to find the network’s name and password within that document because some devices encrypt passwords within wpa supplicant.conf, the location of that file, and the efficiency of this procedure may vary from device to device.
Related: How to Select and Copy Text from Restricted Website
Check the Router’s, Admin Page
If you’ve read this far and still don’t have a password, you have one more (somewhat shady) option: go into the administrative options on your WiFi network. If you look at the WiFi network’s information on your device. For example, in iOS’ settings, click the (i) button next to the WiFi name. You’ll see the router’s IP address, which is usually something like 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1
Use a site like routerpasswords.com to type that number into your browser’s address bar. (Opens in a new window) to test whether you can access the settings using the default login and password for that router model. (If you don’t know the model number, you can find it printed on the router itself or the login page.) You might be able to see the network’s password if you look in the WiFi section of the settings.
You won’t be able to accomplish this if the network’s owner has changed the administrative password to their router which everyone should do for security reasons. If you don’t have their permission, rummaging about in someone else’s router settings is typically not a brilliant idea. (If you’re on your network or that of a close relative, you’re generally safe.)
Just make sure you don’t break anything while you’re there.
Conclusions
All operating system manufacturers are taking the essential safeguards to protect your intellectual property as security becomes more critical. That’s why Android requires you to authenticate before revealing a WiFi password, whereas Apple does not. This is due to the fact that a device linked to your wireless network can infiltrate your network and any devices on it.
We hope that is guide was helpful, so don’t forget to ask any questions or let us know how useful you found this guide. That’s it!
Frequently Asked Questions
How to view saved WiFi passwords on Android without root?
It differs for each mobile since not every phone has that option but you can check yours by following the steps below:
1. Open Settings and click Connections > Tap on WiFi.
2. Locate the WiFi connection name you want to view, and click a gear icon.
3. Click the QR code from the bottom-left corner of the screen.
4. Choose Save as an image.
5. Open Google Lens to scan the image that you just saved.
6. After scanning, click Join Network.
In the Settings section, under Connections (or Network and Internet), click on Wi-Fi on your guest’s Android phone. Find the QR code icon next to Add Network; tap on it and they can now quickly scan the code. Scanning the code should automatically connect the device.
Can I see my Wi-Fi password on my iPhone?
You can find the WiFi password by opening up the WiFi section of the Settings app and tapping the network you are connected to. After authentication with Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode, you can see the password. But this new feature is available only in coming iOS 16.
