How to See a Saved WiFi Password on Phone and Laptop in 2026

How do you see a saved WiFi password?

Android: Settings, Network and internet, tap the saved network, then Share; the QR code, and on many phones the text under it, shows the password. iPhone: Settings, Wi‑Fi, (i), Password, then Face ID. Windows: netsh wlan show profile name="X" key=clear. Forgot it on every device? Use the router sticker or admin page, or reset the router.

How to see a WiFi password on Android (and read the QR code)

Open the saved network in Settings and tap Share; Android shows a QR code that contains the network name and password. Google’s Android help gives the path as Settings, Network and internet, Internet, then your network, then Share. Menu names differ between phone makers and Android versions, so on some phones look under Connections or WiFi and tap the gear or QR icon next to the network.

1. Open Settings and go to Network and internet (or Connections, or WiFi).
2. Tap Internet or WiFi, then tap the saved network or the gear icon next to it.
3. Tap Share or the QR code icon, and confirm with your PIN, pattern or fingerprint if asked.
4. Read the password printed under the QR code, or let another phone scan the code to join.

If your phone shows only the code, the password is still inside it. Wikipedia’s QR code article gives the common WiFi format as WIFI:S:<network name>;T:<WPA, WEP or nopass>;P:<password>;H:<true or false>;;. So WIFI:S:HomeNet;T:WPA;P:mango-river-tractor;; means the network HomeNet uses WPA and the password is mango-river-tractor. Scan the code with a QR scanner that shows the raw text and read the part after P:. The same article notes that Android and iOS 11 and later support this format, so the phone camera can usually join the network directly.

How to see a WiFi password on iPhone or iPad

Go to Settings, Wi‑Fi, tap the (i) button next to the network, tap Password and unlock with Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode. Apple Support says this works in iOS 16, iPadOS 16.1 and later, and the password can then be copied.

• Connected network: Settings → Wi‑Fi → (i) next to the network → tap Password → authenticate.
• Networks you joined earlier: Settings → Wi‑Fi → Edit (upper-right corner) → authenticate → (i) next to a network with a lock icon → Password.
• iOS 18: open the Passwords app, tap Wi‑Fi, choose the network and tap the Password field.
• Older iPhones: if the phone cannot run iOS 16, read the password on another device that has it saved, or on the router’s admin page.

How to see a WiFi password on Windows with CMD or Settings

Open Command Prompt and type netsh wlan show profiles to list saved networks, then netsh wlan show profile name="NetworkName" key=clear and read the Key Content line. This is the quickest route for the searches “wifi password cmd” and “wifi password command prompt”.

1. Press the Windows key, type cmd and open Command Prompt (run it as administrator if the next step asks).
2. Type netsh wlan show profiles and press Enter to see every network this PC has saved.
3. Type netsh wlan show profile name="NetworkName" key=clear, replacing NetworkName with the exact name, inside quotes if it has spaces.
4. Under Security settings, the Key Content line is the password.

Microsoft Learn’s netsh WLAN reference documents show profiles and its name parameter. If you prefer menus, Microsoft Support gives these routes:

• Windows 11: Settings → Network and internet → Wi‑Fi → your network’s properties → Show next to Wi‑Fi network password. Saved networks are under Manage known networks.
• Windows 10: Settings → Network and Internet → Status → Network and Sharing Center → your WiFi name → Wireless Properties → Security tab → tick Show characters.

How to see a WiFi password on a Mac

On macOS 13 or later, open System Settings, Network, Wi‑Fi, click Advanced, click the More button next to the network and choose Copy Password, then paste it somewhere to read it. These steps come from Apple’s Wi‑Fi password help page.

• Passwords app: on recent macOS versions, Apple’s Passwords guide says to open Passwords, click Wi‑Fi in the sidebar, select the network and hover over the dots to reveal the password.
• Keychain Access (older macOS): open Keychain Access from Spotlight, choose Passwords, double-click the entry with your network’s name, tick Show password and enter your Mac login password.

Can you see a WiFi password without being connected?

Only for networks your device saved earlier, or for a router you own. A phone or laptop that joined a network before keeps its password, which is why Android’s saved networks list, the iPhone Edit view and netsh show networks you are not connected to now. A network your device has never joined has no saved password, and no setting or command can reveal it.

Apps or videos that claim to show the password of a neighbour’s or shop’s WiFi are fake or are trying to break into networks without permission. Under India’s Information Technology Act, 2000, accessing a computer network without the owner’s permission can lead to a compensation claim under Section 43, and doing it dishonestly or fraudulently is an offence under Section 66, punishable with imprisonment of up to three years, a fine, or both. If you need someone’s WiFi, ask them to share it.

Forgot your WiFi password? Sticker, router page or reset

If none of your devices has it saved, check the sticker under the router, log in to the router’s admin page or app, or factory-reset a router you own. Try these in order:

1. Router sticker: many routers carry a label with the default network name and password, which may still be in use if nobody changed it.
2. Router admin page or app: connect by LAN cable or a device that is still joined, open the router’s admin page, and read or set a new password under the wireless or WLAN security section. Our guide on how to change your WiFi password covers the login step by step.
3. Ask whoever set it up: the person or internet provider who installed the router may be able to help you recover or reset it.
4. Factory reset: hold the small reset button for the time given in the router manual. This erases every setting, so you must set the network name, password and sometimes the internet login again.

How to make a strong WiFi password that is easy to remember

Use a passphrase of four or five unrelated words, 15 characters or more, on WPA2 or WPA3. Length matters more than symbols: a phrase like mango-river-tractor-blue is easier to type on a TV remote than a short jumble, and much harder to guess than a mobile number or a family name. Do not copy any example from this page.

• Length: Wikipedia’s Wi‑Fi Protected Access article says a WPA passphrase can be 8 to 63 printable characters, and weak passphrases remain open to password cracking. Aim well above 8.
• Passphrase style: NIST SP 800-63B, written for login passwords, asks for at least 15 characters when a password is used alone, allows at least 64, drops forced symbol rules and checks passwords against lists of common ones. The same thinking works for home WiFi.
• Avoid: 12345678, mobile numbers, house numbers, names, birthdays and the village or shop name.
• Security mode: choose WPA3 or WPA2/WPA3 if every device supports it, otherwise WPA2. Never leave the network open or on WEP.
• Guests: share by QR code instead of reading the password aloud, and change it if it has spread too far.

A strong password also stops neighbours from quietly sharing your plan, one of the causes covered in our WiFi slow problem guide. DVM Techno provides wireless broadband in 37 villages around Kasni, across Salhawas block and Jhajjar tehsil, with the antenna and router installed free. If you lose your WiFi password or the connection stops working, our local support team near Kasni is available by phone and WhatsApp on +91-8448523313, Mon–Sat, 9 AM–7 PM.

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