Find or Change a Saved Wi-Fi Password on Windows

On Windows 11, open Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi > Manage known networks, select the network, and use the password option to view it. If your router’s password changed, the easiest fix on any device is to forget the network and reconnect with the new password; on Windows you can also edit the saved key in the network’s Wireless Properties. Below are the exact steps for Windows 11 and 10, plus Mac, iPhone and Android.

Find a saved Wi-Fi password on Windows 11

Open Settings (Windows key + I).
Go to Network & internet > Wi-Fi > Manage known networks.
Click the network name.
On Windows 11 24H2 and later, find Wi-Fi network password and click Show. On 22H2/23H2, look for View Wi-Fi security key and click View.

Newer versions can also show a QR code you can scan with a phone to join the same network. If you do not see these options, your Windows build is older; use one of the methods below.

Find a saved Wi-Fi password on Windows 10 (or Windows 11 via Control Panel)

This method only works for the network you are currently connected to.

Press Windows key + R, type ncpa.cpl and press Enter to open Network Connections.
Right-click your Wi-Fi adapter and choose Status.
Click Wireless Properties, then open the Security tab.
Check Show characters. The password appears in the Network security key box. You may need administrator rights.

Note that Windows 10 reached end of support in October 2025. It still works, but it no longer gets regular security updates unless you are enrolled in Extended Security Updates.

Use the command line for any saved network

Open Terminal or Command Prompt.
List saved networks: netsh wlan show profiles
Show one network’s password: netsh wlan show profile name="NetworkName" key=clear
Look for Key Content under Security settings.

Only use this on your own computer or with the owner’s permission.

Update the saved password after the router password changed

When you change your router’s Wi-Fi password, devices keep trying the old one and fail to connect. You have two options on Windows.

Option 1: Forget and reconnect (Windows 11 and 10)

Go to Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi > Manage known networks.
Next to the network, click Forget.
Click the Wi-Fi icon in the taskbar, choose the network, click Connect, and enter the new password.

Option 2: Edit the saved key

Open ncpa.cpl, right-click Wi-Fi and choose Status > Wireless Properties. (If you are not connected, you may need to try connecting first so Windows prompts you for the new password.)
On the Security tab, replace the text in Network security key with the new password.
Click OK and reconnect.

Often Windows will simply show “Can’t connect to this network” and then ask for the new key when you click Connect again. Entering it there also updates the saved password.

Change the Wi-Fi password itself

Your computer does not set the network’s password; your router does. To change it, sign in to the router’s admin page or app (often 192.168.0.1, 192.168.1.1 or your provider’s app), open the Wireless or Wi-Fi settings, and change the password, passphrase or pre-shared key. Use WPA3 or WPA2 security and a long passphrase. Then update every device using the steps in this article.

Mac, iPhone and Android

Device	View saved password	Update after router change
Mac (macOS Sequoia and later)	Open the Passwords app, select Wi-Fi, choose the network	System Settings > Wi-Fi, use the network’s menu to Forget This Network, then rejoin
Mac (older macOS)	Keychain Access, search the network name, check Show password	Forget the network in Wi-Fi settings and rejoin
iPhone/iPad (iOS 16 and later)	Settings > Wi-Fi, tap the info (i) button, tap Password and authenticate; also in the Passwords app on iOS 18+	Tap (i) > Forget This Network, then join again
Android 10 and later	Wi-Fi settings, tap the network or its gear icon, then Share to show a QR code (and often the password)	Tap the network > Forget, then reconnect

On Samsung Galaxy phones, the path is Settings > Connections > Wi-Fi, then the gear icon next to the network and QR code. Exact labels vary by Android version and brand. Apple explains password viewing in its guide to finding saved Wi-Fi passwords.

Troubleshooting

Still can’t connect after entering the new password: restart the device and the router, and make sure you typed the password with correct capitalization. If it connects but pages won’t load, see Wi-Fi connected but no internet.
Option to view the password is missing on Windows: you may not be signed in as an administrator, or your organization may have disabled it.
Old devices won’t join after a security change: if you switched the router to WPA3-only, older devices may not support it. Try WPA2/WPA3 mixed mode.

Bottom line

To see a saved Wi-Fi password on Windows 11, go to Manage known networks and click Show (or View). On Windows 10, use Wireless Properties or the netsh command. When the router’s password changes, forgetting the network and reconnecting is the fastest fix on every platform.

FAQ

Can I change the Wi-Fi password from my laptop?

Only by signing in to the router’s settings from the laptop’s browser or the router app. Windows settings only store the password; they do not change it on the router.

Why doesn’t Windows show my Wi-Fi password?

Older Windows builds lack the Settings option, and viewing keys requires administrator rights. Use the Control Panel method or netsh as an admin.

Will forgetting a network delete anything else?

No. It only removes the saved password and settings for that network. You just enter the password again when reconnecting.

Do I need to update every device after changing the router password?

Yes. Each device stores its own copy of the old password. On Apple devices with iCloud Keychain, updating it on one device may sync to the others.