How to Find any Wi-Fi Password on Windows (Easy Guide)

You might forget your Wi-Fi password when you need it the most. But you can use Command Prompt to hack your saved password without hassle. In this guide, I will tell you how you can find the any saved Wi-Fi password in Windows and recover it within minutes. 

A few weeks ago, I was away from the city and went to my cousin’s place for a week. My cousin connected my laptop to his wireless network which I bought 3 months ago.

I realized at midnight that my phone wasn’t connected to the network. I too forgot to ask for the password, and now I badly needed it to watch some videos while laying down in the bed. Well, I remembered one nifty trick to find the Wi-Fi password using the command prompt. 

So, here’s how to find Wi-Fi password on Windows using CMD. Just know, this is not hacking someone else’s Wi-Fi network and is more like, recovering your lost password which is stored by Windows.

How to Find Wi-Fi Password on Windows

These are the steps which you need to follow carefully if you want to retrieve the password. It is very simple to find passwords using commands which I’m going to list below. You just need to use them accordingly, so you can know the password to your connected or known network.

I’m saying again, this is not for hacking Wi-Fi networks, it’s just retrieving your lost password using Command Prompt in Windows. Remember, I’m using Windows 10 but it’s the same for all Windows versions. For Windows 7, it’s much easier. And if you’re using Windows 8 or 8.1 it’s the same as in Windows 10. 

How to Find Passwords for Wi-Fi networks You Connected Previously

Windows store even the passwords of previously join or known Wi-Fi networks. In Windows 7 or earlier versions, you need to find the stored wireless profiles from Network and Sharing Center.

But in Windows 8 or Windows 10, you’ll have to use the Command Prompt.

Find Passwords for known Networks in Windows 7 or Earlier

To start, go to Network and Sharing Center, and click on the “Manage wireless networks” options in the left sidebar.

Once you go there, you will find the list of the networks you have connected to previously.

To find the password, double-click on the network name to open its properties.

In the network properties window, go the to Security tab and make sure to check the box next to “Show characters”. This will show you the password of the network in the “Network security key” field. 

Image source: How-To Geek

Find Passwords for known Wi-Fi Networks in Windows 8 and 10

In Windows 10 and 8, you need to use commands to retrieve any old passwords. Right click on the Start button and select “Command Prompt” as admin to access it faster.

Then type the following command:

netsh wlan show profiles

You’ll get a list of all the Wi-Fi networks you have joined through the computer.

Now to find the password of one of the network profiles, type the following command. Make sure to replace profilename with the name of the profile.

netsh wlan show profile name=profilename key=clear

You need to find the “Key Content” line which is the password of the network.

There you go, you know have the password to the Wi-Fi network you are connected. The profile will be saved, no matter what. This is great for finding passwords for networks which you joined earlier and need the password later. 

Find Current Wi-Fi Network’s Password in Windows

If you lost the password of your current Wi-Fi network – the one you are connected to. Then, it’s very simple and easy to find that password. All you need to do is follow the baby-steps.

Windows will store the password which can be found relatively easily. Firstly, you need to right-click on the little WiFi icon in the taskbar, and click on “Open Network and Sharing Center”.

Now click on the name of the Wi-Fi network you’re connected to. My network’s SSID is AtomicFrags.

Same as before, click on the Wireless Properties. Then move to the Security tab and check the box next to “Show Characters”.

You can see where to click exactly followed by the numbers “1 and 2”. It’s very simple and easy as you can see. Takes no longer than 30 seconds in my opinion. So, there you go. You have your pass with you! 

What if all fails? – Reset your router

If you fail to find your password anyhow. Maybe, your password was changed by some family members or anyone, you need to reset your router and connect to the network via the default password by the router manufacturer.

If you’re using a PPPoE connection like I do, you’ll have to take the burden to call your internet service provider for the connection username and password. It will take time to configure the connection and if you want to skip these steps, you can connect your router to a desktop computer and then reset your password.

Conclusion

This is how you can find your Wi-Fi password on any Windows computer easily. I have listed every possible way for each Windows. I personally use Windows 10 and I need to use Command Prompt to find any other Wi-Fi password.

You can also read my “improve Wi-Fi signal using DIY foil” guide which improved my signal strength by 65 percent. Anyway, that’s how you can hack any Wi-Fi password from Windows 10 and 8 and also Windows 7. 

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