How to See a WiFi Password of a Past Connection (PC + Mac)

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Easily view the plain-text passwords from Wi-Fi networks

Co-authored by Nicole Levine, MFA

Last Updated: October 1, 2025 Fact Checked

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• Windows Command Prompt
|
• Windows Network Settings
|
• Mac Terminal
|
• Mac Keychain
|
• Q&A
|
• Warnings

|Show more |Show less

If you need to find the Wi-Fi password for a past wireless connection, you can do so easily using the Windows command prompt or in your Network Settings. If you're using a Mac, you can find Wi-Fi passwords by entering a command into the terminal or checking the Keychain Access app. In this article, we'll walk you through the simple steps of finding the Wi-Fi password of a past connection using the command prompt (cmd), terminal, and more.

Find Wi-Fi Passwords in CMD: Quick Steps

1. Press the Windows key and type "cmd".
2. Right-click "Command Prompt" and select Run as administrator.
3. Enter "netsh wlan show profiles" to find the name of the Wi-Fi network.
4. Enter "netsh wlan show profiles (network-name) key=clear" to see the password for "network-name."

Steps

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Using Windows Command Prompt (CMD)

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1. 
   1
   Open CMD with administrator permissions. Here's how:

   • Press the Windows key on the keyboard or click the Start menu.
   • Type cmd
   • Right-click "Command Prompt" and select Run as administrator.
   • Click Yes to confirm.
     • Using this option requires being on the admin account on the device or at least having the admin password.
2. 
   2
   Type netsh wlan show profiles to get a list of networks. This displays a list of Wi-Fi networks this computer has connected to. Make note of the name of the network for which you want to find the password, as you'll need it in the next step.
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3. 
   3
   Type netsh wlan show profile name="profilename" key=clear. Replace "profilename" with the name of the network you want to find the password for.

   • This command displays the network and security information for the Wi-Fi network, including the Wi-Fi password in plain text.
4. 
   4
   Find “Key Content" value under "Security settings." The value of "Key Content" is the Wi-Fi password for the selected Wi-Fi network.

   • If you want to see all the passwords for every Wi-Fi network you've connected to at once, enter this command at the prompt: for /f "skip=9 tokens=1,2 delims=:" %i in ('netsh wlan show profiles') do @echo %j | findstr -i -v echo | netsh wlan show profiles %j key=clear
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Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Using Windows 11 Network Settings

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1. 
   1
   You can also view Wi-Fi passwords from previous connections in your settings. This will only work in Windows 11. If you're using Windows 10, you'll need to use the command prompt instead.

   • Click the Wi-Fi icon near the clock at the bottom-right corner.
   • Click the right-pointing arrow next to your current connection.
   • Click More Wi-Fi settings at the bottom.
   • Click Manage Known Networks.
   • Click the network you want to find the password for.
   • Click Edit next to "Advanced Wi-Fi network properties."
   • Click the Security tab.
   • Check the box under "Show characters" to display the Wi-Fi password.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Using a Mac Terminal

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1. 
   1
   Open Terminal. You will find Terminal on the Launchpad. You can also open it from Finder by going to Applications > Utilities > Terminal. [[Image:Find the WiFi Password of a Past Connection Using Command Prompt (CMD) Step 6 Version 2.jpg|center]]
2. 
   2
   Type the command security find-generic-password -wa "Wi-Fi name". Replace"Wi-Fi name" with the name of the network you want to find the password for. Make sure to replace "your-wifi" with your WI name.

   • If you don't know the name of the Wi-Fi network, use the command security find-generic-password -D "AirPort network password" -a "" 2>/dev/null to display past connections.
3. 
   3
   Enter your password when prompted. Once you confirm your password, you will see the password for the selected Wi-Fi network next to "password."
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Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Using Mac Keychain Access

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1. 
   1
   If you don't want to type commands into a terminal, you can also view the passwords of past Wi-Fi connections in the Keychain Access app on your Mac. Here's how:

   • Open the Keychain Access app. To do this, press Command + Space, type keychain access, and press Return.
   • Click System in the left panel.
   • Click Passwords at the bottom.
   • Double-click the Wi-Fi connection for which you want to view the password.
   • Check the box next to "Show password."
   • Enter your password and click OK.

Community Q&A

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• Question

  What if I get the message "key content is not available"?

  

  BakaOmi

  Community Answer

  That message usually appears if you aren't running CMD as an administrator. To run CMD as an administrator, right-click on it and select the option "Run as Administrator" (type in the admin password if it asks for one), and voila. Now retype the netsh command and you'll have the key content.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

  Yes No

  Not Helpful 4 Helpful 2
• Question

  What do I do if it shows "present" as the security key?

  

  Ezekiel Akinyelu

  Community Answer

  The word present means the password is the current password of the WiFi. Just follow the instructions and you will get what you are looking for.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

  Yes No

  Not Helpful 15 Helpful 3

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Warnings

• This usually only works for WPA, WPA2, and sometimes WEP Wi-Fi connections. Most WiFi is WPA2 or WPA3.
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