Have you ever scrambled to connect a new device to your home WiFi only to be blocked by one thing – you forgot your WiFi password? I‘ve been there too!
As a network engineer, I help people recover lost passwords daily. I wrote this guide so you can easily find your WiFi password yourself on any device.
We‘ll cover:
- What exactly WiFi passwords do
- 6 methods to view or reset your password
- Bonus tips for when all else fails
Follow along below using whichever device you need the password for.
Here‘s Why Your WiFi Password Matters
Your home wireless network is likely central to connecting all your devices – phones, laptops, tablets, smart home gadgets, and more.
To join a WiFi network, devices need two key details:
- The network name – also called the SSID or WiFi name
- The password – also called the wireless key, network key, or passphrase
Together, these two pieces of information unlock access to your home WiFi.
The WiFi network password adds an extra layer of security beyond just the name alone. In fact, that password is encrypting all data transmitted across your wireless network.
Why Password Protect Your WiFi?
Without a password, anyone nearby could easily connect to your home WiFi, eavesdropping on devices and internet activity.
With encryption from a WiFi password, devices on the network get an extra layer of protection.
So just like using secure, unique passwords for email, financial sites, or social media – you want a strong password protecting your WiFi.
Let‘s check out some easy ways to reveal your existing home wireless network password.
Method 1: Check Your WiFi Router
The absolute quickest way to find your WiFi password is to simply look…on your WiFi router directly!
Many routers actually have the default password clearly printed right on a sticker.
Let‘s see if we can find it:
Locate your WiFi router – it‘s the box that plugs into your internet modem and broadcasts the wireless signal. Trace those ethernet cables if unsure!
Check all sides/bottom for a white sticker with a bunch of text – it may include details like:
- Admin Username
- Admin Password
- Network Name
- Network Password
Spot your WiFi network name – also called the SSID or WiFi name – and the password next to it!
With any luck, this sticker still shows the admin access details and WiFi network password.
We can use that password directly to connect devices or even better – log into the router admin and tweak settings!
Logging Into Your Router Admin Panel
Using the username and password on that router sticker, we can access extremely useful admin controls:
- Change WiFi password
- Adjust WiFi frequency band
- Rename WiFi network name
- Enable guest networks
- Boost security settings
And more!
To access:
- Open any web browser
- Type your router‘s IP address from the sticker in address bar
- When prompted, enter admin username and password also listed
- Access WiFi and router controls!
Consider updating that default admin login info to something more secure. Then use the controls here whenever you need to lookup or reset your WiFi credential.
Now maybe your router doesn‘t have an obvious sticker or you want to check your password elsewhere too. Not to worry! More WiFi password finding tips ahead…
Method 2: Reveal Passwords on Mac
Next up: a clever way to find WiFi passwords saved directly inside Mac operating systems.
MacOS stores previous WiFi network credentials under the hood in Keychain Access – including old and current WiFi network passwords entered on that device.
So if you‘re near the Mac computer that initially connected to the network, we can surface the password there!
Here are the steps:
- Click the Finder icon in your Mac dock
- Select Applications
- Open Utilities
- Double click Keychain Access
- Pick System under Keychains
- Locate your WiFi network name
- Right click and pick Get Info
- Finally, check Show Password!
Once unlocked with your account password, your Mac reveals the saved WiFi network password in cleartext.
Got an old Mac that originally connected to your network? This retrieves any WiFi passwords it has encountered.
Now that we know where Mac OS stores WiFi passwords, let‘s try this on Windows next.
Method 3: Dig Out Passwords on Windows 10
You might be surprised to know Windows 10 also keeps previously connected WiFi network credentials handy behind the scenes.
We simply need to access one screen that shows the current WiFi password being used. From there, Windows can display it, share it, or even change it. Pretty convenient!
Here is how to surface the current WiFi key:
- Click the Windows Start button > Settings
- Choose Network & Internet
- Select Network and Sharing Center
- In the right column, click your WiFi network name
- Select Wireless Properties
- Finally under Security, check Show characters to reveal the WiFi passphrase!
With that last step, Windows presents your current WiFi password visibly.
No more guessing – we can see the exact WiFi encryption key needed to connect devices to this wireless network.
Now that we know where to uncover WiFi passwords in desktop operating systems, let‘s shift to mobile…
Method 4: Crack Passwords on iPhone
Finding WiFi passwords on iPhones and iPads takes just a few taps thanks to iOS securely storing credentials too.
I‘ll show you where to view the password for your current connected WiFi network:
- Go to Settings > Wi-Fi
- Tap the "i" icon next to your connected network
- Select Password near bottom
- Use Face ID/Touch ID to view the passphrase
Authenticated with biometrics, your iPhone then displays the wireless key you entered when first connecting to that WiFi network.
For security reasons, iOS won‘t reveal just any WiFi credentials without re-authentication.
But now you can easily share or reenter that password when setting up a new device on the same home WiFi.
Let‘s check out the process on Android too…
Method 5: Reveal it on Android
Similarly, Android devices securely save the WiFi network passwords you add over time.
The fast way to uncover just the current one is using Android‘s WiFi sharing menu:
- Go to Settings > Connections > Wi-Fi
- Tap your connected WiFi name
- Hit Share in top right
- Select Password to view the key!
So with two quick taps we can grab our current WPA2 home WiFi password off an Android phone to copy or share to other devices.
Lastly, let‘s revisit that handy router admin panel as one final option.
Method 6: Router Admin Credentials
Earlier we checked the router itself for that useful settings sticker including WiFi password.
Even without physical access, we can virtually log into most routers to see our wireless credentials too.
Logging into your router‘s admin panel only takes:
1.Router IP address – usually on sticker or we can Google router model default
2.Default admin username – typically just "admin"
3.Default admin password – often still set as simply "password"
With these 3 bits, head to any web browser and enter your router IP into URL bar. Enter default login credentials when prompted.
Now inside your router backend:
Navigate to Wireless or WiFi settings tab
View your exact network name and WiFi password configured!
Plus change them anytime under these admin controls.
So whenever you want to double check password details or can‘t easily access other devices, tap into your router web admin!
Still Stumped? Password Recovery Tips
Hopefully one method above helped you rediscover your WiFi network password. But if not, try these last resorts before admitting total defeat:
- Call your internet provider – most supply your router and can check password
- Factory reset router to defaults – passphrase sticker restores it
- Contact router manufacturer support for recovery procedures
Stay calm and use all troubleshooting steps before panicking! Resetting hardware usually does the trick.
Now let‘s wrap up with some WiFi security best practices I recommend after finding that passphrase.
Bonus: Steps for Total WiFi Password Security
To close this out, I want to encourage a few quick security steps regarding your WiFi password:
First, change router admin username and password from the insecure defaults like "admin / password" via the router panel.
Next, update your WiFi password to something truly strong – 15+ random characters using Capitals, numbers, symbols. Set this using router web admin.
Finally, save your new WiFi password somewhere convenient like a password manager or stored note. No more panic when your 1989outK!t13@ WiFi passphrase gets mangled again by time and bad memory!
Stay secure out there and feel free to contact me (use email below) with any questions.
Happy connecting!
