How to Find a Wi-Fi Password on Your PC or Mac
Wi-Fi is an essential part of our daily lives as we heavily rely on the internet to carry out our work, studies, or even entertainment activities. Most of us use Wi-Fi networks in our homes or workspaces, but sometimes we forget the passwords. This can be frustrating especially when we need to connect a new device or help a guest connect to our network. Fortunately, there are ways to find Wi-Fi passwords on your PC or Mac, and in this article, I will guide you through the steps.
How to Find Wi-Fi Password on Your PC
Method 1 – Using Your Network Connections
1. Right-click the Network icon located in the taskbar or notification area.
2. Choose ‘Open Network & Internet Settings’, then select ‘Change adapter options’.
3. Right-click the Wi-Fi network you want to manage and select ‘Status’.
4. Click on ‘Wireless properties’ and select the ‘Security’ tab.
5. Check the ‘Show characters’ checkbox under ‘Network security key’ to see your Wi-Fi password.
Method 2 – Using the Command Prompt
1. Click the ‘Start’ button to open the search bar.
2. Type ‘Command Prompt’ and right-click the application to select ‘Run as administrator’.
3. Type ‘netsh wlan show profile’ into the command prompt and press enter.
4. Choose the Wi-Fi network name and input ‘netsh wlan show profile “wifi name” key=clear’.
5. Look for ‘Key Content’ to see your Wi-Fi password.
How to Find Wi-Fi Password on Your Mac
Method 1 – Using Keychain Access
1. Open the ‘Finder’ tool and click on ‘Applications’.
2. Select ‘Utilities’ and look for the ‘Keychain Access’ app.
3. Double-click the Wi-Fi network name that you want to see the password for.
4. Tick the ‘Show password’ checkbox and input your Mac system password.
5. Your Wi-Fi password will be displayed in the ‘Password’ field.
Method 2 – Using Terminal
1. Open the ‘Terminal’ app which is located in the ‘Utilities’ folder.
2. Type in ‘security find-generic-password -ga “network name” | grep “password”’ and press enter.
3. Input your Mac system password.
4. The Wi-Fi password will be displayed in the terminal.
In conclusion, forgetting your Wi-Fi password is a common occurrence, but it does not mean you cannot retrieve it. Whether you are using a PC or Mac, there are different methods you can use to find your Wi-Fi password. These methods usually involve accessing network properties or using command prompt/terminal tools. Try out the described methods to retrieve your Wi-Fi password, so you can easily connect your devices and enjoy your internet connection.