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Nobody knows the Wi-Fi password? Your laptop does

How to find your Wi-Fi password on Windows 11

Open Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi > Manage known networks, click the network and click Show (older builds say View) next to the Wi-Fi password. It works for any network the PC has joined before, and it also gives you a QR code a phone can scan.

How to do it

  1. Press Windows + I to open Settings, then click Network & internet.

  2. Click Wi-Fi, then Manage known networks.

  3. Click the network you want.

  4. Next to the Wi-Fi password, click Show (on some builds the line is called View Wi-Fi security key, with a View button). Confirm with your PIN if it asks.

  5. The password appears with a QR code. A phone can scan the code and join without typing anything.

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My sister came over with a new tablet and we spent ten minutes looking for the router. The laptop on the table had been on that Wi-Fi for two years. Settings showed the password in three clicks.

The QR code is the bit people miss. Point a phone camera at the laptop screen and it joins straight away, which is handy when the password is a long string of random letters.

If the button isn't there, your build is older. The ncpa.cpl route in the FAQ still works on every version of Windows 10 and 11.

Other ways to do it

  • netsh in Terminal Built in

    Pick it if you're on an older build without the button, or you want every saved password at once. Run netsh wlan show profile name="NetworkName" key=clear and read the Key Content line.

    Stick with this tip if you just want one password without typing commands.

  • The router sticker or admin page By hand

    Pick it if no computer or phone in the house has joined the network yet, or someone changed the password and nobody wrote it down.

    Stick with this tip if any PC on the network is within reach. It's quicker than finding the router.

Questions people ask

There's no Show or View button. What now?

Your Windows 11 build is older. Press Windows + R, type ncpa.cpl, double-click the Wi-Fi adapter, click Wireless Properties, open the Security tab and tick Show characters. Or run Windows Update and check again.

Can I see the password for a network I'm not connected to right now?

Yes, as long as the PC joined it at some point. Every saved network is in Manage known networks. In Terminal, netsh wlan show profiles lists them too.

Why does it ask for my PIN?

Showing a saved password needs you to confirm it's you. Use the same PIN or password you sign in to Windows with. On a work laptop you may need admin rights.

Why is there no password for my work or school network?

Those networks usually sign you in with your account instead of one shared password, so there's nothing to show.

Does this work on Windows 10?

Not in Settings. On Windows 10 use the ncpa.cpl route above, or the netsh command in Command Prompt.

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