So you’re connected to a Wi-Fi network from way back when, but you can’t remember what the password is. Whether you’ve changed the default password or not, it’s simple to find it. You can look up any Wi-Fi network password if you’ve previously connected to that network from your computer or phone.
First: Check Your Router’s Default Password
If your router is still using the default username and password, it should be easy to find. Modern Wi-Fi routers–and the combined router/modem units offered by many Internet service providers–come with a default Wi-Fi network name and password. Each router has its own default password, which is often random.
To find the default password, find your Wi-Fi router and examine it. You should see a sticker somewhere on it that contains both the “SSID”–the wireless network name–and the password. If you haven’t changed the default password yet, you can use that password to connect to the router.
If you don’t see a default password printed on the router itself, try looking at the documentation that came with the router for more information.
What if you don’t have the manual or the password isn’t on the router sticker? As we mentioned in our guide to resetting your router’s password, you might be able to find the password by using common username and password combinations (e.g., “admin” for the username and “admin” for the password) or consulting RouterPasswords.com, a database of popular routers’ default logins.
Once you’ve connected to your router using the default password, make sure you change it and store the password in your password manager so your router is secure.
How to Find the Current Wi-Fi Network’s Password on Windows
If you’ve connected to a Wi-Fi network from a Windows laptop or desktop PC, Windows will remember that Wi-Fi network’s password. You can look up the Wi-Fi password on any Windows computer that’s currently connected to–or has previously connected to–that Wi-Fi network.
To look up the password for the Wi-Fi network you’re currently connected to on Windows, we’ll head to the Network and Sharing Center in the Control Panel. The quickest way to do this: Right-click on the Wireless Network icon in the taskbar and click “Open Network and Sharing Center.”
Find Passwords for Other Wi-Fi Networks in Windows 8 and 10
In Windows 10 and 8.1, you’ll have to use the command prompt to find a previous network’s password. Right-click the Start button and select “Command Prompt” to quickly open it.
Then type in the following command:
netsh wlan show profiles
You’ll get a list of the Wi-Fi networks you’ve accessed before.
To find the password for one of the profiles, type in the following, replacing profilename with the name of the profile:
netsh wlan show profile name=profilename key=clear
Look for the “Key Content” line to find the Wi-Fi password for that Wi-Fi network.