We have all been in this situation: a friend comes over and asks for your Wi-Fi password, but you set up the router years ago and cannot remember the complex string of characters. If you have a Windows 11 PC that is already connected to the network, you do not need to scramble to find the router or reset your network. Windows 11 securely stores the passwords for all saved networks, and you can easily view the password for your currently active connection directly within the Settings app.
Viewing the Password for Your Current Network
Windows 11 makes it straightforward to find the password for the network you are actively connected to.
- Click the Start button on your taskbar and select the Settings gear icon (or press
Windows Key + I). - In the left-hand navigation pane, click on Network & internet.
- In the main window, click on Wi-Fi.
- Click on the specific network name (SSID) that you are currently connected to. It will usually say the name followed by “Properties.”
- Scroll down this properties page until you find the section labelled Wi-Fi security key.
- Next to the hidden password dots, click the View button.
Note: Because displaying a network password is a security risk, Windows will immediately prompt you for your computer’s administrator password, PIN, or biometric authentication (like Windows Hello fingerprint or face scan) before revealing the characters.
Viewing Passwords for Previously Saved Networks
If you need the password for a network you connected to in the past (like a coffee shop or a relative’s house) but are not currently connected to, the process is slightly different.
- Navigate back to Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi.
- Click on Manage known networks.
- You will see a list of every Wi-Fi network your PC has ever connected to and saved.
- Click on the specific network name you want to view.
- On the network’s property page, look for the Wi-Fi security key section again.
- Click the View button and enter your Windows administrator credentials to reveal the saved password.