How to View and Copy Saved Wi-Fi Passwords on Mac

Connecting a new smart television, gaming console, printer, or visitor’s laptop to your local wireless network often requires your Wi-Fi password. If you originally configured the network months or years ago, you may no longer remember the exact passphrase. Because your Mac securely saves credentials for every network you have ever joined in its encrypted system keychain, you can easily view, reveal, and copy passwords for any saved Wi-Fi network directly inside macOS without resetting your router.

Method 1: Revealing Passwords in System Settings (macOS Ventura, Sonoma, and Sequoia)

Modern versions of macOS provide a straightforward, graphical Wi-Fi management panel inside System Settings:

1. Click on the Apple menu () in the top-left corner of your desktop and select System Settings.
2. Click on Wi-Fi in the left sidebar navigation.
3. Scroll down to the bottom of the right-hand panel and click the Advanced button located in the lower-right corner.
4. Under the Known Networks list, you will see every Wi-Fi network your Mac has previously remembered.
5. Locate the target network, click the More actions (three dots ...) button beside its name, and select Copy Password.
6. When prompted by macOS security, authenticate using your Touch ID sensor or enter your Mac administrator password.
7. The network password is now copied to your clipboard. You can paste it (Cmd + V) into a text document, message, or notes file.

Method 2: Viewing Wi-Fi Passwords in the Passwords App (macOS Sequoia)

In macOS Sequoia, Apple introduced a dedicated standalone Passwords application that consolidates website logins, passkeys, verification codes, and network credentials:

1. Open the Passwords application from Spotlight, Launchpad, or the Applications folder.
2. Authenticate using Touch ID or your user account password.
3. Click on the Wi-Fi category in the left sidebar.
4. Select your target network from the list.
5. Hover your cursor over the obscured Password dots (••••••••). macOS reveals the plaintext passphrase instantly. Click on it to copy the text to your clipboard.

Method 3: Retrieving Wi-Fi Passwords via macOS Terminal

If you prefer using the command line or need to query saved credentials on a remote Mac over SSH, use the built-in security utility:

security find-generic-password -ga "YOUR_WIFI_NETWORK_NAME" | grep "password:"

Replace YOUR_WIFI_NETWORK_NAME with your exact Wi-Fi SSID. A system dialogue will pop up asking for an administrator username and password to authorize access to the macOS Keychain. Once entered, Terminal outputs the exact plaintext network key.

Best Practices for Wi-Fi Credential Management

• Clean Up Public Networks: Periodically review your Known Networks list in System Settings. Remove old hotel, café, or airport Wi-Fi networks by clicking the three dots beside them and choosing Forget This Network to prevent your Mac from automatically broadcasting probe requests to insecure open access points.
• Keep Passwords Encrypted: Never save exported network credentials in unencrypted plaintext notes. Rely on Apple Keychain or the native Passwords app with two-factor authentication enabled to safeguard your wireless security.