The fastest way to recover a Wi-Fi password is usually a device that is already connected. Modern phones and computers can reveal or share saved network credentials after you authenticate. Try those routes before changing settings or factory-resetting the router.
Quick answer: Check a connected phone or computer first. If none is available, inspect the router label, official router app, or local admin page. Factory reset is the last resort.
Only reveal a password for a network you own or are authorized to use. A saved credential grants the same network access as typing it at the router.
Find a Wi-Fi password on iPhone or iPad
On current iPhone software, open the Passwords app, choose Wi-Fi, select the saved network, and authenticate to reveal or copy its password. The connected network appears at the top, followed by previously saved networks.
Apple’s current iPhone Wi-Fi password guide also allows you to display a network QR code or share access directly with a nearby Apple device.
If the device uses older software, the path can differ. Update the device or follow Apple’s support page for that version rather than installing an unknown password-viewing app.
Find a Wi-Fi password on Android
Menus vary by manufacturer. On a current Pixel phone:
- Open Settings.
- Choose Network & internet, then Internet.
- Select the settings control beside the connected network.
- Tap Share and verify your identity.
- Use the displayed QR code to connect another device.
Google documents this flow in its official Pixel Wi-Fi instructions. Samsung and other Android devices may use names such as Connections, Wi-Fi, and QR code; use the manufacturer’s instructions when the Pixel path does not match.
Treat the QR code like the password itself. Anyone who can scan or save it may be able to join the network.
Find a Wi-Fi password in Windows
For a connected network in current Windows versions:
- Open Settings.
- Select Network & internet, then Properties.
- Find Wi-Fi network password and select Show.
Microsoft’s current Windows Wi-Fi guide says saved networks can also be opened through Manage known networks, where Windows can show the password and a scannable QR code.
On a shared or managed computer, stop if the operating system asks for an administrator credential you do not control.
Find a Wi-Fi password on Mac
On macOS Ventura or later, Apple documents this route:
- Open System Settings.
- Select Network, then Wi-Fi.
- Scroll to Advanced to see known networks.
- Open the More menu beside the network and choose Copy Password.
The current steps are listed in Apple’s Wi-Fi password support article. Authentication may be required before macOS copies the secret.
Check the router label or admin page
If the Wi-Fi password has never been changed, the original network name and credential may be printed on the router. A label is not proof that the value is still current.
For a changed password, use the router’s official app or local administration page. Connect by Ethernet if possible, sign in with the router administrator credential, and open its Wi-Fi or Wireless settings. The admin credential and the Wi-Fi credential are usually separate.
Do not enter router credentials into a website reached through an advertisement. Use the local address printed on the device, the official app, or a support link from the manufacturer or internet provider.
When recovery should become replacement
If a former guest, tenant, employee, or unknown device may know the current password, recovering it is not enough. Change the Wi-Fi password, use a unique generated value, and reconnect only authorized devices.
If you cannot recover either the Wi-Fi credential or the router administrator login, read how to reset router access safely before pressing the reset button.