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If a Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC has connected to a Wi-Fi network before and its saved profile still exists, Command Prompt can display the stored network key. Run netsh wlan show profiles to find the profile name, then run netsh wlan show profile name="PROFILE-NAME" key=clear. Look under Security settings for Key Content.
This reads a credential saved on that PC; it does not contact the router, crack a password, or reveal the credentials for a network the PC has never joined. Use it only on a computer and network you are authorized to access.
Before you start
- The PC must have connected to the network before, and the wireless profile must not have been removed.
- The saved key may be out of date if the router’s Wi-Fi password has changed.
- The command can print the key in readable text. Keep the Command Prompt window and any copied output private.
- Microsoft’s netsh wlan reference lists Windows 10 and Windows 11 among the supported versions. Output labels and access can still vary with Windows build, language, policy, profile, and account permissions.
Show a saved Wi-Fi password in Command Prompt
1. Open Command Prompt
Open Start, type Command Prompt or cmd, and select the app. You can also press Windows key + R, type cmd, and press Enter. A regular window may be sufficient for viewing a profile that your account can access. If Windows reports an access or permission error, reopen Command Prompt using Run as administrator and approve the User Account Control prompt.
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2. List the saved Wi-Fi profiles
Enter this command and press Enter:
netsh wlan show profilesWindows lists wireless profiles stored on the PC. The profile name often matches the network’s SSID, but do not assume they are identical. Copy the name shown after All User Profile, including its spaces and punctuation.
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Profiles on interface Wi-Fi:
User profiles
-------------
All User Profile : HomeNetwork
All User Profile : OfficeWiFi
All User Profile : GuestNetwork3. Query the profile and display its key
Replace the example name with the exact profile name, keeping quotation marks around it—especially when it contains spaces:
netsh wlan show profile name="HomeNetwork" key=clearFor a profile called My Home Wi-Fi, for example, use:
netsh wlan show profile name="My Home Wi-Fi" key=clearIn the output, find Security settings and then Key Content. A recoverable shared Wi-Fi key normally appears beside that label:
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Security settings
-----------------
Authentication : WPA2-Personal
Cipher : CCMP
Security key : Present
Key Content : example-passwordThe example password above is illustrative, not a real credential. On a localized copy of Windows, the field label may be translated. The key=clear option asks Windows to display the stored key as readable text. The command is part of Windows’ WLAN command set; it can also be run in Windows Terminal or PowerShell. Microsoft documents the WLAN commands and profile options in its netsh wlan command reference.
4. Close the window when finished
Do not share a screenshot or paste the output into a public forum or support chat. Close the window after you have copied the password where it is needed.
Find the connected network’s name first
If you are unsure which profile belongs to the network currently in use, run:
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netsh wlan show interfacesLook for the current SSID, then compare it with the names returned by netsh wlan show profiles. A PC with multiple wireless adapters or virtual interfaces may show more than one interface. The Microsoft WLAN command reference documents both interface and profile commands.
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Windows says the profile cannot be found
Run netsh wlan show profiles again and copy a listed profile name exactly. A common mistake is entering the network’s advertised SSID rather than the profile name, or confusing similar names such as HomeWiFi and HomeWiFi-5G. Spaces, punctuation, and spelling matter; quotation marks allow spaces in the command. If the network is not listed, it may never have been saved on this PC, may have been removed with Forget, or may be associated with another interface or account.
There is no Key Content field
A missing field does not necessarily mean the command failed. Some profiles have no shared Wi-Fi key to display: an open network has no Wi-Fi password, while enterprise networks may authenticate with a username, certificate, smart card, or managed device credentials instead. Policy-controlled profiles and profiles without a locally recoverable key may also lack a conventional key value. For work or school Wi-Fi, ask the network administrator rather than trying to bypass its access controls.
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Hotels, airports, and cafés may use a web sign-in page in addition to—or instead of—a Wi-Fi key. The profile command cannot reveal a captive-portal account password or bypass the portal.
Windows reports an access or permission error
Retry from an elevated Command Prompt: open Start, search for Command Prompt, choose Run as administrator, and approve the prompt. Whether elevation is needed to view a particular profile depends on the profile and the account’s access. Microsoft specifically states that exporting a profile with key=clear writes its key in plain text only when the command is run by a local administrator.
The displayed password does not connect another device
The command shows the key stored in the selected Windows profile, which may be an old password if someone changed the router’s Wi-Fi password. Confirm the current password with the network owner, the router label or provider app, or the router’s administration page if you are authorized to use it. You can also reconnect the PC using the current password and then try the other device again.
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The network was never saved on this PC
This method cannot retrieve a key that Windows never stored or that has since been removed. Ask the network owner, check an authorized router or provider app, or use another connected device’s sharing feature if available.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Use Windows settings instead
If you are currently connected and prefer not to use a command, Windows also offers graphical ways to view network details. Microsoft’s Windows Wi-Fi instructions describe a Show Wi-Fi network password option in supported current Windows 11 interfaces and an older route through Wireless Network Properties, the Security tab, and Show characters. The Settings layout and labels can differ by Windows build.
Optional: export one profile to a file
Most readers only need to display the key in Command Prompt. Export a profile only when you have a specific reason to keep or transfer its configuration, because an XML file created with key=clear can contain the Wi-Fi key in plain text.
To export a single profile, first create a destination folder and then run the export command from an elevated Command Prompt, substituting the exact profile name:
mkdir "%USERPROFILE%DesktopWiFiProfiles"
netsh wlan export profile name="HomeNetwork" folder="%USERPROFILE%DesktopWiFiProfiles" key=clearThe destination folder must exist and be locally accessible; Microsoft says UNC paths are not supported. Treat the resulting XML as a password: do not email or upload it, and delete it when it is no longer needed. See Microsoft’s export profile documentation for the command’s options and permissions.
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